15 Aesthetic Cafes in Istanbul To Visit Off The Beaten Path

A collection of aesthetic cafes in Istanbul, Turkey perfect to have breakfast or brunch, with some hidden food gems – the best places to eat in Istanbul off the beaten path!

From all the very beautiful and, let’s say it, instagrammable cafes I’ve spent time at in Istanbul, about a dozen has caught my attention – and these are the ones I’ve chosen to share with you today.

How can I put it?

Well, Istanbul is one of the most colorful cities in the world, with gorgeous neighborhoods scattered along the Bosphorus, neighborhoods which all offer a particular atmosphere that I love.

What I didn’t expect when living in Istanbul, though, was how many huge coffee shops the city offers.

It’s no joke – yes, Turkish coffee is alive and well, but I was really surprised to find two, three-floors-high coffee shops pretty much everywhere.

15 Aesthetic Cafes in Istanbul To Visit Off The Beaten Path

Some of the coffee shops I’ll mention in this guide, you will also see in the article I wrote a while back about study cafes in Istanbul.

Many digital nomads come to live in Turkey; the way of life is particularly enjoyable, with a strong food culture and so many hidden gems that you barely know where to start.

I’ve chosen to share these specific cafes in case you would be looking for really cool places to have breakfast in Istanbul, or even a lunch bite or snack in between all your visits, and in addition to offering tasty coffee and food, these are really beautiful places!

Best Cafes in Istanbul: Haha Kafe, Nişantaşı

I’ve been a huge cheesecake lover ever since I discovered this tasty treat as a child, but Haha Kafe in Nişantaşı is the best spot I’ve ever eaten it at.

Covered with cherries, a fruit you’ll find in many fruit juices and cakes in Istanbul, the cheesecake at Haha Kafe was enough to make me come back a good handful of times.

In addition, the really cute terrace coupled with the fact that you have WiFi and power outlets throughout the whole coffee shop makes it one of the best cafes to visit in Istanbul if you’d like to work on your laptop.

Read: The Most Instagrammable Places in Istanbul

Best Breakfast in Istanbul: WTC What the Coffee, Beşiktaş

Beşiktaş, with its countless shops, restaurants and cafes, is one of my favorite places to go shopping in Istanbul – especially for lesser-known brands and really cheap clothes.

That’s also where you will find WTC, What the Coffee, which has a huge terrace and gorgeous decor oscillating between astrology, floral walls and plush seats.

The fresh desserts and smoothies are what I particularly enjoyed at What the Coffee, and for a bit of light reading, or to catch up with friends, is another one of the really aesthetic cafes I would recommend you pop by.

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Best Places to Eat in Istanbul: Mare Mosso, Balat

Out of the many cafes in Balat, one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in Istanbul, Mare Mosso was one of the first I visited, and to this day, remains my favorite.

The rustic decor, leather seats and wooden tables make for a very instagrammable cafe, and while Mare Mosso is a wannabe Italian cafe, it really is not.

Since I’m currently settled in Rome, I can say for sure that while the coffee shop is decorated with various Italian moka coffee machines and even has an Italian name, the coffee served is very much Turkish-style.

On the upper floor, Mare Mosso offers a decently-sized space with power outlets from which you can work on your laptop or charge your phone, too.

Read: How to Eat in London on a Budget

Best Cafes in Istanbul: Vitavien, Galata

With a view of the Galata Tower, Vitavien is a coffee shop famous for its San Sebastian cheesecake – while it’s not a Turkish specialty, you will find many cafes and bakeries selling this delicious, slightly sour cheesecake!

In case you would be looking for European-style ice cream (since Turkish ice cream, called dondurma, is a whole different thing), Vitavien also sells great flavors, and perfect if you’re visiting Istanbul during the summer.

Read: How to Make Friends in London

Best Cafes in Istanbul: Books & Coffee, Various Locations

Beyond simply beautiful cafes, you will find many bookshop cafes in Istanbul, from Karaköy to Istiklal Caddesi in Beyoğlu – one of my favorites is Books & Coffee.

Located a few minutes away from the Galata Tower, Books & Coffee is a place where you can buy English books and read them on the small terrace while observing cars passing by.

That’s also the only cafe in Istanbul I’ve found to sell a brownie mixed with a cheesecake, and topped with cherries – I didn’t think much of it when ordering, but as soon as I tried it, I fell in love and still think about it months after.

Read: The Prettiest Photo Spots in Paris

Best Breakfast in Istanbul: It’s Ok, Karaköy

Located in Karaköy, It’s Ok is one of the cutest coffee shops I’ve been given to try in town, complete with street art inside the cafe, leather seats and wooden tables – just the way I like my cafes to look!

The cafe is decently-sized, and while I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it if you’re looking for study cafes to work with your laptop, it’s a great place to have a bite and truly amazing coffee.

Read: The Most Secret Places in Rome

Best Cafes in Istanbul: Let’s Winkk, Nişantaşı

In Nişantaşı, where I used to go shopping for clothes a lot, Let’s Winkk is a coffee shop mixed with a fashion store – there, you’ll find homemade cakes and pastries as well as sunglasses and various unique streetwear bits.

The small terrace at Let’s Winkk is one I loved to spend time at, especially since there aren’t that many seats in the cafe.

However, a few seats inside, near the wall have power outlets, and I have seen people coming in to work on their laptop pretty often there.

The main reason to visit, though, is the range of fresh pastries – really delicious, and set in such a way that you find yourself wanting to try them all!

Read: The Best Tips for Student Budget in London

Best Cafes in Istanbul: Havesome Coffee, Nişantaşı

Also located in Nişantaşı, Havesome Coffee is one of the biggest – and most aesthetic cafes in Istanbul I’ve ever visited.

Hands down my favorite, actually.

Whether you want to have a fresh sandwich for lunch, a piece of cream and fruit cake or just a steaming hot cup of coffee to drink while you’re working/reading, that’s the place to do so.

There are other branches around town, including in Cihangir and Osmanbey, but the Nişantaşı coffee shop, with its two floors, rustic decor and even a wandering cat inside, is at the top of my list.

Read: The Best Shopping Streets in London

Best Cafes in Istanbul: Coffee Orient Co, Beyoğlu

Coffee Orient Co is another one of the cutest cafes I’ve tried, and while I only visited it once, I experienced the friendliest type of service from the staff there.

Add a rustic decor to the equation, delicious red velvet cake and the fact that Coffee Orient Co closes at 1 pm, and you have here a really cool place to eat and hang out with friends until late at night.

Read: How to Live in London on a Budget

Best Breakfast in Istanbul: Pablo Artisan Coffee, Arnavutköy

Arnavutköy, with its Ottoman-style houses, colorful facades and winding streets, is undeniably one of the prettiest neighborhoods in Istanbul.

There, waiting for the ferry, I spent some time at Pablo Artisan Coffee, a chain of cafes which also has a branch in Beşiktaş – a much bigger branch at that.

What I loved at Pablo Artisan Coffee in Arnavutköy is the tiny terrace with a view on the Bosphorus; after a visit of the area, it was a great place to relax with, as usual, a piece of cake!

Read: The Most Colorful Places in London

Best Cafes in Istanbul: Gönül Kahvesi, Caddebostan

On Caddebostan, one of the most famous streets in Istanbul, you will find a huge coffee shop, Gönül Kahvesi – one open till late, aesthetically pleasing, with strong çay (Turkish tea) and plenty of space to relax and hang out with friends.

When I first visited, it reminded me of Mare Mosso in Balat, only much bigger, but you do have the same kind of rustic decor with leather couches I love so much.

Also a good place to pop by to have breakfast before walking down Caddebostan!

Read: How to Save Money on Groceries in London

Best Cafes in Istanbul: MOC Nişantaşı

Sensing a pattern here, with yet another cafe in Nişantaşı – what can I say?

Nişantaşı is the one neighborhood I spent most time in aside from Fatih, and I immediately fell in love with how many coffee shops and restaurants you can find there…

And that includes MOC Coffee Roastery, which is a really big cafe established on two floors, with the kind of fresh and tasty cheesecake I loved eating while in Istanbul.

Lots of power outlets and free WiFi are available at MOC Nişantaşı, and if you ever find yourself in other neighborhoods, they have quite a few branches all over town.

PS. Also a great place to eat in Istanbul; I tried their cheesy ravioli and was left speechless.

Read: How to Move to London – and Survive as an Expat

Best Cafes in Istanbul: Boston Donuts, Moda

I love my instagrammable pastries – Aux Merveilleux de Fred in London, Stohrer in Paris, and, well…

Boston Donuts in Moda, Kadıköy.

We’re here in one of the trendiest areas in town, and Boston Donuts is that place where you can buy anything from bubblegum doughnuts to plain chocolate doughnuts – I tried two, and they were just. So. Good.

The prices are really affordable, too, as is often the case with bakeries and cafes in Istanbul: 30Tl for a doughnut, which translates to less than 1 euro.

For a smooth sailing afternoon, why not do what I did, and get a couple of doughnuts from Boston Donuts before making your way to the seashore until the sun sets?

Or, since there is a counter to enjoy your doughnuts at Boston Donuts, why not eat them there with a good coffee and then check out Moda?

It’s, after all, one of the best places to see amazing street art in Istanbul, and is also filled with artisan and clothing shops!

Read: The Cutest Pink Places in the World

Best Cafes in Istanbul: Friends Kadıköy

I had never been to a Friends-themed cafe before visiting the one in Kadıköy, and boy, did I not regret it!

In my experience, visiting overly instagrammable cafes, of the kind of floral cafes you can often find in London almost always results in disappointment…

And that was not the case at Friends Kadıköy. Far from it.

The chocolate and cherry cake I got, along with a thick cup of chai latte, was more than enough to keep me going until dinner, and while Friends Kadıköy is a very popular coffee shop, you will also be able to shop for Friends souvenirs there…

And be able to take pictures in Monica’s kitchen!

Read: The Most Instagrammable Restaurants in Rome

Best Cafes in Istanbul: Suflör, Beşiktaş

The Beşiktaş area is filled with coffee shops; that’s a fact.

And if you’re looking for something a little bit more instagrammable, Suflör is the last of the cute cafes I would recommend you pop by.

The 3D, black and white coffee shop is quite popular is Istanbul, especially for its extensive range of soufflés – over a dozen flavors are available there, just a stone’s throw away from the Bosphorus!

Read: The Most Instagrammable Cafes in Paris

15 Aesthetic Cafes in Istanbul To Visit Off The Beaten Path

There you have them, all the cafes in Istanbul I cannot recommend enough – whether you’re looking for breakfast, brunch, or even all-day dining spots, these are incredible…

And I will be back to each and every one of them as soon as I travel to Istanbul again!

Until next time!

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