BREAKFAST ON BÜYÜKADA: 5 RECOMMENDATIONS

Turks as we are, we don’t mess around when it comes to banquet-length breakfast spreads and we are particular about quality.

But Buyukada breakfasts are not about the food itself. Rather, it is about the atmosphere and good vibrations one enjoys waking up on the island and heading out for an early morning munch among the clean, sea breeze and far away from the traffic and horn honking of the city. Otherwise, quite honestly, you do find more impressive breakfast choices in the city.

Of course, unless you are staying near a harbor on the nearby Asian side of the city, the hour and a half it takes to get to the islands might prove a little much just for breakfast, so this is ideally enjoyed as part of a weekend break – especially in spring.

We have eleven things to do laid out in our Büyükada article. But if it’s more breakfast places in the city you are looking for, then read about Istanbul’s Best Breakfast Places.

Finally, if you are reading this in winter, perhaps it would be better to check out Breakfast in Balat and the Balat Tour of one of Istanbul’s oldest areas.

In the meantime, let’s go through the run-down of the best breakfast on Büyükada. “Afiyet olsun”, enjoy your meal.

1. Ada Kahvaltı

Ada Kahvaltı (“Island Breakfast”) is a quaint little cafe in the Maden neighborhood that was transformed by an Islander family from their home into a beautiful cafe with a delightful garden. The breakfast includes the freshest of Turkish Essentials: thyme and olive oil, three types of cheese, olives, boiled eggs, peppered cottage cheese, salted cottage cheese, spicy peep paste, three types of jam, butter, honey and buttercream, tomatoes and cucumber, the pastry of the day (börek, poğaça, or katmer) and a little surpise that changes daily. The cafe is only open on weekends during the winter months. This is a top spot for breakfast on Büyükada. Click here for the location.

2. Bahçede Sinek Cafe

Whether you seek a real breakfast on Büyükada, or just a quick cup of coffee while you’re here for the day, this is a small but cozy establishment run by two sisters located at the other end of the Maden neighborhood. The menu isn’t expansive, but every item is extremely tasty. In the summer (15 June-15 September), the place is open every day, but it closes in winter, only opening on nice days during the spring. They are also open for dinner between 20.00 – 23.00 on Wednesdays and Fridays – but make sure you book ahead. Click here for the location.

3. Eskibağ Teras Restaurant

This simple, but very nice place commands a beautiful vantage point along the road leading round the island. This is as ideal for breakfast on Büyükada as it is for evening rakı-and-fish dinners, and is a particularly nice way to enjoy a quieter atmosphere away from the main harbor area. Click here for the location.

4. Akasya Bar Restaurant

*Source: www.facebook.com/Buyukada.Akasya*

The Akasya provides an ideal, fresh atmosphere for breakfast on Büyükada. As it also serves as a bar, it has a cool, relaxed atmosphere. Click here for the location.

5. Mavi Kulüp

Right in the forest along the road that weaves around the island lies this cozy little coffee spot, replete with accommodation and hammocks. Click here for the location.

What About Lunch and Dinner?

For our lunch and dinner recommendations, find out Büyükada Restaurants – What and Where to Eat on Büyükada.