Megan's pick: 5 Desserts in Istanbul

My last post was about the best restaurants I went to in Türkiye, and I'm sure those of you who read it probably thought, "Well what about baklava? Or Turkish delights? I mean you can't talk about Turkey without mentioning that!" And you are absolutely right.

Very happy with dessert and tea

On my trip I quickly learnt how having tea and sweets wasn't just an after dinner treat, but a ritual that was held after every meal. People would take the time especially in the afternoon to sit, chat, and relax with a tulip-shaped glass (called ince belli) of hot, strong tea and an array of sweet pastries. I obviously had my fair share during my trip, and these are five of my favourites.

Ekolkunefe Kadikoy

So the very first dessert I had in Istanbul was actually not baklava, but kunefe. And some of you may think of this as a cardinal sin, but I kinda like the kunefe more. 🙊 Let me explain why though! Our family/friend brought us to this unassuming cafe on a busy street, and they were adamant that this is THE best place to have kunefe. And I gotta admit, we tried this same dish at several other restaurants or cafes throughout our trip, and it was 100% better than all of them.

Did I hear you say "Pistachio on pistachio?"

So there are a few different kinds of kunefe that are usually served, and at this shop we had two of them. The first was made with filo pastry, and reminded me of the banana pancakes I had once upon a time in Thailand, but without any extra doughiness. It's filled with pistachio and cheese, drenched in syrup, and served with a dollop of clotted cream. 

Ugh, that cream is my favourite. I could eat a whole bucket of it with honey and bread 😭

The second version we had (and this is the classic kind) was made with a layer of thin, crunchy noodles and pan-grilled on each side. There is a thick layer of cheese inside, most likely made from goat's milk, then topped with pistachio, clotted cream, and more syrup. I could not decide which version I liked better, I'd say it depends on whether you prefer having something heavier with your tea, or a lighter dessert with more nuts.

Hafiz Mustafa

So I'll admit when I first went to this shop, I had no clue about its history - only that I saw quite a number of chains all over Istanbul, and it seemed really popular with both tourists and the locals. It was only when I was writing this blog that I found out that it has been around since 1864, and won 11 medals in Europe for bakery and confectionery between 1926 to 1938. So not only is this a heritage shop, it has also set the standard for Turkish desserts and made them popular worldwide. That's pretty f*ckin' incredible.

Even the booth looked grand

We happened to visit the one near the Grand Bazaar, and it is the perfect stop after a long romp about the place's cobblestoned alleys and vibrant stalls. Depending on the time you go, it can get quite busy, but we were lucky enough that a few tables were open when we stepped in and were immediately seated.

Serious Ottoman Empire vibes & I was living for it

What I loved about this place was not just the luxurious decor and royal red fabric and walls, but also the fact that you can choose from several selections of baklava with names like "Sultan Plate" or "Pistachio Princess" - and I'm a sucker for themes done right.

Cross-section of the pistachio-only baklava

The sweetness of the baklava were just right, and despite being drenched in syrup, the flaky layers of the pastry and crunchiness of the nuts kept their texture. I was so tempted to buy some to take home, but fresh baklava like this only last a few days, so I opted for a couple tin boxes of their Turkish tea and some jewel-coloured chocolates instead. NO regrets - I wasn't expecting much quality from those, but I am very happy to say I was wrong. Would definitely buy again.

MADO

Founded in 1850, MADO is another popular dessert cafe but with a distinct difference to Hafiz Mustafa. It only became a chain after 1991, but now has over 300 outlets all over the world - including one in Taiwan wtf. We even have a couple here in the Netherlands too, imagine my surprise finding one at the Hoog Catharijne mall in Utrecht. 😂 

Exterior photo of this MADO outlet by Google

MADO is closer to being a full-blown restaurant rather than a specialty dessert shop, because it has an extensive, thick menu of food for every meal, not to mention an endless variety of pastries and desserts as well. However, in my personal opinion, the baklava and kunefe still don't come close to the previous places I mentioned. So why am I bringing this place up?

This is just one part of their display. Photo from Google.

It's because of their ice cream. Oh my god. I don't even know where to start, because it's not your regular, processed-and-manufactured vanilla ice cream. According to them, the very first ice cream they made was from snow brought down from Ahir Mountain and wrapped in paddy husks to keep it from melting, and that same care and deliberateness has continued with the way they craft their ice cream today.

As you can see, the ice cream is served on a plate with a fork

There are 3 key ingredients in MADO's classic "kesme" ice cream that places it way out of the league from other ice creams: salep, a flour made from the root of the early purple orchid; mastic, a plant resin that creates a chewy texture; and goat's milk, from the 600 decare white goat farm they own at Ahir Mountain (yes the very same one they once carried snow down from). They describe their ice cream's consistency to be "rough" enough to be cut by a knife and eaten with a fork, but soft enough to melt in your mouth. I just call it heaven on earth.

Vero Gelato

You're probably wondering, "What is gelato doing on this list?" But as I've mentioned previously, ice cream is a core dessert for Turkish cuisine, so it's not very surprising that gelato has found it's place in Istanbul. This gelato shop happens to be a favourite of our family/friend's, and it had one of the best tasting gelato I have had in a long while. What I loved most was that the owner, Veronica, whom the shop is named after, incorporated some very distinctly local Turkish flavours into the gelato - you'll find a letter board behind the counter displaying seasonal flavours like simit (a quintessential Turkish bread topped with sesame), pistachio (of course), mastic gum, tahini, and more.

Love the pastel hues of this little shop 

Awkward ice cream holding by yours truly 😂

Ali Muhiddin Haci Bekir 

Finally, we've come to the last place on my list. I thought it'd be fitting to end my blog with a dessert that you can actually take home to enjoy long after your trip to Türkiye. Just so you know, there are endless, endless choices of places to buy Turkish delight. Many times throughout our trip, as we passed by shops and stalls either crowded with people or displaying tasty-looking variations of that powdered confectionery, I'd turn to my partner and ask if we should get some. And he always said no. 😑 Well not exactly no, but he'd say I could get some if I want, but he's not going to buy from there. And after about the 3rd time of me asking, he finally confessed that there was one shop, the ONLY shop he would get Turkish delight from. And I was immediately intrigued.

Glass window display at Ali Muhiddin Haci Bekir from Google

In fact, he kept me in suspense all the way till the end of our 2-week trip (wtf) because he said he wanted to bring it home as fresh as possible, which makes sense, but I still had to wait *rolls eyes in impatience*. So was it worth it?

Interior photo of the shop with displays of every dessert from Google

Oh yes, of course it was. Otherwise I wouldn't be talking about it at all. We got a 500g box of assorted Turkish delights from the display at around 200 liras (don't quote me on this, I need to write down/snap a pic of prices next time) and then a couple of other pre-packed boxes for friends and colleagues. Unfortunately I don't know how the latter tasted like, but we opted for those because it had slightly more presentable/air-tight packaging. Ours was wrapped in paper with their signature white-green design and secured with a thin, green bow, so we were kind of worried they might spill out on the flight home, but we managed to keep them in one piece - and they were AMAZING. FYI, if you get an assorted box, you won't be able to tell which is what at a glance, and there's no visual/colour guide on it like those fancy chocolates to tell you either 😂 The powdered sugar is thick and covers most of the colours, so you're just gonna have to try your luck and go by taste hahaha. What a ride. 

Take your pick of flavoured Turkish delight. Photo from Google.

I hope this little guide helps fix the cravings of any sweet tooth traveler out there. These were sincerely my favourite desserts in Istanbul, and I would absolutely revisit each place on my next trip out. 

Stay tuned for one last post on Türkiye, where I'll be highlighting all the places you should visit on a trip to Istanbul! I'll be linking it here once it's out.

xoxo,

Megan