Classic Istanbul Baklava…read more A must-visit in Istanbul for anyone who loves baklava! I really enjoyed the pistachio baklava here -- fresh, delicious and beautifully made, with those delicate layers and plenty of flavor. What I found especially interesting is the long family history behind Karaköy Güllüoğlu. The Güllü family has been making baklava for generations, and the Karaköy location has been part of Istanbul's food culture since 1949. Great place to stop while exploring Karaköy and try a true Turkish classic. Delicious baklava, traditional craftsmanship and a piece of Istanbul history all in one place.

Just inject this good stuff directly into my veins! You just can't go wrong with any of their…read morebaklavas. The Turkish tea is just a great partner to these treats! I personally love the Midye Baklavas with Pistachio the most! The service was prompt and a pretty chill vibe by the Bosphorus.

I can only say that everything is 10+ You simply have to…read moretry these delicacies, words cannot describe the beauty of the taste.

Holy DIABETIES!!…read more Absolute 5 ***** for the desserts. Overall experience 4 **** The place was a bit rough. Hafiz Mustafa 1864 is a dessert shop / chain all over Turkey, Istanbul at least. This location was packed, very popular I suppose. There was no seating available downstairs or outside when we stopped by... which was around 10:00 PM! This place was highly recommended by da wahine's co worker and the cover pic of the Saffron Tres Leches was absolutely calling out to me. So we put in the extra effort to try something from here. Luckily we were able to secure a small table upstairs close to the AC...cause it was an oven up there! The staff were running around like chickens, since the place was super busy. Had to flag down our waitress for everything; get a menu, place our order and the check. She even brought us a wrong item, but rectified it quickly. #Sugar: ~ Saffron Tres Leches - 5/5 As mentioned earlier, the cover pic of the Saffron Tres Leches absolutely called out to me... can't say I was disappointing. Actually I was thrilled to answer the call...lol. Super moist, creamy and really tasty! "Topped with saffron, tender, and moist, drenched in a perfect combination of cow, goat, and buffalo milk that will tantalize your taste buds. This exquisite tres leches is served floating in its milky sauce, and to add an extra layer of delicate, it is topped with saffron." - https://www.hafizmustafa.com/en/muhallebi The Saffron gives it a very unique flavor. Just get it. We don't have anything comparable stateside. ~ Âlâ Tres Leches - 6/5 Dayumn!!! I came here for the Saffron Tres Leches, but ended up loving iÂlâ Tres Leches more! DELISH! Not too sweet, with a rich Pistachio flavor. "Âlâ Tres Leches is a rich, signature milk cake variation famously served by the confectionary brand Hafiz Mustafa 1864, featuring a delicate sponge soaked in a unique blend of cow, goat, and buffalo milk, then finished with a special "âlâ" sauce and crushed pistachios" - https://hm1864.ae/shop/puddings/saffron-tres-leches/ - 1000% ACCURATE My sincere commiseration, if you have a nut allergy. This was the BEST dessert I had the whole trip... Absolutely amazing! Even the tiny Turkish delight we got with the Tea at the end was top notch! I highly recommend stopping by any Hafiz Mustafa 1864 if you get a chance...

Yeah, I mean at the end of the day it's baklava. How many ways can you have it?…read more I don't know what I was expecting but those video clips had raised my expectations. Then I got there. I found that this place is on every corner, five of their competitors are on every corner too. It lost the prestige. Baklava! Baklava! Come get your baklava! The realization that this was lower than expectations even impacted my experience with Türkiye experience. I would avoid it. I see why tourists avoid it. I didn't see anyone there, except some others like me who had been impressed by the social media coverage.

You can't come to Turkey and not make a stop here. Baklava is amazing. So many different types to…read morepick from and plenty of packaged options for gifts.

My first review of the year had to my ultimate favorite place to eat desserts. For me this place is…read moreabove all. I love Turkish desserts over any desi desserts, cakes, pastries, chocolates but maybe not the French croissants. My favorite are anything with walnut and pistachios. I love their Kunafa which is perfectly sized not too big or small super fresh and gives you an option to go with honey or sugar syrup.I always choose the later I'm not too big a fan of honey on a kunafa. But the star here is is the big slice of plain baklava with a thick layer or pistachios courses grounded with their signature ice cream. My goodness it is goodness on a plate. I love it with their basic kewa. The service is always top notch. Their locations their pick are top notch too. Price point -it isn't cheap but definitely worth every penny. There are lots of prepackaged goodies like nuts, Turkish delights etc to buy. I always get their baklava packed in a tin and bring it back their guarantee it's freshness for 10 days. I usually freeze it and eat it as and when I like. Works great. Their locations are beautifully done in their standard theme. I dream of their baklavas every time I'm in Turkey. They do have a few locations in other countries like UAE and England but not in many I hope to see them come to Canada soon.

This one of the must try spots in Istanbul and I saw them all over, lol. I went on a walking tour…read moreduring my stay in Istanbul and the local tour guide also recommended this bakery. He said they were a bit pricey but worth it and I agree. My first visit i went to just try out the goodies. I purchased three baklava treats. (pistachio, chocolate and walnut) They were all delicious and rich. My favorite was the walnut. They also sell other baked goods and coffee. I visited another location and purchased a few to go home. The staff were very sweet and welcoming. Definitely a place to check out.

A MUST TRY. As an American, I have been SO impressed with food here in Turkey and if you are in the…read morearea, this restaurant is an absolute MUST-TRY if you're looking for great food. I had some of THEE BEST chicken kebab I've ever had in this country here. The beef kebab was also tender and flavorful. You cannot go wrong with any of these! The service was quick and prompt, and the servers were great at making recommendations. I came here in the winter so we sat indoors which felt a bit cramped however, there is also outdoor seating during the nicer weather months. If I'm ever back here in Istanbul, I would definitely come back. And if you're reading this, you NEED to try the Old Ottoman!

This was my first night in Istanbul and I eased tired from traveling from cappadocia earlier in the…read moreday. This restaurant was close to my hotel and had great reviews on Yelp. When I arrived there was only one other customer inside. The restaurant decor was cute and I very comfortable. The staff were friendly and welcoming. This spot was a bit pricey just like most of the restaurants in this touristy area. I had certain Turkish entrees i wanted to try during my vacation. I ordered the Iskender kebab which is beef and pita bread covered with tomato sauce with yogurt on the side. I ordered a side salad to go with it. The dish was very delicious as you can tell in one of my pics. I chatted with some of the staff about life in Istanbul. I was offered some complimentary pomegranate tea before I left and it hit the spot. This is definitely a place to check out when you're in the area.

My friends and I accidentally found this gem. The seller was very nice and friendly. He didn't…read moreforce us to buy anything but gladfully made us tried turkish delights (which were all good.) The shop was also lovely and well-designed!

We did not find this place in any guide or following any online recommendation but this little…read morepastries was a nice encounter. It seemed a bit posh at first, but the pastries were really good and not especially pricey. Go inside and pick what you like and then you can eat outside on the little terrace while you taste the pastries and drink your tea. I am no expert in pastries from arabic countries (i only tasted the ones from Morocco in France, and in Lebanon) but those one sounded very good to me!

WOW! A Turkish friend messaged me, told me to go here, order the Ekmek Kadayifi (Bread Pudding with…read moreClotted Cream). I think it was around 15 TRL? The Pudding has a crumpet-like texture (also like a Chinese yeast-raised rice cake), soaked in super sweet syrup; the Clotted Cream was SO fresh & a nice counter to the sweetness. Probably very nice with Ayran or plain black Cay (tea) also. Picked up the pastry to-go after a long touristy day. This bakery/cafe seems to epitomize 'turkish cafe culture' to me. I'd like to go back on an afternoon, sit, sip tea (always free refills at all Turkish places), chat with friends, read & people watch. This area is not too far off İstiklal Street, a nice mix of local & tourist. A hilight, food-wise during my visit to Istanbul.

A must stop in the Autumn and Winter when it is Quince season. The poached Quince's in syrup…read moreserved with Water Buffalo clotted cream are sublime.

The best baklava! I also tried an exotic pistacho version of knafe. The servers ALI and IBRAHIM…read morewho helped me are absolutely charming and even let me try an extra sample of one of their famous baklava and a second cup of tea on the house. I went back again and had their incredibly fresh and delicious warm Katmer sweet. They make it fresh to order. It takes 10 minutes. Katmer is a rich, crispy Turkish pastry served warm straight from the pan to keep its flaky texture and melted filling. Originating from Gaziantep, it's made of paper-thin dough filled with crushed pistachios, sugar, and clotted cream (kaymak). It's really a must try and it's one of the most delicious desserts that I've had in Turkey. They serve a very large portion for 900 TL. There are four big slices (it's technically a serving for two to four people) but I'm embarrassed to say I ate them all. :) it's so good! They have a lovely terrace outside to enjoy summer nights with a cup of Turkish tea.

Located not far from Karaköy Güllüoğlu is Köşkeroğlu Karaköy, to many the only competitor for best…read moreBaklava though Köşkeroğlu's collection spans larger including not just standards featuring Walnuts or Pistachios but also Rice Pudding, Asure Pudding and packaged goods. Actually two separate spaces, one selling Kebap and traditional Turkish Food with the other specializing in Dessert, it is inside the latter that several counters are found covered in Phyllo wrapped around everything from ground Beef in the case of Borek or loaded with Nuts and Honey. Named for the 1946 founder, though he surely had no idea diabetes-friendly or Gluten-free Baklava would one day be a thing, prices trend similar to other shops in the area while textures are a little less well-differentiated than Güllüoğlu except in the case of unrivaled Pistachio "Bride Packs."

I never eat künefe except this place. When I have an…read moreinternational friend to guide in Istanbul, I always take them to this place. I know this place offers real dessert that you could eat only in Anatolia. that's why Kunefis is one of the best ones to taste Turkish desserts. I haven't eaten foods there but special künefe. It is super uber delicious and fresh and gives the real taste. The service is also so kind and polite. The prices are just average. you'll not regret!