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...

Baklavas are real in here. Not too much sugar everything is…read morebalanced and fresh. Service was great. The ambience is great.

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.

The owner makes his special Kaymak, buffalo cream with honey in the front of the shop and it is to…read moredie for. He greets everyone and knows about 5 languages. This is a family-owned shop for over 50 years and the family also owns a farm, where they get the ingredients for their dishes. All of the food was amazing. The service was fantastic. You can't go to Istanbul and not have a meal here.

*Note: This place also goes by the name Karakoy Ozsut. The entrance says Haci Hasan Fehmi,…read morereflecting the name Hasan who is the 3rd generation and current owner. Step inside and on the walls you will see featured articles about this place aka Karakoy Ozsut* We not only discovered our favorite breakfast dive in Istanbul at Karaköy Özsüt but a new friendship was made between us and the owner Hasan. For that, Karaköy Özsüt will always have a special place in our hearts. The interior is unimpressive and the fluorescent lights are dull. But, this is what it gives it soul and for their sake, we hope Karaköy Özsüt remains the perfect way it is. Known as having one of the best kaymak in Istanbul, Karaköy Özsüt has its own herd of buffalos whose fresh milk is used to make kaymak (Turkish clotted cream) that makes up a huge part of a traditional Turkish breakfast. Hasan frequently drives his truck out to his ranch, 125km away from Istanbul, where he milks the buffalos and gathers the milk to produce kaymak. At one point in conversation, he whips out his cell phone and shows us a short video of his baby buffalo at the ranch. Awww. A heaping of kaymak and honey are served together on a plate; smeared onto bread and eaten. The kaymak here put us right into a clotted cream high with its smoothness and creaminess. There is something about the Turkish clotted cream that despite its indication of "cream", it does not leave you feeling heavy and sluggish or like one of those feelings where you feel you've really had enough of NY cheesecake. In fact, after a breakfast full of kaymak, I dream of eating it again and again. Another must-have classic Turkish breakfast item is menemen: scrambled eggs made with tomato, cheese, spices. Sucuk (spicy Turkish sausage) is a common favorite added to menemen so be sure to request for that. The menemen is flavorful while exploding with different combinations of spices which we could not tell what exactly they were except to just savor each spoonful of it. Hasan also makes the best lentil soup, ever. We have been hooked since.

Viyana Kahvesi was one of my favorite café experiences in Istanbul. The location alone is worth…read morevisiting, with an absolutely stunning view of the iconic Galata Tower. Sitting outside, enjoying dessert while taking in one of the city's most recognizable landmarks, creates a truly unforgettable atmosphere. Of course, the star of the show is their famous San Sebastián cheesecake. It lived up to every bit of the hype. Perfectly creamy, rich, and slightly caramelized on the outside, it was incredible on its own--but the warm chocolate drizzle takes it to another level. Every bite was indulgent without being overly sweet, making it one of the best desserts I've had anywhere. The combination of amazing food, excellent coffee, and a front-row view of the beautiful Galata Tower makes this a must-visit spot in Istanbul. Whether you're looking for the perfect dessert, a relaxing café experience, or an Instagram-worthy view, Viyana Kahvesi delivers on all fronts. A true Istanbul gem that I'll be thinking about long after returning home.

This cafe is famous for its fun locations with a nice patio and its rich San Sebastián style…read morecheesecake. I tried the Dubai chocolate version with pistachio, Belgian chocolate and knafeh....it's almost too rich to handle. The plain version is also delicious. There are multiple locations. This one is located in the courtyard of a famous building, the Narmanli Han on Istiklal street, with a lovely fountain outside. Very nice patio and great service. Super polite and fast. There's also a gorgeous location next to the Galata Tower.

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.

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.

I was first introduced to this deliciousness called Knafe when I worked in Israel many years ago…read more Since then, I have traveled far and wide to eat Kunefe/ knafe. It is probably my favorite dessert. I mean, how can you go wrong with cheese baked in a semolina crust and soaked in sweetness? I researched places to eat Kunefe near the Galata tower and Yelp showed me Tandir. It is quite close to the tower and we walked in during one snowy evening around 8pm. We were the only patrons in the small space and the kunefe was made fresh from scratch. No pre-prepared stuff here. Needless to say, it was delicious! It was not as mind-blowing as the ones I had in Akko and Haifa, but it is great. There are other desserts on the menu, but I went here to eat kunefe alone. I left a happy man after finishing my share and my husband's share.

I walked in to this place specifically to try Kunefe since reading from description it sounded…read moredelicious and definitely wanted to try it during my Istanbul trip. The place is nice and clean with a visble kitchen and you can see them preparing your dessert. They do not have a lot of options, but if you want to come specifically for Kunefe then might be worth sitting down. As for the desert itself, the texture was amazing, and highly recommended for everyone with a sweet tooth. It was crispy, fluffy, warm, creamy, syrupy tipped with pistachios. For me little too sweet, but I imagine they are supposed to be that way. I cannot handle too much sweetness but just the texture of the dessert makes me want to have it again.

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."

Came her for dessert around 9pm. We had the baklava's all amazing but special mention goes to…read moreMidye. It's worth noting they still tasted fresh. The pastry was still flaky despite that time of the day. Not as sweet as I'm used to in Chicago

Kuzu sis kebap (lamb shish kebab) (36 lira) - 3.5 stars The…read morelamb chunks were better seasoned than other meats we've had so far and not too dry. The plate came with some rice, a warm tomato, raw onions and parsley. Et doner durum (30 lira) - 3 stars The doner meat was a little like shabu shabu kinda meat, better than Durumzade and Sedef Bufe, but not amazing really. The tomatoes inside were cold. My sister thought it was too dry as there wasn't any sauce inside. Complimentary warm pide. Cleanest nicest bathrooms I've seen! Our waiter was the unfriendliest we've had on the trip so far.

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.