Istanbul is a Turkish Delight Heaven!

7/28/2016

Scrumptious Baklava All Lined Up.

Turkey is infamous for their sweet treats. One particular well known treat is Turkish Delights, which is heavily feature in festive and popular cultures such as Christmas and classic literature then turned movie, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Apart from Turkish Delights, Turkey also has other yummy sweet treats such as baklava, lokma, kunefe and many more exquisite desserts. I visited Istanbul, the capital of Turkey three years ago just right before the Christmas holiday. It was in this cold, chilly weather that made enjoying sweet treats and hot drinks more enjoyable. That is a legitimate excuse to indulge in sweet treats, right? In order to keep warm.

Varieties of Turkish Delights

Crispy Baklava Drenched In Syrup

The Crispy Baklava Roll On The Image Above Are Served As Cut Up Slices

Sliced Turkish Delights

Hafiz Mustafa 1864 is a well-known Traditional Turkish dessert shop in Turkey with more than 150 years of history. It was first opened in 1864 by a money lender named İsmail Hakkı Zade. Since then, the shop has been supervised by several different people and generations. Furthermore, the recipes from Hafiz have significantly improved and progressed over the years from their humble beginnings. Now, Hafiz Mustafa 1864 is not only considered as one of the best traditional Turkish dessert shop in the world, but it also serves as an ambassador of Turkish culture. (Keep scrolling for more info on Hafiz Mustafa)

Hafiz Mustafa 1864 has a chain of stores around Istanbul but the one I would recommend visiting would be the flagship store in Sirkeci. The flagship store is different to other chain stores because there is a café upstairs for visitors to seat and enjoy Hafiz’s Turkish treats. As I walked into the flagship store (or any Hafiz Mustafa 1864 stores), I was welcomed by a variety of colourful sugary treats that were filled with nuts and dried fruits. The smell of Turkish coffee, Turkish tea and Turkish delight was infused into an overwhelming, rich and velvety aroma. Not only was I surrounded by all types of Turkish dessert, I was also surround by beautifully crafted blue tiles decorated with intricate patterns. The desserts there were amazing and service was good. The waiters at the café were genuinely friendly. They patiently explained to me and my friends the different types of Turkish treats and gave thoughtful recommendations.

Address:
Hoca Paşa, Muradiye Cad. No:51, 34080 Sirkeci - Fatih/İstanbul, Turkey
Tel: +90 (212) 527 66 54 Fax: +90 (212) 513 36 11

For more information, visit their website: http://www.hafizmustafa.com/