Istanbul: where to find those atmospheric cafe-bookshops

Merhaba!

If you need to have breakfast in Istanbul in the most vibey, atmospheric way possible (oh god, what am I even writing) and, most importantly, tell all your friends and dear followers about it – today I’ll show you those very cafe-bookshops you absolutely need to visit.

Стамбул кафе-книжные

Minoa Pera

This is the cafe with that famous illuminated staircase made of books that shows up in every reel. It’s in the Beyoğlu district. You can walk there from the Galata Tower and Istiklal Street. Google Maps link.

Hours: daily 08:00–23:00, until midnight on Friday and Saturday.

By the way, after the cafe I recommend walking over to the Museum of Innocence. I wrote about it here — The Museum of Mad Love in Istanbul. And if you need more unusual (and free) spots, here’s a post about how to get into a secret sultan’s pavilion and a real bank vault.

Back to the cafe, my little instaphoto-lovers and readers. Minoa Pera has books in Turkish and English. I won’t say it’s an “oh wow, amazing” collection. I also wanted to buy a souvenir, even just a postcard, but nothing caught my eye. The cafe itself is basically just a name – a few cakes and that’s about it. But the prices – well… aesthetics come at a cost. A quiche and tea will run you 8 euros. So the plan is: walk in, wander around for 5 minutes for appearances’ sake, pose on the staircase, and leave.

Istanbul Minoa Pera

Nevmekan Sahil

Now let’s hop on a ferry to the Asian side of the city, to Üsküdar. It’s a ten-minute walk from the pier to Nevmekan Sahil (Google Maps link) — that famous library-cafe under a giant glass dome.

Hours: daily 09:00–22:00.

The soaring ceiling and abundance of light give this cafe a real wow factor. The space feels endless. The books are purely for decor.

The cafe has several rooms, but it goes without saying — you should only sit in the one under the dome. Yes, you might have to stand and wait for a table. But we didn’t come here just to load up on carbs — we came for the aesthetics and the content.

Food prices are pretty reasonable. I don’t know who first decided that eating a San Sebastián dessert is mandatory in Istanbul, but at Nevmekan Sahil it’s the cheapest you’ll find it — 250 lira (about 5 euros). Near the Galata Tower the same dessert costs 450–600 lira. Two teas and two San Sebastiáns cost us 544 lira total.

And that’s just the start of a walk through Istanbul’s Asian side. After the cafe, head out to explore the Kuzguncuk neighborhood — that’s where the colorful houses are, along with even more small cafes and a little shop where you can buy jewelry.