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I love a good dessert. I love cheese. I love tasting new local dishes wherever I travel. So naturally, I’m a huge fan of the Turkish dessert künefe, which is a delectable combination of cheese, sweet syrup, and crispy spun pastry dough. There are several great places for künefe in Istanbul. Here are my favorite places to visit for a sweet treat.
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What is Künefe?
Künefe is Arab in origin, and is known as kanafeh, kenafeh, knafeh, kunafah, kunafeh, konafa, knéfé, or kunafa, depending on where you are and the local translation.
It’s a dish with a rich history. References date back to the 10th century, while recipes can be found in Arab cookbooks from the 13th century. As the dish spread through the Middle East and beyond, everyone put their own local spin on it. What was once served only on special occasions can now be found year-round.
In Turkey, künefe originated in the southern Hatay region. It uses local Hatay cheese along with a syrup made from sugar, water, and lemon juice. Shredded filo dough strands (tel kadafıy) add crunch to the dish. It’s then topped with crushed pistachios and can also be served with ice cream or kaymak (Buffalo milk clotted cream) if desired.
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In combination, this warm combination of stretchy cheese, crunchy dough, and sweet syrup is heaven.
Although künefe originated in Hatay, today it can also be found at many places in Istanbul that specialize in the dish and other Turkish sweets such as baklava.
The Best Künefe In Istanbul
Lezzet-i Şark Antep Sofrası
You always remember your first. The first time I ever had künefe was at Lezzet-i Şark Antep Sofrası, a small stand near the Spice Bazaar in Eminönü.
The restaurant specializes in dishes from Gaziantep, a region right next to Hatay in southeastern Turkey. Thanks to their focus on foods from this region, they just might have the best künefe in Istanbul.
A coal-fired grill sits at the front of the shop, so you can see fresh künefe being cooked before hot, bubbling syrup is poured over each one before being topped with crushed pistachio nuts.
Their künefe was an excellent introduction to the dish, with generous amounts of cheese that stretched with each bite.
Address: Rüstem Paşa, Hasırcılar Cd. No:38, 34116 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye (map)
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Keyfeder Künefe Katme
Cihangir is one of my favorite neighborhoods in Istanbul. Despite being near some of the city’s busiest areas, its steep, narrow streets are a nice place for a quiet walk.
Reward yourself after climbing these streets with künefe from Keyfeder Künefe Katme.
This shop nestled in the hills specializes in künefe. I opted for the classic. Other variations are topped with different types of nuts.
Like many künefe restaurants in Istanbul, the dessert is served with some milk, oranges, mixed nuts, and carrots. These make for a nice snack as you wait for your made-to-order künefe and also help to balance out some of the sweetness from the dish.
I sat near the door so I could watch each one being made.
The künefe here is a little bit smaller than some other places, which is honestly just fine given just how indulgent this sweet dessert is. They’re also a bit cheaper, too.
My künefe was packed with cheese. This was balanced out by the syrup being a little bit sweeter than some other places I’ve visited. Delicious.
Address: Katip Mustafa Çelebi, Çukurlu Çeşme Sk. No:12, 34433 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye (map)
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Beyzade Künefe & Kahvaltı
Beyzade Künefe & Kahvaltı is a huge, brightly lit restaurant and sweet shop at the end of a pedestrian street in Karaköy. There are also a couple of other locations around Istanbul. With late-night hours, it’s a popular place to gather with friends and family. A case full of baklava greets you as you enter.
They offer several different types of künefe, each available in appropriate sizes depending on how many people you are eating with. You can see the full menu here. I was intrigued by one that’s half cheese and half kaymak, but it’s only for two or more people, so I didn’t get it. Instead, I went with the classic.
Each künefe is made-to-order, so it takes a bit of time, especially if the restaurant is busy. But it’s worth the wait.
While I waited, I snacked a bit on some fruit and nuts. However, you’ll want to save some of these sides. Dip the fruit in the sugary syrup leftover at the bottom of the künefe dish and thank me later.
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I found the künefe at Beyzade Künefe & Kahvaltı to be a bit lighter on the cheese than at some other shops. The syrup wasn’t overly sweet, so it remained a well-balanced treat.
Address: Kemankeş Karamustafa Paşa, Maliye Cd. NO:10/A, 34425 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye (map)
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Hafiz Mustafa 1864
Wherever you are in Istanbul, there’s a good chance you’re near a location of Hafiz Mustafa 1864. With over a dozen locations around the city, it’s a dependable place to find künefe and other sweet Turkish treats.
I went to the Edebiyat Kıraathanesi location. It’s conveniently located near popular Istanbul things to do, such as the Hagia Sophia, Sultanahmet Square, and the Blue Mosque. It also opens early in the day and stays open well into the night.
In addition to a variety of künefe options (including chocolate!) Hafiz Mustafa 1864 also offers lots of baklava and other desserts.
The menu said that the künefe would take 15 minutes to make, but it was ready much faster than that. Given how busy a large location like this is in a tourist area, I’m guessing they might make them regularly rather than made-to-order to keep tables moving.
Since my künefe could be topped with either ice cream or kaymak, I chose the kaymak, since I love it so much. It was a nice addition to the künefe, as the kaymak was light and fresh, almost like whipped cream.
One unique element of getting künefe at Hafiz Mustafa 1864 is that you can add the syrup and pistachios yourself. This lets you control how much there is if you prefer more or less.
The künefe is very cheesy, with a great cheese pull.
Address: Binbirdirek, Divan Yolu Cd. No:14, 34110 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye (map)
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If you’re interested in Istanbul’s history, I recommend the Istanbul Railway Museum, the Istanbul Tunel, and the Museum of Innocence.
Here are some great Istanbul tours.
If you’re looking for a place to stay, check out these Istanbul hotels.
