Everything You Need to Know About Full Turkish Breakfast

For most foreigners, breakfast is a special treat on Sunday brunch. We all enjoy it but what if we could enjoy it seven days a week? This is what Turks do, it is a part of their tradition, and in fact, breakfast is the most important meal of the day for them.

It is impossible for children to go out without having a proper breakfast in Turkish households. By proper, we are talking about a lot of food compared to European or American breakfasts. In this article, we will share some of the characteristics of breakfasts by region.

Yes, breakfast styles vary significantly depending on the region of Turkey and we highly encourage you to enjoy all!

Breakfast in Marmara Region

Although Marmara Region does not have its own characteristic breakfast style, you can enjoy all the breakfast styles of other regions here! Especially, if you are in Istanbul, you can literally find breakfasts of all other regions in many districts.

On the other hand, most Turks often prefer to enjoy pastry in the morning when they do not have a chance to enjoy breakfast at home. Kaiako pastry and Sariyer pastry are some of the notable pastries known all around the country.

Breakfast in Aegean Region

Without a doubt, boyoz (a kind of pastry) comes to mind when Aegean breakfast is in question. It is often consumed together with bryndza and hard-boiled eggs.

You can find many Turks enjoying this quick breakfast early in the morning in large cities. We assure you that you cannot stop yourself from eating boyoz, especially when you buy a hot and crispy one that just came out of the oven.

If you are looking for something with more calories, of course, kumru will be an amazing choice as well. It is a kind of hot sandwich full of deli and its bread is specially prepared only for this purpose.

Another important detail in Aegean breakfast is olive and olive oil. You can enjoy gypsy salad, which is prepared with curd cheese, pepper, fresh greens, tomato, and of course olive oil.

Breakfast in Mediterranean Region

Hatay and Adana are two cities in the Mediterranean region, which stand out with their local cuisine. Of course, these heavily influence breakfast habits in the region.

Believe it or not but all locals in Adana start the day with the grilled liver. It is worth noting that all restaurants offering liver for breakfast will run out of their food before noon. Thus, if you would like to experience this amazing breakfast style, make sure that you wake up early!

On the other hand, Hatay offers a feast-like breakfast table. Their breakfast mainly includes dairy products but especially cheese and yogurt.

In Antalya, you can also find plenty of different breakfast restaurants offering local tastes from all around the country. We highly recommend giving a try to nomad breakfast, which is the breakfast style of locals in Antalya.

Breakfast in Black Sea Region

You can find many common flavors no matter which city you are going to visit in the Black Sea region. If you have never tried a dessert made of fish, you can literally find it here. Anchovy is the most consumed food in the region.

Besides anchovy, the Black Sea region is famous for its organic cornmeal and butter. Most locals consume kuymak, which is a kind of dish made with cornmeal, butter, and a special type of cheese used only in this dish. In addition to this, some cities prefer to consume roast for breakfast too.

Another important taste in the Black Sea region is pitta bread. As it can be a dish alone, a variety of it is also prepared for breakfasts to replace bread.

Breakfast in Central Anatolia Region

Central Anatolia region is located in the middle of the country and since it is influenced heavily by neighboring regions, it offers a quite rich breakfast style. For example, blue mold cheese alone or pastries prepared with this cheese stand out in Konya city. If you love consuming meat products early in the morning, then Sivas city can be an amazing choice too.

People living in Sivas consume sheep's head in the morning.

It may not be appealing to most people, but it is the traditional breakfast style of the city, especially in winter.

Of course, we should not forget about Kayseri, which stands out with its amazing cuisine. You cannot think of Kayseri breakfast without bacon and sausage. Bread and bacon eggs are another must-have in these breakfasts.

Breakfast in Eastern Anatolia Region

No matter which city you are going to visit in Turkey, you will find Van breakfast in all! Van is a city in the Eastern Anatolia region and famous for its rich breakfast.

Most people in Van say there should be at least 100 varieties in breakfast. Otherwise, it will not be considered as a breakfast but a snack. Of course, this is a bit exaggerated. However, Van breakfast literally appeals to the eyes and stomach with its rich menu.

From cheeses to olives, honey to cream, jams to cacik, deli to scrambled eggs, pastries to bread varieties, you can find everything in this breakfast.

Breakfast in Southeast Anatolia Region

Southeast Anatolia region is full of cities that have world-famous cuisines. Some of the most notable ones include Gaziantep and Diyarbakir. As a result, you can expect a quite rich breakfast in Southeast Anatolia.

Beyran is a kind of soup, which is considered the appetizer for traditional breakfast in Gaziantep. You can enjoy plenty of local tastes such as chickpea wrap, mung cheese, semsek, katmer with cream, and lots of pistachios.

Just like Adana, people in Diyarbakir also start the day with the grilled liver. However, the city is also famous for eggplant paste, traditional pastries, pastrami, and roast.

As you can see, you have unlimited options when breakfast is in question. We recommend forgetting about gaining weight for a while during your visit and giving a try to everything you can find. We assure you that you are going to enjoy everything, which you cannot find most of them in any part of the world.