If you’ve been feeling a little too basic ordering the same old eggs benny every weekend, it might be time to level up your morning game. Enter: Turkish breakfast — a full-blown cultural moment that’s equal parts comfort, flavour, and leisurely indulgence. Known as kahvaltı, which literally means “before coffee,” this ritual is all about abundance: think overflowing tables of cheeses, olives, honey, warm breads, homemade jams, and endless rounds of steaming black tea. It’s not just breakfast — it’s a vibe.
Earlier this year, Turkish breakfast snagged the #1 spot on TasteAtlas’ Best Breakfasts in the World, and has even been submitted to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List. And honestly? Once you experience it, the hype makes perfect sense.
Toronto got a special taste of the tradition earlier this month when Turkish Airlines hosted an authentic kahvaltı spread at Soho House, led by Turkish Chef Isil Okcu, who flew in from Hong Kong for the occasion. I got a chance to experience it and was blown away! It was the kind of breakfast that made everyone forget about their inboxes and lean into that slow, communal, nothing-else-matters energy that Turkish breakfast is famous for.
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So, if you’re ready to bring that feeling into your weekend routine, here are six standout spots in Toronto serving the real deal — from overflowing serpme kahvaltı spreads to menemen, simit and sucuk that’ll transport you straight to Istanbul.
Where to find the best Turkish breakfast in Toronto?
Right here. Listed in no particular order.
1. Pasaj – Leslieville
📍 1100 Queen St E, Toronto, ON M4M 1K8
Leslieville’s Pasaj brings the buzzy energy of a modern Istanbul café right to Queen East. Their Istanbul Breakfast is the showstopper — a generous serpme-style spread loaded with cheeses, olives, house-made jams, honeycomb, simit, eggs, and all the fixings. It’s colourful, abundant, and perfect for a long, lazy weekend brunch with the crew. Don’t skip their cilbir (poached eggs with garlicky yogurt and chili butter) — it’s rich, velvety, and absolutely worthy of a pilgrimage across the city.
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2. Simit & Chai Co. – King West
📍 787 King St W, Toronto, ON M5V 1N4
A slice of Istanbul in the middle of King West, Simit & Chai Co. keeps things classic and comforting. Freshly baked simit (those golden, sesame-crusted bread rings you’ve seen all over TikTok) are the stars here, served with feta, olives, preserves, and butter. Their menemen — a soft scramble with tomatoes and peppers — is as traditional as it gets. Order a pot of strong Turkish tea and just settle in.
3. Turquoise Grill House (Turkish Cuisine) – Entertainment District
📍 431 Richmond St W, Toronto, ON M5V 1V1
For a true serpme kahvaltı experience — the kind that takes over your entire table — head to Turquoise Grill House Toronto (Turkish Cuisine). It’s generous, colourful, and designed for sharing. Expect a parade of cheeses, cured meats, jams, dips, warm bread, fresh veggies, and all the Turkish tea your heart desires. It’s the spot to take a friend who thinks they’ve had a “big breakfast” before… until now.
4. Pera Café – Kensington Market
📍 62 Nassau St, Toronto, ON M5T 1M2
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Hidden among Kensington’s food gems, Pera Café is cozy, comforting, and beautifully authentic. Their menemen hits all the right notes, but it’s the kaymak with house-made jam that steals the show. The creamy clotted cream + sweet fruit combo is pure heaven — and not something you’ll find often outside Türkiye.
5. Lokum Eats – The Junction
📍 23 St Johns Rd, Toronto, ON M6P 1T7
If you’re into breakfasts that double as Instagram moments, Lokum Eats has you covered. Their breakfast boards come piled with cheeses, olives, honey, fresh veggies, warm börek, and jams — all arranged beautifully. The Turkish delight latte is a fun modern twist that still feels true to the flavours.
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6. Galata Café – Etobicoke
📍 5122 Dundas St W, Etobicoke, ON M9A 1C2
Named after the iconic Galata neighbourhood in Istanbul, this west-end favourite is warm, welcoming, and generous with portions. The sucuklu yumurta (eggs with spicy Turkish sausage) is a must-order, and the steady stream of Turkish tea completes the experience. It’s the kind of place where you immediately feel taken care of — even on your first visit.
I don’t know about you, but I am ready to book that Turkish Airlines flight and head over to Türkiye and try it first hand myself too. P.s. If you’ve never tried Turkish coffee, get ready to crave it for the rest of your life…
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Editor's note: All slider photos (from Soho House breakfast service) by Kennedy Pollard, courtesy of Turkish Airlines. For transparency: We were hosted for one of these Turkish breakfast services at Soho House Toronto by Turkish Airlines ahead of writing this story.
