13 Best Coffee Shops in Istanbul: Third-Wave Cafés and Roasters
The 13 best coffee shops in Istanbul: third-wave roasters like Kronotrop, Petra, and Montag, plus single-estate cups near the Spice Bazaar and Galata Tower.
Istanbul’s third-wave coffee scene has been building since Kronotrop opened in Cihangir in 2012, and today the city runs on single-origin roasters, Australian-style espresso bars, and one café in Kadıköy that mixes its own brewing water. This list covers the 13 best coffee shops in Istanbul, all of them third-wave cafés and roasters. If you came for coffee brewed the traditional way, that scene has its own list: the best Turkish coffee in Istanbul. And for everything worth eating between cups, start with our guide to the best food in Istanbul.
| Coffee shop | Area | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| MOC | Nişantaşı, Şişli | Australian-style roasts; Chilli Mocha |
| Coffee Sapiens | Karaköy | In-house roasting; African and American brews |
| Coffeetopia | Eminönü, near Spice Bazaar | Single-estate coffees |
| Petra Roasting Co. | Gayrettepe + 5 branches | Single origin only; no blends, no flavorings |
| Kronotrop | Cihangir, Beyoğlu | Third-wave pioneer, pouring since 2012 |
| Cup of Joy | Bebek + 7 branches | Cold drip, AeroPress, V60; vegan bakery goods |
| Federal | Galata, next to the tower | Australian coffee and cold brew |
| Bond Coffee Co. | Ortaköy | Eight brewing techniques; home-brewing workshops |
| Viyana Kahvesi | Galata | Viennese and Turkish coffee under one roof |
| Walters Coffee Roastery | Kadıköy | The world’s first Breaking Bad-themed café |
| Montag | Caferağa, Kadıköy | Custom-mixed brewing water |
| Coffee Department | Ayvansaray, Fatih | Beans, ground coffee, and home-barista gear |
| Starbucks Bebek | Bebek | Bosphorus terrace views |
1. MOC
MOC is one of the most popular coffee shops in Istanbul, and the company behind it has been in coffee for three generations. Today they run more than 30 branches, including international locations. Their story started in Nişantaşı, and that branch is still the one to visit.
They roast in the Australian style and pour a carefully selected range of coffees from around the world. The menu also holds a few house specialties, like the Chilli Mocha and the Golden Latte, if you want to try something outside your usual order.
Address: Teşvikiye Mah, Şakayık Sk. No: 4/A, Şişli
2. Coffee Sapiens
Two coffee enthusiasts founded Coffee Sapiens to bring better beans to Istanbulites, and they set up shop in Karaköy. Take a cup to go and walk the streets of Karaköy and Galata, or settle into the shop itself. The neighborhood deserves a longer stop than one coffee; our Karaköy restaurants guide covers where to eat afterward.
Coffee Sapiens buys coffee from all over the world and roasts it in-house, matching the roasting method to the bean and experimenting as they go. They call themselves coffee roasters first. The menu runs from African and American brews to specialties like the Pumpkin Spiced Latte and the Evolution Blend, with apple crumble and brownies on the side.
Address: Kemankeş Karamustafa Paşa, Kılıç Ali Paşa Mescidi Sk. No:10/C, Beyoğlu
3. Coffeetopia
Coffeetopia sits a short walk from the Spice Bazaar and the New Mosque, which makes it the easy coffee stop on a bazaar day.
The shop serves single-estate coffees. “Single estate” means the beans come from one producer or farmer on one property, so each cup tastes of a specific farm. If you have never tried one, this is the place in Istanbul to do it. The beans are freshly roasted and ground.
Address: Hobyar, Arpacılar Cd. No:4, Fatih
4. Petra Roasting Co.
Petra Roasting Co. runs six locations in Istanbul: Gayrettepe, Bebek, Maslak, Kanyon, Topağacı, and Şişhane. They import green coffee and roast it in Istanbul, and the rules are strict. Everything is single origin, there are no blends, and no flavorings go into the coffee.
That discipline draws a large crowd of coffee drinkers. Beyond the standard menu there are seasonal coffees, filter coffees, and teas, including Spice Tea and Matcha. The Gayrettepe branch adds a huge breakfast and lunch menu.
Address: Gayrettepe, Hoşsohbet Sokağı Selenium Residence Mağaza No:13, Beşiktaş
5. Kronotrop
Kronotrop is one of the oldest third-wave coffee shops in Istanbul, serving since 2012. The brand now pours in dozens of branches across Turkey and one in London, with Istanbul locations in Moda and Karaköy as well. Cihangir is where the story started, and the original shop is where we’d send you first.
Specialty coffee, skilled baristas, and a relaxed room make it an easy place to stay a while. The food side covers sandwiches and snacks, so it works for more than the coffee alone.
Address: Kuloğlu, Firuzağa Cami Sk. No:2/B, Beyoğlu
6. Cup of Joy
Cup of Joy has been serving since 2013 and counts as one of the pioneers of third-wave coffee culture in Istanbul. Today they run eight branches: Bebek, Zorlu Center, Vadistanbul, Nişantaşı, Bağdat Caddesi, İstinye Park, Göktürk, and Tersane Istanbul. The Bebek original sits in one of the prettiest waterfront neighborhoods in the city; our Bebek guide covers what else to do there.
Alongside their blends you can taste single-origin coffees brewed with cold drip, AeroPress, and V60. The bakery case leans healthy, with gluten-free and vegan options.
Address: Bebek Cevdetpaşa Caddesi Yasemin Pasajı, D:53/5, Beşiktaş
7. Federal
Federal sits right next to Galata Tower, which makes it the obvious coffee break on a Beyoğlu walk. The shop specializes in Australian coffee and even runs an Aussie bar on the menu. If the menu stalls you, order a cold brew; theirs rank among the best in Istanbul.
The kitchen goes well beyond coffee, with croissants, herbal teas, pancakes, burgers, sandwiches, salads, and cakes.
Address: Şahkulu, Küçük Hendek Cd. No:7, Beyoğlu
8. Bond Coffee Co.
Bond Coffee Co. has been pouring in Ortaköy since 2017, and the range is the draw here. They brew coffee with eight different techniques, so beyond espresso, latte, cappuccino, and mocha you can order house brews made with AeroPress, Chemex, cold brew, and V60 drip.
They also run small workshops on home brewing and coffee culture, which is worth knowing if you want to take the habit home with you.
Address: Ortaköy, Dereboyu Cd. D:121-123/A, Beşiktaş
9. Viyana Kahvesi
Viennese coffee house culture is famous enough that UNESCO has recognized it as cultural heritage, and the Ottoman Empire is the reason coffee reached Vienna in the first place. Viyana Kahvesi builds on that story in its Galata café, combining the Viennese and Turkish coffee traditions in one room.
It is one of Istanbul’s better-known coffee houses, with seven branches across the city. The Galata shop came first, and it is the one to visit. They also pour one of the best Turkish coffees in Istanbul, which makes this the single entry on this list that covers both traditions well.
Address: Bereketzade, Büyük Hendek Cd. No:19/A, Beyoğlu
10. Walters Coffee Roastery
Walters Coffee Roastery calls itself a coffee laboratory, and the claim holds up. It is the world’s first Breaking Bad-themed café, with every detail tailored to the concept. Before you order, you will be walking past hazmat suits, a coffee brewing mechanism, and a vast periodic table of the elements.
The coffee is freshly ground at any time of day, breakfast and baked goods come out on weekends, and soy or almond milk is available if you ask. It sits in Kadıköy, a neighborhood with a deep food scene of its own; our Kadıköy restaurants guide covers the rest.
Address: Caferağa, Bademaltı Sk. No:21, Kadıköy
11. Montag
Montag has been serving since 2014 and is one of the most popular coffee roasters in Kadıköy. They treat coffee-making as a science and use gastronomic methods to get there.
The clearest example is the water. Instead of bottled or filtered water, Montag builds its own recipe by adding magnesium sulfate, calcium chloride, and sodium bicarbonate to distilled water. The goal is better extraction of the soluble particles in the coffee, so more of the roast’s flavor lands in the cup.
Address: Caferağa Mah, Muvakkıthane Cd. No:16/A D:Kat:1, Kadıköy
12. Coffee Department
Coffee Department’s promise is simple: quality coffee and a good room to drink it in. They deliver on both, and today they stand among the most popular and highest-rated coffee shops in Istanbul.
This is also the stop for home baristas. Their online store sells beans and ground coffee, and they supply the brewing equipment you need to make a proper cup in your own kitchen.
Address: Ayvansaray, Kürkçü Çeşmesi Sk. No:5, Fatih
13. Starbucks Bebek
The first Starbucks in Istanbul opened in 2003, and today there are more than 500 in Turkey. One branch makes this list anyway.
The coffee at Starbucks Bebek is the same as at any Starbucks. The setting is why it is here: a terrace with Bosphorus views that some fine dining restaurants would envy, in one of the city’s most beautiful café spots. In summer, order an iced frappuccino and watch the yachts pass.
Address: Bebek, Cevdet Paşa Cd. No:30, Beşiktaş
Final words
Thirteen cafés will keep you caffeinated; the city handles the rest. Between cups, the bazaars and markets carry the older side of Istanbul’s drinking and eating culture, and our Turkish cuisine guide explains what to order once you are hungry.
If you would rather have the eating planned for you, our Istanbul food tours have run since 2013 in groups capped at 10 guests, rated 4.95/5 across 7,800+ reviews. The full-day Taste of Two Continents route starts with breakfast near the Spice Market and crosses the Bosphorus by ferry to Kadıköy and Moda.
