Simit Sarayı

My husband and I grabbed breakfast here our second day in Istanbul.
We got a cheese and Turkish pepperoni simit, a potato Borek & a cheese round simit.
I personally loved the round cheese simit toasted, I even went back later that night for another one!
The other two I didn’t really care for. Their cappuccino was also yummy!
Later that night I had a piece of chocolate cake, not a recommendation because the cake was dry the only bit of moisture came from the bit of icing on the cake.

Grabbed breakfast on the go while touring Taksim (pre-​diren Gezi Park movement) with a group of friends. The simits were delicious, filling, and inexpensive. I would say a simit is the Turkish version of a bagel. In fact, this is how my Turkish friend described it to me.
-«It’s like a bagel», she said. «If you like bagels you will love this», she added.
She was right. The simits were really good, and similar to bagels. You can still tell them apart, though. I wish we had a Simit Saray in the U.S. I would alternate between Einstein Bagels and Simit Saray, just to keep things fresh and unpredictable. I’m dangerous like that…
I tried the yellow cheese simit, and it was delicious. I also had one with feta cheese and tomato, which is a traditional variety. It was excellent. If I were to try a simit again –and hopefully I will– I would go for this last one. It’s also supposed to be rather healthy, and commonly listed on Turkish healthy and weight loss diets, or so I was told.
Although the feta cheese and tomato simit was my favorite, it’s a bit more complicated to walk around with this one. So, make sure to eat it inside the store. If not, it will fall apart.
Anyway, if you need breakfast or a snack to keep you going, the Simit Saray is a delicious and budget friendly place.

You’ve just landed in a foreign land with little prior study of the food and culture. Where do you eat? Simit Sarayi. Call me a crazy American tourist but I met a guy on the flight to Istanbul who said I needed to eat a Simit. I arrive in Taksim and wander around aimlessly, so famished and I’m looking desperately for something I can recognize to eat. Simit Sarayi to my rescue. Think a Turkish version of Panera Bread. A Simit is bagel-​like and covered in sesame seeds. You can eat them «as-​is» or, you can order them halved with some cheese, tomato, cuke and basil, toasted or not and you have yourself a nice lunch. Pair that with a Turkish coffee and you will be fortified to explore the rest of this great city.

Stopped in for tea one evening and wasn’t really too thrilled. Tea was fine, but the atmosphere wasn’t really warm and welcoming. The employees weren’t too interested in the customers, but I guess since it was later in the evening it was expected. Needless to say we spent the next few nights next door at Ozsut and had a much better experience.