I had arrived late at my hotel on the Aegean Coast of Turkey, about an hour from Izmir, and I was dismayed to find the first item on my itinerary for the next day was an 8 a.m. departure for breakfast. In the morning, after a quick coffee made in my room, I met my group of fellow travelers, our guide and our driver in the lobby.
Our guide explained that the best way to begin a visit to Turkey was with a real Turkish breakfast, not just for food, but because it expressed the national culture. As he described in some detail what to expect, I became increasingly hungry.
After a short drive through dry hills, a stone-walled patio came into view. White tablecloth covered tables were set among olive trees and exotic shrubbery. A building stood a discreet distance away. The sweet morning air had yet to succumb to the heat of the day, and a slight breeze ruffled the trees.
Moments after we were seated, steaming glass cups of black tea were poured, and a brigade of small plates began to arrive. First came plates of different white cheeses, olives ranging from tiny to near-thumb-size and baskets of bagel-like bread and pastries. Next came charcoal-grilled peppers, platters of tomatoes, arugula and cucumbers, and two spreads, a spicy red pepper spread and a milder, garlic one. I could hardly wait to sample everything.
For sweets, little bowls of rose hip jam and honeycomb were brought, along with purple-skinned figs, both fresh and poached, and the best, sweetest butter I have ever tasted.
But there was more. Halloumi cheese, hot off the grill, and egg dishes arrived, along with platters of cured meats, and we were offered icy cold herb and fruit drinks, in addition to the never-ending hot tea.
It was an unforgettable feast of color and tastes and of good company, the best way ever to begin my visit to the Aegean. Thereafter, whenever I had the chance, I opted for a Turkish breakfast, and while it was never quite as extensive, the key elements were always there: Fresh vegetables, most notably tomato and cucumber slices and large, peppery leaves of arugula, preserved and fresh fruits, sweet jams and honey, several kinds of salty brined olives, an array of white cheeses, yogurt and a spicy spread or two. Egg dishes were always an option.
As I learned my way around the breakfast moment, I was able to sample cilbir, a lush, garlicky yogurt bowl, topped with a poached egg, then drizzled with chili butter. Menemen, best described as a scramble with tomatoes, onions and thin green and red frying peppers, was a favorite for me.
It’s not surprising that, in 2025, the Turkish breakfast was officially accepted as a candidate for UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List. The meal functions not only as a meal, usually composed of local, fresh ingredients, but also as a social moment of people taking the time to gather together and share a meal in conviviality, not unlike the gastronomic meal of the French, which is already inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
In fact, Turkish breakfast, as I thought about it, was composed of so many of the ingredients we have here in California’s Mediterranean climate that we can readily compose our own version, celebrating our local ingredients. Olives and olive oil, fresh fruits, herbs and vegetables, local cheeses and yogurts, honey and honeycomb, breads, local eggs – it’s all here. You can find these foods at local farmers’ markets and specialty stores. You may even have some in your own backyard.
Essential to it all is taking the time to pause, slow down and enjoy one another’s company.
Going out
If you want to enjoy the experience of a Turkish breakfast without the preparations, here are Bay Area restaurants that serve an authentic Turkish breakfast:
Bodrum, 4640 Tassajara Road, Suite B, Dublin; bodrumdublin.com
Nahita Bakery, 1334 S. Mary Ave., Sunnyvale; nahitabakery.com
Lokma, 1801 Clement St., San Francisco; lokmasf.com
Creating your own Turkish breakfast
Like meze or tapas, Turkish breakfast consists of a number of different small plates.
Here are some suggestions:
Olives – black, green, large, small, at least two types
White cheese – 2-3 different ones – in lieu of Turkish cheeses, try a sheep’s milk feta, white breakfast cheese and fresh goat milk cheese
Sliced cucumbers and tomatoes
Large or small leaf arugula
Artisanal or homemade jams, 2 or 3 different ones
Local honey and/or honeycomb
Yogurt
Grilled Halloumi (recipe below)
Cilbir or menemen (recipes below)
Ezme red pepper spread (recipe below)
Butter
Seasonal fresh fruit such as mandarins and oranges in winter
Breads
Optional
Roasted peppers
Dried fruit
Nuts
Pastries
Cured Meats
RECIPES
Menemen
The mixture of well-spiced vegetables and eggs produces a creamy, spoonable version of scrambled eggs. The Anaheim pepper, with its mild heat and earthy green flavor comes close to the traditional peppers used in Turkey. The spiciness can be adjusted as desired, with additional Aleppo pepper flakes.
Yield: Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus extra for finish
½ medium onion, finely chopped
1 Anaheim pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ teaspoon sea or kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper flakes
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
DIRECTIONS
In a frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the chopped onion and the pepper and sauté until the onions are translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and continue to cook until the tomatoes soften, another 3 to 4 minutes. Push these to the side and add the tomato paste, cooking it, stirring, until it darkens, about 1 minute. Mix the paste and the tomato mixture together, adding the salt and pepper.
Stir in the eggs, pepper flakes and half the parsley. Stir, cooking just until the eggs are cooked and the mixture is creamy, 2 to 3 minutes.
Serve immediately, drizzled with a little olive oil and garnished with the remaining parsley and accompanied by extra pepper flakes.
Cilbir
Dilled, garlicky yogurt topped with a poached egg, is a delicious dish on its own, but it becomes stellar when finished with a healthy drizzle of chili butter and fresh herbs. Extra-virgin olive oil can be substituted for the butter, or a combination can be used, as it is here.
Yield: Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
1 cup plain, whole milk Greek yogurt
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
½ teaspoon sea or kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or mint
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon cumin, optional
2 eggs
1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice
DIRECTIONS
Place the yogurt in a bowl and add the garlic, lemon zest, salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons of the dill. Mix well and spoon half the mixture into each of two ramekins or cereal bowls. Set aside.
Crack each egg into a separate small bowl or cup. Over medium high heat, in a small frying pan, warm the butter and olive oil. When the butter foams, add the Aleppo pepper flakes and stir. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm while you poach the eggs.
In a small frying pan, over medium heat, bring 1 to 1½ inches water to a boil with the vinegar or lemon juice. When it is simmering, slide one of the eggs into the water. For a runny egg, poach 3 minutes, for a slightly firmer one, 4 minutes. When it is done to your liking, using a spatula, carefully slide the egg atop the yogurt in one of the bowls. Repeat with the second egg.
To serve, spoon 1 or 2 tablespoons of the chili butter mixture over the eggs and yogurt and garnish with the remaining dill.
Grilled Halloumi With Ezme (Spicy Turkish Red Sauce)
Halloumi is a brined cheese, with a firm, springy texture, salty flavor and a high melting point, making it suitable for grilling. Herbaceous, slightly spicy ezme, a fresh sauce of finely chopped vegetables and herbs, makes a traditional accompaniment to Halloumi. It’s also used for grilled meats and vegetables.
Yield: Serves 3 or 4
INGREDIENTS
1/2 onion, coarsely chopped
1 serrano chili pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
½ large red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat leaf Italian parsley
¼ teaspoon sea or kosher salt
2 medium tomatoes, quartered
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoon pomegranate molasses (shake bottle before using)
2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper flakes
Sea or kosher salt
1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus extra for the Halloumi
12 ounces Halloumi cheese
DIRECTIONS
In a food processor, combine the onion, chili, bell pepper, garlic, 2 tablespoons of the parsley and the salt. Pulse to chop into small pieces. Do not puree. Place a wire mesh sieve over a bowl and spoon the onion mixture in to drain. Set aside.
In the same food processor, combine the tomatoes and tomato paste and pulse to finely chop. Do not puree. Place another wire mesh sieve over another bowl to drain the tomatoes.
With the back of a wooden spoon, press the onion mixture to remove any remaining liquid. Do the same with the tomato mixture.
In a clean bowl, combine the onion mixture, tomato mix, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses and the Aleppo pepper flakes and mix well. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt, lemon or pepper flakes as desired. Drizzle with the olive oil and garnish with the remaining parsley.
Let stand for 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to blend.
Makes about 1½ cups. It will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.
For the Halloumi: Slice into ½ inch thick slices, pat dry, and brush with a little olive oil. Prepare a fire in a barbecue grill, preheat a gas grill or preheat a stove top grill over medium high heat. Rub the grill with olive oil. When the grill is ready, place the cheese on the grill and grill 2 to 3 minutes, undisturbed, then turn and grill the other side.
Serve immediately, accompanied by the red sauce.
Leave a Reply