Brekkie Breakfast Club — Restaurant in Kadıköy

As the last person on earth to be influenced from social media, I did not come upon this place because of the social media hype I later learned is the reason this place stays so busy. I walked by last week while in the area and noticed these delicious looking croissants. I am not a croissant girl, but I am a breakfast girl and I am a sandwich girl (grew up in NY in USA so I was born into sandwiches , esp breakfast sandwiches)... while adoring what other people were eating I noticed that the coffee was being served out of paper cups and for that reason I kept walking, a few meters later I walked right past another identical place, it was Brekkie's "breakfast club" and I was even more taken by the eggs and vegetables that seemed to be on all the plates, and the perfect cup of coffee served just as it should be--- in a lovely ceramic mug to keep it at the best temp while slowly drinking... but I couldn't enjoy it that day as I was already full, so I saved it for a few days later, which by chance happened to be a busy Sunday. Albeit not too busy, 9 tables were ahead of me, and I was sent to the first place, the Brekkie where they serve the papercups and sweets, but I decided to wait for a table but was not put on the waiting list because I was single. They wanted me to sit at the "bar" that they have along the window, but I am carrying a few extra kilos these days, and propping myself up on a bar stool will just be uncomfortable and I may rip my pants to be honest... so... well I was a little upset about their lack of care for me, but I didn't give up... I returned today and I was immediately greeted with handsome faces saying hello. That's right, the male staff add to the trendy aestetics of the entire cafe--- they were casually dressed, well groomed, and wore the best smiles... every single one of them. There were plenty of staff and all of them seemed to enjoy themselves and keep busy while working with one another. A big challenge for me came as I sat at a table with a mount of cushions...a QR code for a menu. I asked for a physical menu. BUT... nope they don't have one. THIS IS VERY NOT OKAY. I vehemently deject cafes and restaurants that won't provide a physical menu for the guests who seek one or need one. I will walk out. HOWEVER this is my only exception I ever made because my server didn't hesitate or overwhelm me because of this, (even I don't have QR code scanner on my phone), he pulled out his phone and showed me the menu instantly. BUT then he broke the news to me they were out of egg meals. I love my eggs and was dreaming of trying the eggs benedict. BUT my server matched my enthusiasm the second I walked in and I didn't feel a bit of disappointment as I encouraged him to tell me his favorite nonegg sandwich. He was really proud I chose his selection, the caprese crowiche---very impressive. The croissant was the perfect texture to hold the toppings together, and it was served with sides of cream cheese, sundried tomatoes and a pesto sauce of which both looked and tasted homemade. I smeared the top of each bite with these smooth flavors. I started with an Americano and finished with a cappuccino, and that espresso was absolutely perfect. It is exactly the taste I long for and a reminder of why I end up dumping watery coffees from elsewhere after a few sips. I can't stand spending good money on bad food. These prices are exclusive for the food, but so are the ingredients they use (plan to spend 270-370ish for breakfast/brunch food), but the coffee prices are reasonable and on average of other third wave shops, eg: I think it was 80ish for the Americano. The food is hearty, fresh, and I can tell this place is just completely made out of love and hustle and I am glad to support it. And FYI, I think everything is splittable. My sandwich was. I cut it into 4 pieces. So, if you got a buddy or lover with you and are thinking to get "this or that ", instead you can compromise and share. Had I of had someone to share with, I'd of loved to have added a green juice. But my belly was overindulgent...

I have visited this spot for the first time, when it was a new business, operating from a tiny space in Moda.

But as it is with everything that grows and becomes popular, Brekkie's new spot, just a few blocks down from its old location, has become THE spot for Istanbul's hipster and non-hipster residents.

I have been meaning to see their new space for a while and finally, on a cold Sunday morning on January 19, 2020 I finally made my way to new Brekkie.

I don't know what is reasonable wait time for restaurants - I think the longest time I have done was in Berlin, when I had to wait from the moment we put down our names on the waiting list until we had food on our table - two hours at Roamers. It was a tiny kitchen, with a small team and a lot of mouths to feed.

With Brekkie, it's a different story. The space (inside is pretty large - which is an upgrade to its previous tiny location); there is also outdoor seating area - for smokers (and there are a lot of them in this city) its the ideal combo - tasty food and smoke free zone.

Also, customers in Turkey don't care (once they sit down) that others may be waiting for a table, and seating for hours on end, taking pictures for instagram accounts is considered normal.

But back to my experience - we waited for a good hour. It was ok when we got there - sunny, manageable. Then it got colder. Rain started. It was only then that the owner of the place came out with plates of "snacks" for his drenched customers because he was afraid some may leave without trying the delicious food they have on the menu. Sweet gesture you would say, but not after you stood in the cold for 50 minutes, under the rain. Earlier, they offered small cups of coffee - which was also sweet, but a little too late especially after the guy at the door taking names down "offered" a walk in the park, or "purchase" coffee and snacks inside while we wait. I mean, thank you very much but I don't think I need to be told what my options are while I wait to have breakfast. Also, who takes down names without taking phone numbers and tells their customers to go for a walk. Am I supposed to have excellent hearing skills when its my turn, and the man yells out my name?

After we finally were seated (an hour later) we were seated at a table that was close to the entrance - by this point, we are cold, hungry, wet - we are seated by the door that stays open, no matter how may times we asked to keep it closed. There is no additional heating installed for cold days like today. Perhaps someone may consider putting down a fan by the door so the customers actually get to warm up?

So I have to say the customer service isn't great although the waiters are sweet and you have to give them 100% for their smiles all the time. Our waiter, I am sure with all best intentions at heart, recommended us their special cold drinks, not really thinking that for someone who was stuck outside in the cold, iced drinks, may not cut it. But hey, he was simply trying to accommodate.

I ordered scrambled eggs with salmon - there was one slice of salmon and very poorly made scrambled eggs - I am no chef, and I have no intention on becoming one - but I have tried much better scrambled eggs elsewhere. The croissants on the other hand were proper - I gotta give them that.

So all in all, I can only recommend this place if you are ready to freeze while waiting to sit down; don't mind being treated like a five year old, when someone recommends you take a walk while you wait for your table, and then just have super power senses feeling your name is being called to...

I recently visited this place and I have to say, it was absolutely amazing! The croissants were delicious and perfectly flaky, just the way a croissant should be. The service was fantastic - everyone was so friendly and helpful. I felt welcomed from the moment I walked in.

I tried a variety of croissants and each one was better than the last. The flavors were rich and the texture was spot on. I also appreciated the attention to detail in the presentation of the croissants - they were almost too beautiful to eat (but of course, I couldn't resist!).

Overall, I highly recommend this croissant place to anyone looking for a delicious and satisfying treat. The combination of amazing food and fantastic service make it a must-visit in my book. I can't wait to go back and try more of their tasty creations!

The dishes at this croissant place were literally like the pictures - beautifully presented and incredibly appetizing. Not only were they visually stunning, but they were also generously sized. I was pleasantly surprised by the portion sizes, as I often find that food in restaurants doesn't quite live up to the images online. But at this place, the dishes were big and hearty, leaving me feeling fully satisfied after my meal.

The attention to detail in both the presentation and portion sizes really set this croissant place apart from others. It's clear that the chefs take pride in their work and want to ensure that each customer has a fantastic dining experience. I couldn't have been more pleased with my visit and I will definitely be returning to try more of their...