Ayasofya Turkish Restaurant — Restaurant in Kalamazoo

This was truly an authentic Turkish dining experience, and Ayasofya is a hidden gem when it comes to food.

The atmosphere is simple, and clean. The service is top-notch attentive, communicative.

Food was absolutely delicious!! I highly recommend the Ayasofya Kebab I swear by it! It’s easily one of the best I’ve had in this restaurant. It comes with frise and yogurts sauce.

For dessert , Their chocolate baklava is phenomenal!! It is a must try!

The Iskender Kebab is another highly recommend and a must try. The combination of meat, rice, yogurt, tomato sauce, and bread is simply perfect. The portions are generous, making it a great value for the price.

On the other hand, I wasn’t a big fan of the stuffed grape leaves as they lacked flavor and sauce, and they came out dry. I preferred the stuffed cabbage more.

A small suggestion for the chef: Adding olive oil and lemon or tomato sauce to the stuffed grape leaves would really enhance their flavor.

The kunafa was just okay it came soaking in syrup. I’d recommend serving the syrup on the side so customers can adjust the sweetness to their liking.

A couple of recommendations for improvement: Adding more plants to the décor would enhance the ambiance, and keeping sick children away from the dining area would help maintain a more professional environment.

Overall, Ayasofya is a true hidden gem, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for delicious, authentic Turkish food.

I been there twice and I'll definitely be coming back again to try...

I recently had the chance to visit Ayasofya Restaurant in Kalamazoo, and I can honestly say it was one of the best dining experiences I’ve ever had.

The moment I walked in, the place felt warm and inviting. The interior is simple, clean, and comfortable, it has that cozy charm that makes you want to take your time and enjoy the moment.

I ordered the manti, baklava, and chai, and every bite was a hit. The manti - soft dumplings in a rich yogurt and tomato sauce - was absolutely delicious and full of flavor. The baklava was crisp, perfectly sweet, and layered just right. And the chai? Hot, smooth, and deeply comforting turkish tea….the perfect finish to the meal.

But what really stood out was the hospitality. The owners were incredibly kind and welcoming. You can feel their passion for the food and their pride in sharing their culture. They make you feel not just like a customer, but like a guest.

Ayasofya is more than just a place to eat, it’s an experience. If you’re looking for authentic Turkish food, made with care, and served in a place that feels like home, this is it. I’m already looking forward...

Having grown up eating at Bruno's (as it was my favorite restaurant...) it was a bit jarring seeing the changes to the building - though comforting that the booths and tables are still around. As others mentioned, they've done some repainting, took the carpet off the register area, that type of thing. Aside from the staff, there was only one other group while we were there (Sunday evening during the summer, though I'd imagine it'll get more college students once classes begin) so it was pretty quiet the entire time - there was some light music in the background.

The food was quite good - my wife and I split an order of grape leaves, I had a hatay wrap and she had a gobit doner, all of which were quite good (though more than what we were anticipating, so a box was needed.) I'm tempted next time to order a pizza, but that'd probably be a bit weird... though I wonder if they have the same pizza ovens (and if they make them the same way... that's probably hoping too much, though.)

The staff was friendly and attentive (though not obtrusively so) and the food came out quickly.

I'm sure we'll...