Cafés in Üsküdar

Getting to Üsküdar by ferry, Marmaray and M5

Ferries reach Üsküdar from Eminönü, Karaköy, Kabataş and Beşiktaş, and Marmaray trains run under the strait and resurface at Sirkeci.¹ The M5 metro, Turkey's first driverless line, opened from Üsküdar to Yamanevler on 15 December 2017 and continues to Çekmeköy; Bağlarbaşı is two stops in, and Altunizade, with its metrobus link, three.⁸ For Kuzguncuk, take bus 15 toward Beykoz or walk the shore from Üsküdar Square in 20–25 minutes.³

Uncular, Doğancılar and İmam Nasır Sokak

The Mihrimah Sultan Mosque, by Mimar Sinan, stands near the ferry terminal, the Yeni Valide across from it and the Atik Valide uphill from the dock.¹ When GZT asked its readers in November 2025 for the district's coffee places, the three winners included Doquz at 9 Doğancılar Caddesi and Riff at 33/A Uncular Caddesi.⁴ Northy Coffee Co. and Ottomania are also on Doğancılar, at Nos. 8 and 14.

Uncular has Cappadocia Coffee & Bakery at No. 7/A, Albero del Caffe at No. 22A and Cremia Cafe at No. 26/A. On İmam Nasır Sokak, Â La Lune Patisserie is at No. 13, Rumi Cafe at No. 16/1 and Via Lattea at No. 18. Specialty coffee runs inland to Partikül on Çavuşdere Caddesi and Runge Coffee Roastery on Dr. Fahri Atabey Caddesi. On Selman Ağa Çeşme Sokağı, Payedar Kahve opens at 08:00, and Aşiyan Books And Coffee, which serves brunch, at 10:00.

Kuzguncuk and İcadiye Caddesi

Jews expelled from Spain and Portugal settled in Kuzguncuk from the late 15th century, and Armenians in the 18th.² The wooden Ottoman streets keep two synagogues, from the 1840s and 1878, and the Armenian church of Surp Krikor Lusavoriç, rebuilt in 1861; the Kuzguncuk Mosque went up in its courtyard in 1952, partly with donations from the congregation.² Since the comedy Perihan Abla was filmed here in the mid-1980s, the neighborhood has been a regular TV set.²

İcadiye Caddesi holds most of the cafés and restaurants, with the shore below and Kuzguncuk Bostanı, a community garden, uphill.³ Kuzgun Kahvesi, at No. 25, is open 09:00–01:00 with outdoor tables; Island Cafe is at No. 22, Pürüze at No. 33/A, Galette Kuzguncuk at No. 45 and Cup Inn at No. 92/A. Pita is known for homemade breakfasts and pastries, with few outdoor seats and waits on weekends.³

Nevmekan, the municipal library cafés

Nevmekan means "new place". The building in Bağlarbaşı began in the early 20th century as a public transport center, served as an electrical facility in World War I and as a hangar for İETT, the city's bus company, from the mid-1960s; the municipality took it over in 2015 and added a coffee shop, library, gallery and stage.⁵ Nevmekan Selimiye occupies the hamam that Selim III built with the Selimiye Barracks, reopened after a three-year restoration.⁶

In 2021 these libraries normally ran around the clock, with free internet and about 2,000 users a day.⁶ In June 2024 the municipality closed the busiest branch for renovation and moved the others to an 18:00 close, so check before planning a late session.⁷ Nevmekan Sahil is on Şemsi Paşa Caddesi, and Nevmekan Kuzguncuk, which serves brunch, on Çifteçınar Sokağı.

Early, late and up the Bosphorus

Murat Muhallebi on Kısıklı Caddesi opens at 06:00 from Monday to Saturday, the earliest start in Üsküdar, and closes at 00:00. Katibim, on the Harem shore road, stays open until 02:00, and 03:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. Yesil Mavi Kafe, at the lower entrance to Fethi Paşa Korusu, a large park on the Bosphorus at Paşalimanı, closes at 02:00.¹

Further north, Beylerbeyi Palace was built for Sultan Abdülaziz in the 1860s, and Çengelköy is a former waterfront village.¹ Bu Bahçe Beylerbeyi is on Arabacılar Sokak and Hevsel Bahçesi on Beylerbeyi İskele Caddesi; Heep's Coffee is at 48/1 Çengelköy Caddesi.