The 5 Best Cafés in Izmir, From Kemeraltı to Alsancak

The best cafés in Izmir range from coffee houses in the old bazaar to brunch spots in Alsancak and a breakfast garden at the foot of the Asansör. In Kemeraltı, Turkish coffee still cooks slowly in hot sand. Our five picks cover the bazaar, Alsancak and Karataş. Each one earns its place with its coffee and its setting, and each fits a different kind of break. If Cappadocia comes next, read Izmir to Cappadocia: a direct flight to Kayseri or two days across Anatolia.

How We Chose the Best Cafés in Izmir

We looked for cafés that keep the old ways of making coffee, and for a few modern places for breakfast and long evenings. For the city itself, start with our guide to İzmir and our page on the Kemeraltı Bazaar.

The Best Cafés in Izmir in Kemeraltı

1. Kumda Kahve, Kızlarağası Hanı

Kumda Kahve opened in 2009 in the copper bazaar of the Kızlarağası Han. The han dates from 1744 and once stood on the seafront, and filled land now leaves it about 200 meters (656 feet) inland. The café’s Turkish coffee cooks in hot sand, which heats the pot slowly and evenly. The café also makes Ottoman sherbets in the old way, along with milk puddings such as sütlaç and kazandibi. Stop here for a coffee break in the middle of the bazaar.

2. Kızlarağası Dibek Kahvesi

Kızlarağası Dibek Kahvesi is a coffee shop on 871 Sokak, in the lanes of Kemeraltı. It closes in the early evening, so plan it as a daytime stop between the shops.

The Best Cafés in Izmir in Alsancak and Beyond

3. Varuna Gezgin, Alsancak

Varuna Gezgin has two cafés side by side on Bornova Sokağı, the 1469 Sokak of Alsancak, with a third in Bornova. The brand has a travel theme, and gezgin means traveler. Its own site is full of travel notes from around the world. Give it a long evening in Alsancak.

4. Uwawi

Uwawi is a brunch café on 1454 Sokak in Alsancak. Instead of the classic spread breakfast, it serves a modern brunch of signature plates made with fresh ingredients. It closes on Mondays, so plan it for another morning.

5. Asansör Cafe Restoran Kahvaltı Bahçesi

This café and breakfast garden stands on Mithatpaşa Caddesi, at the foot of the Asansör, the 1907 tower whose lifts climb 50 m to Nihat Bey Caddesi. Have breakfast here before you ride up for the view.

Enjoy the Best Cafés in Izmir With Us

For dinner after a coffee, our list of the best restaurants in İzmir picks up where these cafés stop, and the best hotels in İzmir cover the night.

Kumda Kahve in Kızlarağası Hanı sits on the route of our İzmir food tour, and we can add the Alsancak cafés to our İzmir city tour on the day you pick.