Layers of Heaven: Turkish Börek
Flaky layered pastry made from paper-thin yufka dough
Börek is a baked pastry built from dozens of tissue-thin dough sheets called yufka, each brushed with butter or oil, layered with a filling, and baked until golden and crisp. Skilled börek makers stretch the dough thin enough to read a newspaper through, and those layers puff and separate in the oven. The benchmark is su böreği (water börek), whose yufka sheets are briefly boiled, then layered with butter and cheese and baked: soft inside, crisp on top. Neighborhood börekçi shops sell it by the slice, warm, ideally with a glass of tea.
Börek is a breakfast and morning snack. Börek shops (börekçi) open early and the best trays are often finished by lunch.
What it is
- The pastry: thin sheets of dough (yufka) layered or rolled with fillings and baked or fried.
- Classic fillings: white cheese, minced meat, spinach or potato.
- Popular types: su böreği (soft, boiled layers), sigara böreği (fried rolls) and kol böreği (long baked coils).
Where to try it
- Neighbourhood börek shops in Fatih, Kadıköy and Beşiktaş
- Bakeries and breakfast cafés all over the city
Tips
- Have it with a glass of tea or ayran.
- Ask for ‘karışık’ to try a mix of fillings.
- Go in the morning for the freshest trays.
More Istanbul street food
Hungry for more? See the Istanbul guide for more dishes, or explore the food streets of Kadıköy. A guided food tour is the easiest way to taste many dishes in one afternoon.
Börek: frequently asked questions
What is börek?
A Turkish pastry made with thin layers of dough filled with cheese, meat, spinach or potato.
What is the best börek to try?
Su böreği (soft layered cheese börek) is a local favourite; sigara böreği is a crispy fried snack.
When do people eat börek?
Mostly at breakfast or as a morning snack, often with tea.
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Photo: Silar, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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