Börek
"Börek is flaky layered pastry made with thin sheets of dough (yufka) filled with cheese (peynirli), spinach (ıspanaklı), minced meat (kıymalı), or potatoes. It can be rolled (sigara böreği), layered in a pan (su böreği), or coiled (kol böreği). Eaten for breakfast or as a snack, börek is found everywhere from street carts to upscale bakeries."
Logistics
Affordable
Vibe
Comforting, Flaky, Versatile
Duration
15-20 minutes
Best For
Breakfast
The Backstory
Börek has Central Asian Turkic origins, arriving in Anatolia with nomadic tribes over 1,000 years ago. The Ottoman palace kitchens refined it into an art form with dozens of regional variations. Each Anatolian region developed its own style—Trabzon has layered Vakfıkebir böreği, while Sarıyer is famous for its cheese-filled börek. The thin yufka dough technique was traditionally a skill passed from mother to daughter, though most modern börek uses factory-made sheets.
Local Secret
"For authentic börek, avoid chain bakeries. Look for small 'börekçi' shops where grandmothers are visibly rolling dough in the window. Su böreği (the layered, cheese-filled version) should be slightly wet and soft—if it's dry, it's old. Eat it warm."