Audio GuideHafiz Mustafa 1864
Hafız Mustafa 1864 Sirkeci
Long-running confectioner offering traditional Turkish sweets & pastries, plus coffee & tea.
Bakery
Istanbul, Turkey
Set foot on the bustling streets of Sirkeci in Istanbul and you will discover Hafız Mustafa Eighteen Sixty-Four, a confectioner’s shop where tradition and history mingle with the enticing scent of pastries. Established during the days of the Ottoman Empire, in the middle of the nineteenth century, Hafız Mustafa began when Hadji Ismail Hakki Bey and his son created simple rock sweets in a modest shop near the old viaduct, now called Hamidiye Street. As their confections grew in reputation, ever more visitors were drawn to their little shop by the delicious flavours and genuine warmth.
As the years passed, the shop’s reputation only flourished. The family gradually expanded their offerings to include baklava, Turkish delight, puddings and cakes, each made with great care and loyalty to time-honoured recipes. Hafız Mustafa handed the reins to his son Cemil, and later to his granddaughter Sönmez. Though the business changed hands several times over more than one hundred and fifty years, it has always upheld its commitment to quality and its place as an icon of Turkish confectionery. In the late nineteen-twenties and nineteen-thirties, Hafız Mustafa earned international acclaim, winning gold medals at European confectionery competitions.
Today, under the stewardship of the Ongurlar family, the brand continues to grow both in Turkey and abroad. The Sirkeci branch impresses visitors with its refined grandeur, golden accents, marble counters and displays brimming with glistening baklava and vibrant Turkish delight. Attentive staff serve tea or Turkish coffee in specially branded porcelain, accompanied by generous portions of cake topped with pistachios.
Through the windows, one glimpses the constant rhythm of city life—trams rolling by, the bustling train station, and the nearby waters of the Bosphorus. The legacy of Hafız Mustafa is more than just its sweets; it is woven into the very fabric of the city, bringing people together to savour the finest tastes of Istanbul, past and present.
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