Vefa Bozacisi
Vefa Bozacisi
4.5
8:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Monday
8:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Friday
8:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 12:00 AM
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The area
Address
Neighborhood: Grand Bazaar
Tourists, hawkers, and locals come together at the Grand Bazaar to comb its labyrinthine passageways in search of a bargain – be it a pair of brand name jeans, a handcrafted silk rug, or a perfectly brewed cup of tea. Outside the vast bazaar, worn, narrow streets wind their way down from its lofty perch to the southern shore of the Golden Horn, where the evocatively aromatic Spice Bazaar beckons alongside the elegant New Mosque (opened in 1665). Nearby, the famed Galata Bridge offers pedestrian access to urban delights across the river in Istanbul’s more residential and contemporary neighborhoods, while the must-see sights of Sultanahmet are but a leisurely stroll away.
How to get there
- Vezneciler • 6 min walk
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4,353 within 3 miles
Attractions
1,148 within 6 miles
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
257 reviews
Excellent
173
Very good
61
Average
15
Poor
2
Terrible
6
Suri C
Rotterdam, The Netherlands11 contributions
Aug 2024 • Family
I was very curious about this drink, so after reading about this place, I went there. You just go in, grab your cup with Boza from the shelf, pay for it, sit and enjoy it. Very simple with no hassle. It's a unique taste and I did enjoy it very much. I saw some guests go to the store across the street to get the chickpeas to put on top of the drink and enjoy it that way.
Written August 22, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Oystermo
Hong Kong, China127 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
My husband accidentally found this drink in supermarket and thought of having this with cereal. At the end, we decided to visit this shop directly.
According to other reviews, this is the taste of old people. Surprisingly half people there are students and young couples.
Back to the food, it’s thick, sweet and a bit sour. Cinnamon is a highlight.
The place is not easy to find. But it worths to go.
According to other reviews, this is the taste of old people. Surprisingly half people there are students and young couples.
Back to the food, it’s thick, sweet and a bit sour. Cinnamon is a highlight.
The place is not easy to find. But it worths to go.
Written November 12, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Vural D
Istanbul, Türkiye38 contributions
Feb 2015 • Couples
Good to be drink with cinnamon and roasted chickpea. It is vey old and historical Turkish drink. You can keep it in the refrigirator if you do not want it soured in time at the ambient temperature.
Written April 8, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hande
Baku, Azerbaijan110 contributions
Jul 2012 • Couples
Boza is a very hearthy drink made from fermented grains... Traditionally drunk during colder days of the winter. Vefa is the best-known brand for boza. You should drink it with cinnamon sprinkled on top and accompany it with dry roasted chick peas (leblebi). The original store of Vefa Bozacisi is now in a back street in Fatih. Hardly a touristic destination but you might enjoy the original look if you can actually find your way to there.
Written July 31, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Samer ABI KHALIL
Angers, France209 contributions
Jul 2019 • Family
The cafe is not located at the centre of the old city, you can go by walking around 15 - 20 minutes after the Laleli station of the train, you can follow a Google map and/or ask people to search there, but you have to do it, because it will be something done in your stay in Istanbul like nowhere else you can do it. A tasty cream traditionally prepared, or an old traditional syrup, in an old authentic cafe, it will be a great experience to tell about.
Written July 12, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GulizDogan
Ankara, Türkiye92 contributions
Apr 2018 • Friends
This was the most delicious boza in my life. If you like traditional drinks you should have this drink. It is made of barley, rye, oat, wheat, buckwheat, Albanian corn, cereal flour and sometimes rice and bread. This drink originally is a winter drink and very nutritious.
Written March 18, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hadeel a
Kuwait City, Kuwait183 contributions
Apr 2018 • Family
Vefa still has that Ottoman magic. Of you are a photographer believe me you will enjoy taking photos. A very peaceful area with a very happy people that what I have noticed. Had the BOZA drink at the Vefa Bozacisi it tastes like apple sauce topped with chickpeas. The contrast between the tastes gives it that yumminess. I do recommend that historical area go early in the morning and have your Boza and enjoy walking between the Ottoman houses.
Written May 2, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nesligül D
Istanbul, Türkiye6,567 contributions
Mar 2018 • Friends
Boza is not a drink for everyone as it is an acquired taste. It is a winter drink, originally prepared by Albanian immigrants who came to Istanbul many years ago. It is very popular in Istanbul culture and the best place to drink Boza is the Vefa Bozacisi close to the aqueduct in Fatih, in the street of the municipality theater. It is a very nice historical ship dating back to 1876 and is always full. They serve Boza with cinnamon.
There are other interesting shops just across if you can’t find a seat here.
They also sell grape and apple vinegars, pomegranate sauces and balsamic vinegar.
You can buy all of these plus Boza at reasonable prices to take home.
There are other interesting shops just across if you can’t find a seat here.
They also sell grape and apple vinegars, pomegranate sauces and balsamic vinegar.
You can buy all of these plus Boza at reasonable prices to take home.
Written March 29, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Suncatcher26
Istanbul, Türkiye116 contributions
Jan 2018 • Family
This shop has been established since 1876. Situated in a small street.
You can buy a glass of Boza ( Turkish drink) from as little as 3TL.
Boza is a fermented drink made from Bulgar and yeast. Topped with cinnamon.
This shop is very famous in Turkey. Have to give it a try ifbin Istanbul.
You can buy a glass of Boza ( Turkish drink) from as little as 3TL.
Boza is a fermented drink made from Bulgar and yeast. Topped with cinnamon.
This shop is very famous in Turkey. Have to give it a try ifbin Istanbul.
Written January 3, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
saronic
Zurich, Switzerland28,647 contributions
Apr 2015 • Friends
The fermented drink Boza, popular mainly in winter, is made from millet or wheat semolina, sugar and water, with an alcohol content of less than 1%. It was once sold by street vendors all over the Balkans and Central Asia, but has now disappeared from most places, except for one famous spot.
The 'Vefa Bozacisi' in the neighboorhood of Vefa in Istanbul's Fatih district, was founded in 1876 by an Albanian immigrant and is still run by his descendants. Its success was due to the fact that Boza was now stored in marble vessels instead of wooden vessels, which had various positive effects. It started to supply the palace and one famous guest at this place has been Kemal Atatürk, whose glass is now kept on a shelf against the wall.
The little drink shop, where hardly anything else gets sold except Boza, still oozes the charm of past days. There aren't many tables, but whenever I visited it had never too many guests, just some locals and the odd tourist.
Boza has a somewhat titanium yellow color, quite a thick, creamy consistency and is slightly sour to the palate. It is preferably drunk with cinnamon sprinkled on top and with added roasted chickpeas. These one can buy at the 'Tarihi Vefa Leblecisi'-shop (Historic Vefa Chickpea-seller) just opposite, which by now is also quite historical, since it dates from 1922.
To get here I usually walk down from the Suleymaniye Mosque, turn left in front of the Istanbul Müftülügü (office of the Mufti, a Muslim legal expert), from where I soon reach Vefa Caddesi, on which the Bozaci is located. Before reaching there one goes past the Asif Efendi Kütüphanesi (Ottoman library) and the Sheih Vefa Türbe. There are anyway several places to be visited in this neighbourhood with still many wooden Ottoman houses.
After enjoying a refreshing Boza (and maybe buying a Pomegranate Vinegar to take along) one can continue to the Valens Aqueduct and to the big Shehzade Mosque (Princes Mosque), a work by Sinan, and if one is in the mood for more then there are also the mosques of Kalenderhane and Vefa Kilise Camii, both former Byzantine churches, not far from here.
The 'Vefa Bozacisi' in the neighboorhood of Vefa in Istanbul's Fatih district, was founded in 1876 by an Albanian immigrant and is still run by his descendants. Its success was due to the fact that Boza was now stored in marble vessels instead of wooden vessels, which had various positive effects. It started to supply the palace and one famous guest at this place has been Kemal Atatürk, whose glass is now kept on a shelf against the wall.
The little drink shop, where hardly anything else gets sold except Boza, still oozes the charm of past days. There aren't many tables, but whenever I visited it had never too many guests, just some locals and the odd tourist.
Boza has a somewhat titanium yellow color, quite a thick, creamy consistency and is slightly sour to the palate. It is preferably drunk with cinnamon sprinkled on top and with added roasted chickpeas. These one can buy at the 'Tarihi Vefa Leblecisi'-shop (Historic Vefa Chickpea-seller) just opposite, which by now is also quite historical, since it dates from 1922.
To get here I usually walk down from the Suleymaniye Mosque, turn left in front of the Istanbul Müftülügü (office of the Mufti, a Muslim legal expert), from where I soon reach Vefa Caddesi, on which the Bozaci is located. Before reaching there one goes past the Asif Efendi Kütüphanesi (Ottoman library) and the Sheih Vefa Türbe. There are anyway several places to be visited in this neighbourhood with still many wooden Ottoman houses.
After enjoying a refreshing Boza (and maybe buying a Pomegranate Vinegar to take along) one can continue to the Valens Aqueduct and to the big Shehzade Mosque (Princes Mosque), a work by Sinan, and if one is in the mood for more then there are also the mosques of Kalenderhane and Vefa Kilise Camii, both former Byzantine churches, not far from here.
Written March 10, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mrb. Vefa bozacısında kasada duran 17 yaşındaki patron yarısı bebenin, yanındaki çalışanına gel buraya tavrı ve kibirli prof olmayan tavrına bir benmi rast geldim..
Written August 31, 2019
Ben Nisan Ayında gittim.Benim Gördüklerim 50 yaş üzeriydi.
Çok sık gitmem.Fakat Yazlıktan döndükten sonra Zeyrek'e
Gittiğimde bir daha gidebilirim.Gerçekleşir ise yine yazarım
Written September 1, 2019
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