Patisserie de Pera

Patisserie de Pera is the patisserie of the Pera Palace Hotel, the grand hotel in Tepebaşı built in the 1890s to receive passengers from the Orient Express. The hotel describes the patisserie as one of the city's cherished culinary destinations since the late 19th century, and it carries that sense of history into a small, elegant shop where French patisserie traditions meet the flavours of Istanbul.

The counters display handmade chocolates, French pastries and desserts, prepared by the hotel's pastry team. Expect delicate cakes and mille-feuille alongside boxed chocolates in many flavours, and the selection changes with the seasons and the holidays. The patisserie is a good place to pick up an attractive gift, as chocolates and sweets are packed in boxes designed for presents.

The hotel itself is part of the attraction. Designed by the architect Alexandre Vallaury, the Pera Palace mixes neoclassical, Art Nouveau and oriental styles, and the patisserie's interior was redesigned by Anouska Hempel in 2013. Visiting the patisserie gives you an excuse to step inside a building closely linked to the history of Pera, where guests are said to have included Agatha Christie.

The patisserie is open every day from 10:00 to 18:00. It works well as a short stop for a box of chocolates or a cake, or as a prelude to afternoon tea in the hotel's domed Kubbeli Lounge, which has its own booking and schedule. Prices reflect the setting and are higher than at a neighbourhood pastane, but the quality and presentation match. Weekday mornings are the quietest time to browse. For enquiries, contact the hotel on its main number. A second Patisserie de Pera has opened in the Kanyon shopping centre in Levent, but the hotel shop is the original.

It suits couples, gift-hunters and anyone curious about the old grand hotels of Istanbul. The Pera Palace is on Meşrutiyet Caddesi in Tepebaşı, a few minutes' walk from Şişhane metro station and the Tünel funicular, and close to İstiklal Avenue. The Pera Museum is next door, The Marmara Pera and Mikla are across the street, and the Galata Tower is about ten minutes away on foot.