Vefa Bozacısı

Vefa Bozacısı is Istanbul's best-known boza shop, opened in 1876 by Hacı Sadık Bey, who came to the city from Prizren in the Balkans. It stands on Katip Çelebi Caddesi in Vefa, a historic neighbourhood just below the Süleymaniye Mosque, and is still run by the founding family. Stepping inside feels like stepping back several generations, with marble counters, old wooden fittings, mirrors and rows of bottles.

The shop is devoted to boza, a thick, slightly sour fermented drink made from grain, traditionally millet, with a texture somewhere between a smoothie and a thin pudding. It is served in a glass, dusted with cinnamon and topped with roasted chickpeas, called leblebi, which add crunch. Boza is mainly a winter drink in Turkey, and the shop is at its liveliest on cold evenings, when people stop in for a glass on their way home.

In warmer months the shop leans more on şıra, a lightly fermented grape drink, and on its other products, including fruit vinegars and pomegranate molasses, which are sold in bottles to take away. A glass from which Atatürk is said to have drunk boza is displayed in a glass case on the wall, and the shop has become a small piece of Istanbul history in its own right.

A visit takes only 15 to 20 minutes. Order a glass at the counter, ask for chickpeas on top and stand or sit at one of the few tables. If you are unsure about the taste, boza is quite sweet and tangy, so try a small glass first. Prices are low. Boza is an acquired taste for some visitors, but it is part of the city's food heritage and worth trying at least once. Bottles can be bought to take away if you want to share it with friends.

The shop suits curious food lovers, families and anyone exploring the area around the Süleymaniye. It is about ten minutes' walk west of the mosque, or uphill from the Unkapanı end of the Atatürk Bridge. Vezneciler metro station on the M2 line is within walking distance. Combine it with a visit to the Süleymaniye, a lunch of white beans on the street beside the mosque, and a walk down to the Golden Horn.