Pierre Loti Café: More Than Just a Coffeehouse

Want to take a splendid journey to Pierre Loti Café, a famous coffee house on the top of Eyüp hill? This place, however, offers more than just a cup of coffee. It is also the location of one of the oldest settlements in Istanbul, it serves as the backdrop for the love story of the legendary French naval officer Loti, and it affords a spectacular view of the Golden Horn. Let’s go!

Getting There: A stroll through Eyüp

If you are not the owner of a private jet or a helicopter, you will have to start your trip to the hill in Eyüp, the neighborhood named after Hz Eyyubi El-Ensari, a close companion of the Prophet Muhammad. It is the spiritual hub for Muslims in Istanbul. Hz Eyyubi died in battle against the Byzantines during the first attempted Muslim conquest of Constantinople in the seventh century. The tomb and mosque built in his honor are sacred places for believers.

When you come to Eyüp, it feels a little bit like a journey back in time – a lot of history is hidden here. As soon as you get off the bus you will find yourself walking through local markets selling numerous bazaar items. Various pots and coffee sets quoting words from the Qur’an, zemzem suyu (holy water from the Zamzam well in Mecca), in addition to Ottoman-style clothes and shoes. Vendors in Eyüp will generally address you in Turkish; there is no guessing your nationality by saying hello in multiple languages, which frequently happens in the other historical parts of Istanbul that tourists regularly visit.

Ottoman crafts are all the rage here. For a reasonable price, you can have a framed painting with the names of your loved ones inscribed by a master of Ottoman calligraphy. Another stand offers you the chance to try on luxurious Ottoman costumes. In a matter of seconds, you can turn into Suleyman the Magnificent or Roxelana. Don’t forget to get a photo so that you can show your friends proof of this magical transformation.

Like all roads lead to Rome, all roads in Eyüp lead to Eyüp Sultan Mosque. In old Anatolian tradition, there are people welcoming you at the entrance of the mosque with Turkish sweets, lokum or baklava. “Sweet-dealers” are usually kids or old people, and it is nearly impossible to say no to their delicious offers.

Eyüp itself deserves to be the subject of a separate article, so I won’t go on about all its delights. Suffice it to say that the walk through the neighborhood on your way to Pierre Loti Café is bound to be a fascinating one. But don’t get too sidetracked! Our destination is a bit further yet.

There are two options for you to continue your journey to the hill: by foot or by funicular. Walking should not take more than 20 minutes and you will be moseying through one of the oldest cemeteries in Istanbul.

The Eyüp Gondola, or Eyüp-Piyerloti Aerial Cable Car, will bring you to the top of the hill in 5 minutes. All you need is your Akbil card and a little patience to wait in line, especially on weekends.

Finally, here you are. At the top of the hill.

Pierre Loti and his Café

The first and the most crowded coffee place you see on the right? That is the original Pierre Loti Kahvesi.

Who exactly was this mysterious Pierre Loti?

Julien Viaud, known as Pierre Loti, was a naval French officer and writer who first visited Istanbul in the late nineteenth century as part of his military service. He traveled all over the Near and the Far East, but the Ottoman empire and Istanbul, in particular, stole his heart. Pierre Loti was fascinated by the Ottoman lifestyle and called himself a Turkophile, readily adopting so-called Ottoman habits. You can see photos of Loti dressed as a Turk, smoking narghile (a water pipe) while sipping Turkish coffee. In the spirit of the time, Loti supposedly used to come to this coffee place to discuss politics and religion.

Loti’s interest in Ottoman life was not the only thing drawing him to the city. It is said that Loti was head over heels in love with a girl from the harem. You can read about his romance in the semi-autobiographical book Aziyade. While the novel made him famous and was extremely popular at the time, it was not really recognized as a masterpiece of literature. If you’re curious about this love story, there is a gift shop next to the café where you can buy the book in many languages.

To enjoy the amazing panoramic view of the Golden Horn, I’d recommend sitting at the tables outside. You quickly gain a new understanding and appreciation of Istanbul’s topography. It’s best to go in the late afternoon and stay until evening, as the sunsets from Pierre Loti Café are especially breathtaking.

However, if you’re eager to learn more about the mystery of how to prepare Turkish coffee (or you visit in winter!) we suggest you get a table inside. With black and white photos decorating the walls, the café looks like a gallery and you can almost feel the Istanbul from Loti’s times. The tables are small and you can sit either on the comfortable sofa or cozy iskemle, chairs popular in Ottoman times.

The menu is short, as coffee is the reason why visitors come here. The waiter will ask you his classic question: sade (without sugar), orta (medium sugar) or şekerli (proper sweet). In Turkish fashion, sugar is added while cooking, not afterward.

Visitors can watch the coffee-makers work their magic. Dressed in Ottoman garb they are friendly and eager to share their secrets with you if you ask. Unlike Starbucks, Coffee Nero or basically any regular coffee-house, the coffee here is cooked on charcoal embers. They say it is what gives the coffee its unique aroma and taste.

After a sip or two, one is reminded of the old Turkish saying, “Bir fincan kahvenin kırk yıl hatırı vardır”, which translates to “A cup of coffee will be remembered for 40 years”. Far from the rush of today’s hectic Istanbul lifestyle, a cup of Turkish coffee and conversation with friends at Pierre Loti Café is a moment to savor and revisit time and time again.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in February of 2014. It was updated for relevance on December of 2018.