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
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.

Top ways to experience Vefa Bozacisi and nearby attractions

The area
Address
Neighbourhood: 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 neighbourhoods, while the must-see sights of Sultanahmet are but a leisurely stroll away.
How to get there
  • Vezneciler • 6 min walk
Reach out directly

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 waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles255 reviews
Excellent
173
Very good
60
Average
15
Poor
2
Terrible
5

Oystermo
Hong Kong, China129 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
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.
Written 12 November 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.

Jo F
Whaley Bridge, UK449 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Couples
A brilliant place to go to experience this speciality of Istanbul. There are places to sit indoors and it's quick and easy to get served.
Written 17 October 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.

jklexia
3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Couples
Goza has an interesting taste. I'm a fan. Well worth a visit. They also have some great lemonade. A quiet location to has a bit of respite from the busy streets.
Written 25 June 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.

doofvfood (with botak ahjussi)
World3,270 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2023 • Couples
We had tried some boza when in Eyüp (poured from a bottle) & seen them in bottled form in the shops but this place is one where you could drink what they had made & the decor is really retro & a step back in time.

Orhan Pamuk had written about a boza seller in one of his novels, so it was nice to see that the drink seemed to be everywhere in Istanbul when we visited.

The fermented grain drink was really thick & we picked the one with cinnamon. The place was crowded but we managed to get a seat after a while. We had to get a spoon to scoop out the rest. Not sure what brand the Eyüp stall sold but the one at Vefa had a stronger flavour.

Glad we visited & tried the drink at a producer's rather than a shop bought variety though they do bottle them for shops & and you can buy them to takeaway as well.
Written 22 March 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.

DrBoyfriend
Pristina, Kosovo161 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2023
Sadly it is the only boza-maker in all of Istanbul, but they try to maintain the culture alive. Can't say it is my favorite boza, they make it much too thick, like a pudding, and sometimes they serve it prematurely fermented; true boza needs to be pleasingly sour.
Written 27 February 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.

worldnomad_01
Los Angeles, CA1,634 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2022
We came to Istanbul determined to taste something we have never tasted before, something strange and different, and of which we learned from a TV program about a thorough visit to the city. We wanted to taste Boza. Turkish Boza is a thick, light brownish, fermented malt drink made from bulgur wheat, some sugar and some water, typically served here in water glasses, with cinnamon and roasted chickpeas on top. It has a sweet and tart flavor and ... you may like it or you may not…

Vefa Bozacisi is a minuscule, one room business which has been continuously run by the same family (now the fourth generation), since 1876, and located very close to Suleymaniye Mosque. They seem to be quite known is Istanbul and purportedly even Ataturk was here to serve their drink in 1937, as evidenced by a photo proudly displayed in the shop. The place is immaculately clean and it's like a trip back in time, more than a hundred years ago, with outdated furniture, shelves and floor...
Written 20 November 2022
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, Switzerland26,274 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022
In March 2016 I had written a detailed and positive review about this well known, but quite hidden little place. This summer I came with my wife and our grown-up grandson on his first visit to Istanbul to give him a chance to taste 'Boza', a once very popular drink from fermented wheat or millet, that now only gets sold at this place anymore. Vefa is the name of the quarter, below the Suleymaniye Mosque, where it is to be found.

As before we first went to the shop just opposite, the 'Tarihi Vefa Leblecisi' (Historic Vefa Chickpea Seller) from 1922, since to put roasted chickpeas into the fermented boza is part of the tradition. All in all the experience this time was a bit disappointing, at least for me, who has known the place from several previous visits.

There was a completely bored looking and unmotivated young man in charge, who just lined up the boza in white plastic cups, together with plastic spoons. In this way one couldn't see the beautiful yellow colour of the drink, as before, when it was poured in front of you into a larger glass. At least there still were on a wall a photo of Kemal Atatürk and behind glass, on top of a red cloth - like a holy relic - the glass, from which the founder of modern Turkey had tasted boza in here in 1937.
Written 8 October 2022
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.

Hadis
Prizren, Kosovo4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022 • Friends
I love Boza, and this was the only place I’ve searched for so long and found it.
It takes you back in time while you drink your Boza.
Written 11 April 2022
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.

daryoush m
Istanbul, Türkiye21 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2019 • Family
If u r in Istanbul u must visit at least once, in TURKEY there are lots of boza brands but this one is the first place, They have been producing boza till Ottaman Empire, place is historical and be careful They have no branch, taste and ambiance is perfect.
Must be seen
Written 30 December 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.

Karim
Dubai, United Arab Emirates3 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2019 • Family
If you want to eat something you have never tasted. This is the place. Its theme is very old. It had its own atmosphere
Written 21 August 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.

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VEFA BOZACISI: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about Vefa Bozacisi