fbpx

Galata Bakery & Restaurant, Greenside

Hours

7:00 - 22:00 Mon to Sun

Cuisine

Middle Eastern
Turkish

Halaal

Certified

Price Range (p/p)

Medium | R100 - R300

Bakery / Patisserie
Breakfast
Casual
Dessertery
Dinner
Light Meals
Lunch
Parking - Off Street
Credit Cards Accepted
Waiter Service
Enquire Write a Review Add to favourites

Share   

Updated: 26-01-2022

Galata Bakery started as a small Turkish inspired bakery in Johannesburg. The newer Greenside venue is a trendy space where you can still enjoy traditional Turkish fare. We headed over for a weekend breakfast in Greenside and decided to give them a try.

Streetside parking on a Saturday morning was relatively painless and we managed to park right across the restaurant. I imagine this area is busier in the week and parking may not be as convenient.

We were welcomed in at the entrance and seated after hand spraying and temperatures were taken. The outside tables which look out on the bustling road were not fully occupied but we chose to sit inside. The decor inside is fresh and trendy. There is very little in the aesthetics to imply that this is a Turkish restaurant. White walls and high ceilings with low modern lights frame a bright space with lightwood tables and white Eames style chairs.

Our waitress was efficient at explaining the various Turkish breakfast items to us. We chose the full Turkish Breakfast which included Menemen, sort of a Turkish Shakshuka but with the eggs scrambled, a Full House Breakfast, and of course could not leave without something sweet and a caffeine hit.

The Traditional Turkish breakfast comes with Menemen with Turkish bread, a plate of olives, tomato, feta and cucumber with a bread stuffed with spinach and feta. This comes with a pot of Turkish tea enough for at least four of the traditional Turkish cups. They brought the tea and we enjoyed that while waiting for the meal. The tea is not the apple mint variety I had experienced at other Turkish places. This was a rather plain tea with no distinct flavour. I enjoyed the spicy eggs topped with mozzarella but felt it was a bit dry. The Turkish bread was crispy and delicious and slathered with butter it was a treat. Part of me was wishing for a nice cup of chai to dip it into…

The full house breakfast was pretty standard. It came with 2 eggs, mushrooms, lamb chop, baked beans, sausage and toast. While it sounds alot, Zulfi said he was still hungry afterwards. We had cappuccinos and shared a chocolate croissant after. The cappuccinos were good but the croissant rather disappointing. The chocolate filling was almost non existent.

They are known for good desserts and we saw several tables indulge in dessert after their meals. We just did not have the space. The deli counter had cheesecake, several other cakes, traditional Turkish desserts and even Tres Leches.

I would come again but to try the lunch or dinner menu. The breakfast menu was average but I saw some other dishes come out to the tables that looked more impressive. A large Turkish grill platter for instance to serve a family. And I have heard from friends that their non breakfast dishes are pretty good.

I also felt that the restaurant got too full as the morning got later. While Covid protocols were observed at the entrance there was not much social distancing between tables. At one point the table next to us was seated and I realised how close together we were. Under normal circumstances this would not bother me, but I was a quietly squirming and was just too happy when they decided they would prefer an outside table.

Prices were not too bad. The Turkish breakfast was R80 and the Full House R70. Our bill came to R270 with a scrambled egg breakfast for Taufeeq, coffees and croissant.

It’s a nice spot to catch up with your girlfriends over coffee and cake and equally good to enjoy some traditional Turkish food.

Please note: Hungry for Halaal is not a certification body. We do our best to verify that an establishment is Halaal Certified or Muslim owned but we cannot guarantee information that is supplied to us.