How to Find the Best Baklava in Istanbul

"At the Shangri-La Bosphorus I woke to a rainy morning and used the hotel’s Baklava Butler Experience to request baklava and Turkish coffee, then sat in the luxurious lounge with deep sofas and turquoise accents while tasting a perfectly balanced bite of honey, pistachios, ultra-thin crispy filo, and layers of spice. The hotel’s exclusive (and world’s first) Baklava Butler program not only serves freshly baked Güllüoglu pastries and Turkish coffee or tea with Maraş ice cream, it also offers an expanded experience where guests can be chauffeured to the Karaköy bakery for a private two-hour baking workshop—learning everything from opening the dough to shaping and baking—and return to be served hand-rolled baklava by the hotel’s baklava butler. The service is available only to Shangri-La Bosphorus guests on weekdays and requires reservations at least 10 days in advance." - Stacey Leasca