Simurgh Bakery & Cafe

Turkish cafe with good varieties of Turkish cuisine, pastries, sweets. Has busy hours and quiet hours with service quality depending on atmosphere. Our service was slow with wrong deliveries. Service needs systematic improvement in busy hours with perhaps dedicated assignments to servers rather everyone does everything. Food was OK delicious and fresh. Indoor seating with limited outdoor seating. Free parking lot. Flat area but tight routes inside for accessibility. Not good for kids. Good for brunch/lunch, take outs and small groups, meetups, couples.

We’ve been here several times because the breakfast is absolutely delicious — fresh, high-quality ingredients and generous portions. It’s one of the best breakfast spots we’ve tried! That said, the service could use some improvement. Orders always come out one by one, so my husband and I never actually get to enjoy our breakfast together at the same time. On a few occasions, our order was also brought out incorrectly, even though we showed a photo of it to avoid confusion. But the 🥴biggest concern for me is hygiene. There’s a lady who brings the orders to the tables, handles the kitchen items, and even opens doors — all while wearing the same gloves. That raises some food safety concerns. I really hope they can improve the service flow and pay more attention to proper kitchen hygiene. If they fix that, this place could easily be a five-star gem.

So the lovely thing about Simurgh is its breads. I mean I always crave for nice and fresh authentic bread in the Bay Area but its not accessible easily. They have it. Enjoy their great Simit and the special fluffy Pita bread with their great Turkish breakfast.

One word: Fantastic! Finding authentic Turkish food in the Bay Area is HARD. Most of the time you find mediterranean fusions. However Simurgh brings some of the best small Turkish staples effortlessly. Simit, turkish eggs, even Sütlaç and çiğ köfte. Even the vibes are true to the culture. Super clean and welcoming. Very happy to have found this place when I was homesick. Give the ‘eggs in a hole’ a try, especially if you’ve never had sujuk before :).

We got the Simit Sandwich a Mediterranean-style bagel and a few day old rolls. The simit was a breakfast sandwich with a bed of greens on what is basically an everything bagel. It was good but when it was finished I felt like I had eaten nothing. The bagel we got with egg, which was a hard boiled egg which was sliced, not what I can recommend. But it's was the same bagel as the simit

Simurgh Bakery & Café is an absolute gem! From the moment you step inside, you're greeted with the warmest smiles and an inviting atmosphere. Their selection of Turkish pastries and delights is vast, and everything is made with love and authenticity. The fresh daily simit is a must-try—perfectly crisp on the outside and soft inside, with just a generous amount of sesame crunch. The sabich sandwich was a delightful surprise, with fried eggplant, boiled egg, and a harmony of flavors that made every bite irresistible. And the dolma from eggplants—stuffed with fragrant rice—had an incredible balance of savory and sweet, making it one of the best I've had. Whether you're looking for a quick bite, a cozy place to enjoy Turkish tea, or a feast of traditional flavors, Simurgh Bakery & Café delivers in every way. Don’t miss this spot—it’s a true taste of Turkey with hospitality to match!

This is one of the best meals I've had in some time and even after just one visit might be one of my favorite spots in the entire bay area. Everything I like, they have and do exceptionally. Seasoned, tender, juicy meat. Soft, pillowy bread. Delicious honey butter and jam. Nice sauces to go with the meat. Slighly roasted potatoes. Cheese. Baklava. All of it. Just so, so, so good. Friends who went to Turkey recently said this is better than food they ate there. Even my critical Turkish friend said this is the closest he's had in the bay to authentic Turkish food. Listen to them if you don't believe me.

This place is a gem! The Balkan kebab and Istanbul platter were absolutely delicious! The bread is so fresh and light and the kebab is so juicy and tasty. The Lahmacun was so good too. We also had the original baklava and honey cake. Baklava is so crisp, not too sugary with perfect amount of pistachios. If you’re a baklava person you would know! The honey cake was too good to be true! Great coffee too. Everyone is extremely nice. Portions and prices are great. Must try and you’ll get hooked!

Wonderful mediterranean bakery and restaurant. Unique breakfast and lunch items. Love the tahini and chocolate cookies!

A friend and her husband took me there after she and I climbed at Pacific Pipe. I had the pesto chicken sandwich and it was delicious. It was also huge so I was able to take half home for dinner. She had their beef brisket sandwich that looked very good. He had a bowl of soup which he thoroughly enjoyed and he also had half her sandwich. I got an Americano Turkish coffee, chocolate pistachio baklava and a sesame cookie for dessert. The chocolate baklava wasn't quite as chocolate as I would have liked but it was still very good. The coffee was perfect. I will definitely return.

Cute and decent space for a party of 4 with friendly service Food was really good and hard to pick what to get but glad we tried the bread it was soooo good with the feta.

I really did want to love this place, the servers are charming and it felt like a good community has been built here. However, strictly considering the dishes we had, the food was pretty average. Their bagels were nice and unique, the contents though were nothing out of the ordinary. I (we) have been afflicted by the abundance of sauce and flavours existing in the US like Pandora's box and these dishes sadly had none, providing a rather bland taste. The ingredients are healthy and pure, but I guess that just isn't enough for my soiled tastebuds, I did leave wanting more, barring the bagel this is something I could have made at home from a TJs run Heard their baklava is good though, probably worth a try

Came in on a late morning to get a sense of the place and was quite surprised at how busy this small cafe was. Had no idea of the offerings and learned that it was a Turkish cafe and bakery. The baklava looked superb yummy so we decided to grab a few pieces of the chocolate, classic pistachio - fresh, flavorful, flaky and just right amount of sweetness. Will definitely stop back through to try a dish or two and/or some of the other treat.

I've been wanting to try this place for a while and went with a coworker for lunch. Wow!! I've only seen it from the outside but inside looks so homey and filled with delicious sweet treats. Got the Balkan kebab sandwich and it was flavorful! Ordered online as it seems to get pretty packed during lunchtime and got my food relatively fast. Definitely going to come back as the sweet treats look heavenly.

My bestie and I wanted coffee and dessert when I found Simurgh Bakery on Yelp. We drove there and it was delish. I got a Turkish coffee, though my cup was leaking. Also had The tahini sesame cookie and the Turkish delight. The tahini cookie my favorite part was the toasted sesame seed edges. The Turkish delight what's not to like. My friend got a cappuccino and the pistachio baklava. I had a sample and was good too. Service was good. We ordered at the register and they brought our coffees. We also got 2 hummus to go. Ambiance, it's a smaller place, cozy, had some cute decorations. There's Parking available behind store.

After watching a Check Please Bay Area special about this spot, I knew we had to check it out asap. Upon entering you can get a strong sense of the love and appreciation Simurgh Bakery and Cafe kneads into their freshly-baked Simit (a circular bread with sesame seeds, similar to a bagel). They make and bake the Simit right in front of you and my family & I had front row seats for this wonderfully unique breakfast experience. Our first time trying Turkish food in the East Bay, and already we can't wait to come back for more. We ordered the Turkish Breakfast Platter, the Eggs in a Hole, a Turkish coffee, and additional Simit right out of the oven. So heavenly. Comforting. Unique. Loved every second of it! The Turkish Breakfast Platter is easily shareable and comes with a variety a cheeses, cucumber, tomatoes, olives, jam, honey, pepperoni, fried eggs, one Simit, and a side of Turkish tea. For $22, it's like a deconstructed version of the Eggs in a Hole ($14) which the hubby ordered. The quality is here, value, and heart & soul from the friendly staff and cozy digs. There are also lunch/dinner options, a beautiful array of desserts (there is a newspaper article about their baklava made with fresh phyllo dough), grab & go options, and catering. There is parking behind and in front of the restaurant, and seemed like a bustling line shortly after we arrived at 9a which means this place is definitely in the know :) Thank you Simurgh for a meal we will never forget!

Quaint cafe with fresh baked breads. We ordered the Turkish breakfast, kebab sausages and the Lahmacun. Everything was delicious. The Turkish breakfast and Lahmacun was similar to what I had in Istanbul. The staff was very friendly. I'll have to try their baklava and other desserts next time!

Simurgh Bakery and Cafe might have the most delicious baklava in all of Oakland! However, you shouldn't go there just for their desserts ( even though their rice pudding is superb), since their outstanding breakfasts and lunch menu offers some of the most delicious meals you are likely to find in any restaurant!

We had Turkish breakfast here on a Sunday. The Turkish breakfast for one certainly can feed two people, just order an extra piece of bread. Our Simit was pretty hard, but we still enjoyed it, we ordered a second one and that one was softer and warmer. I had a spiced latte and the breakfast came with a tea. It was delicious bread and cheese Lovers will not be disappointed here.

Wow, this place is awesome! Located in a busy area, they have a big parking lot in the back with plenty of space. We walked in and were warmly greeted by the lady at the cashier. She saw we had a baby and helped us get a high chair right away. Then I was walking around looking at the prepackaged food and the same lady asked me if I had any questions and said to not worry if I wanted to know what was in anything. Overall, great selection and everything looked delicious. We ended up ordering the Cevapi kabob sandwich and a giant veggie sampler platter. Boy, these were delicious. I have never had real Turkish food ( outside of donner kabobs) and this place impressed with taste and quality! I'd love to come back again the next time I'm in the area.

Diane and I are so happy eating at Simurgh that we're finding it difficult to go elsewhere. We always order the same things because we love them and we do takeout so we will have the things we love at home, like dolmas, labneh, Turkish Delight (locum) and baklava. Today Diane bought several containers of the Turkish Delight to give as gifts. It was a blustery day so there were fewer people there; no line to speak of. I even found parking on the street in front, rather than having to park in the lot. Diane parked there and went to Arizmendi before I arrived. We ordered and sat down and our tea and dishes were quickly brought to us. My cevapi sandwich was delicious, as usual, and the tea was hot and soothing, perfect for the day, served in large, beautiful glass cups w/ slender blue handles. As always, I finished half the sandwich and the salad and brought the other half home to have as part of my dinner tonight. Before I left I bought dolmas, labneh and baklava to bring home. Diane had brought me a loaf of As Kneaded Honey Rye Porridge bread at my request, as I'm at the end of my latest loaf of Rize Up OG and wanted an alternative. All that stuff required a handle bag, which was graciously given. I decided not to go to Arizmendi because I have plenty of pastries in the freezer and while I love their vegan chocolate mint cookies, I can get them another time. I bid Diane farewell, got in my car and drove home. Hatee had not arrived by the time we left, so I didn't see her, but asked the woman who helped us to give her my love.

Traditional Turkish breakfast and so much more. We always get the full Turkish breakfast that comes with eggs, simit, sausage, some veggies, olives, a huge amount of butter, a small amount of jam, some cheese. We always order a pide bread on the side. The prices are good. Ambiance is good. But I am a bit disappointed in the overall service. Like: the salad is not dressed in the Turkish breakfast so you have to eat limp, tasteless foliage. It would cost nearly nothing to dress the VERY small amount of salad. It is impossible to find sugar for coffee at Simurgh. Someone had to go in the back and the sugar had solidified. The keys to the bathroom were nowhere to be found and we couldn't get in the bathroom for 10 minutes even after asking the cashier. And it wasn't busy! The ratios are funky in the Turkish breakfast. Getting a huge dollop of butter but a very small amount of jam , and being told that if we needed more jam it was extra. It's just.... Bad service, honestly.

I don't even know why I had 4 instead of 5 stars in my last review. Today, we came back again and once I completely devoured my kachapuri, I ordered a second one! Great place, definitely suggest it. Oh, and after looking around again they have more like 9 tables with chairs inside.

Enjoyed the honey cake (reminded me of Russian tea cake with many layers). The circular bagels with a lot of sesame seeds was good too.

The chicken bowl was the highlight of our entire meal. Chicken was seasoned well with a slight kick to it. Yogurt sauce along with the red bell pepper sauce really elevated the flavors. And the yummy perfectly cooked rice - this was probably one of the best pilaf rice I've ever had. We also got the veggie sandwich as our main course - this didn't come with a side salad, I'm thinking they forgot about it. Anyway, the bread was really chewy and tasty, but the eggplant, zucchini and other veggies were okay. I wouldn't get this again. Of course, we also tried their Turkish coffee and honey cake. Turkish coffee wasn't our jam and the honey cake actually tasted a few days old - cake was hard and the layered filling was on the firm side as well. Overall, the chicken bowl was just so amazing that I'm definitely heading back there for it again.

Interesting place which is serviced by its owner. We tried a few of the desserts and they were incredibly good. Recommend their baklava and their cookies. The Turkish tea is also fantastic. Will come back to try the their meals too.

This bustling place makes great priced lunch dishes. I'm thinking of the pomegranate lokum Turkish delight as I write this... Watching them knead dough and make those giant bagel shaped things and sell them as sandwiches is fun. I ate the signature dish, Cevapi, I barely stood up afterwards it was so much food. The baker is so much I put my face to the glass next to the simit bagels and he threw one right at me while I pretended to catch it in my mouth. I'm a goofball I'm glad they went along with my jokes. I also tried the pesto chicken sandwich it's also good.

Our friend gave us a Turkish bagel and a pide bread from a new bakery that she had discovered that has become a favorite place of hers. Having traveled to Turkey, these brought back memories of these breads that we ate. Sesame bagel or Simit. It is not thick like the typical bagel. The sesame covered bagel is firm and crispy on the outside, yet soft inside. Pide bread - This dome shaped bread has a crispy exterior and a fluffy, airy and chewy interior. So delish! Nice to have tried these Turkish breads again and now I know where I can get them.

I would not recommend the İstanbul Plate. Unfortunately, the köfte lacked flavor and had an unpleasant, rubbery texture, suggesting it may have been a pre-made frozen item. While the accompanying bread and dips were enjoyable, I find it unreasonable to pay $22 for a dish where the main component falls so short of expectations. I kindly urge the owner to reconsider the quality and preparation of this item to better align with the price point.

Happy to discover a new place with Turkish/Slavic/Balkan baked goods. Ordered to go and got a Simit (large O-shaped, Turkish bagel) and slice of their Borek (savory veggie and cheese pie). Apparently they bake their Simit and other foods, fresh daily. I loved the smell of the baked-in, sesame seeds that encrusted the Simit bagel ($3.50). It was a good bagel with the right amount of chew. I prefer the large O-ring shape as it makes it easier to bite into. You can also cut it into smaller pieces and make finger bagel sandwiches. Two people could easily share one. It reminded me of when I last visited Greece where many vendors sold these bagels in street kiosks. The Borek was delicious. I got the kale, mushroom and goat cheese slice. Borek here was baked into a pie and cut into pie slices ($9), or you can get a whole pie for about $23. Other versions (Bosnian) I've tried before made them into filled rolls of philo dough, baked into a spiral. Loved the flaky crust (like a mix between philo dough and croissant) and soft interior. Would definitely get this again. I was also happy to discover they make Khachapuri (a Georgian pastry with egg and cheese in the middle), Cevapi, sandwiches, and a few other dishes from this region. So excited! Will definitely be back!

27 July 2024 A story from a man who spent three US Army years waiting in too many lines. The story: My wife has been dying to visit Simurgh since she saw them on Check Please. We drove the 25 minutes yesterday. The line was out the door, I needed to use a restroom, I didn't see one, and the seating was full. I had a tantrum and we left and had a delicious lunch at Spoon, the Korean place on Ashby instead. The next day, since I love my wife- and to prevent her death, I agreed to another visit - but TO-GO if they are busy. The line was two thirds as long today. The place was hectic and noisy so I waited in the car while she was in line. After fifteen minutes my stomach started grumbling. I went inside to see what was happening and perhaps find the restroom (smh it needs a code). My wife is finally next in line to order and there are a few dine in seats available. Maybe for her we will dine in? She is ordering from the charming cashier (trigger alert-a philogynist on site) and I wait to ask the cashier for the code to the one - choose your own sex- restroom. Simultaneously as the cashier asks my wife "For here?", I see a line at the restroom door forming. "To go!" I bark. The sandwich was tasty enough. My wife loves the sesame encrusted bagel. I probably won't be back to Simurgh though. Too many lines to wait in. 3.5 stars if I could. Maybe they need a larger location?

The food here is simply delicious! My favorite is the sesame bagel, the perfect ratio of a crispy outside with toasted sesame seeds and soft inside. I can see myself popping in here just to grab this to go because it's sooooo good. And I can totally just pop in whenever because there's plenty of parking in the private lot behind the bakery! The Turkish delights here are also good and worth trying! Besides the food, the cafe drinks were very smooth and well done. For those who aren't sure about Turkish cuisine, don't hesitate to give the sesame bagel a try, it's like an infinitely better regular sesame bagel!

Fantastic food in a very authentic environment! I asked the owner what her recommended dishes were and she suggested a great platter of all the classics! Super friendly and don't be afraid to ask for their input

Delicious treat (honey cake with berries! And baklava). Their mint lemonade was great. My husband loved their latte. Would absolutely love to return.

Some beautiful decorations here! There are so many interesting treats to try. I brought home a puffy pide and a simit, and they were both so good. I also tasted my friend's honey cake, generous and decadent. If I lived nearby, I'd be frequenting this joint for the pides (so good with soup!) and I'd be grabbing their Too Good To Go surprise bags.

Great new discovery. Ever realize that you've been to Arizmendi for lunch three days in a row? Simurgh is a great alternative. I love Middle eastern food, largely because its so veg -friendly. Lots of meatless options here. I ordered a Sabich- a sandwich of hard boiled egg, fried eggplant, diced tomatoes and cucumbers, unified with a drizzle of amba- a mango salsa(sauce?), served on homemade crusty bread. Sounds weird, but it worked. The whole is worth way more than the sum of its parts. Try it! Came with a small side salad, dressed with a lemony vinaigrette. The desserts are imaginative- brownies with halva. Mmmm. And rice pudding like you've never seen it-turkish style, with a burnt almost creme brulee topping. Ample free parking round back. Outside seating available. Walking distance to Pixar. Worth a return trip.

We decided to stop by this place for brunch on a nice Sunday morning on our way to Point Reyes lighthouse. We are a group of 12 and none of us have been here before, but we wanted something different than the usual American breakfast so we decided to try this place. Since we were traveling in a big van, naturally we were concerned with parking but this place has ample parking behind the restaurant so it was convenient for us. I shared a plate of eggs-in-a-hole (Two fried eggs with sujuk or beef pepperoni and cheese, nestled in a sesame Turkish bagel served with spring mix salad with my husband. He also ordered the turkish coffee, pistachio matcha madeleines and top burnt rice pudding. They were all so good! I've had the simit (turkish bagel) before but the ones here were really good! The madeleines were so so good that we cleared all of them off the fridge instantly. Before we left, we saw some of the freshly baked breads and decided to buy some for the drive later. The next time we are in the area we will definitely drop by this place again. Just awesome!

We were traveling to Point Reyes from San Mateo and wanted a quick stop for breakfast. Stumbled upon this amazing halal Turkish breakfast cafe. Highly recommend the egg in the hole and the breakfast platter. We were in a large group and tried a couple of other items and everyone was super happy with the food here. We also grab a couple of to go box items for the road and the Pistachio Macha Madeline were amazing. Will definitely be grabbing more in future. Also love the rice pudding as a small dessert which was not too sweet , had the right texture and sweetness. #makanclub20

Absolutely great! Right next door to arizmendis in emeryville. The inside was cute and tight without much room for a more social experience. The service was very friendly and the wonderful cashier/waitress very knowledgeable about the food and worried about her customers comfort. We ate out on the sidewalk. Warning the food comes in rather large portions so if you want to try different things, find ways to creatively share so no food goes to waste. We loved the eggs in the hole bagel, the bourek with spinach and feta, and the flatbread. The chicken pesto sandwich was huge with unique fluffy bread and good pesto. The thin flatbread spread with shallow layer of a meat spread had a nice crunch which we tore into pieces and shared. The honey cake was very dense and a neat finish. I can't tell you how the rice pudding was cause the person who had that loved it and wouldn't share. My only two regrets are we didn't have access to the breakfast menu and I didn't think to try the Turkish coffee. Will return!

We only tried these breads in the picture today. They were so delicious we will be back to try more items! The seeded round bread was amazing!

I saw this spot featured on Check Please and I guess everyone else did too because it was packed on a Saturday morning! I've had their baklava before in the past and it was absolutely delicious so I was really excited to try their actual dishes. We got the breakfast platter and the egg in a hole. Their simit was delicious and their pide bread was to die for. Literally pillows of deliciousness! I would come back over and over again just for their simit and their pide. Their kibeh sandwich was delicious as well. They were super kind as well and definitely would go back and try more dishes!

2 nd visit we had a sandwich and a meat "pizza" Both were good but we liked the sandwich better. The pizza came with a good pile of arugula, pickled onions, and lemon which we enjoyed as toppings. Service super friendly. And yes, we had the honey cake again. Yum.

I've been here twice to pick up Too Good to Go orders. The first time I received a bag containing several breads, mostly Turkish sesame bagels (simit) and something similar to that except it's shaped more like a small baguette and contained juicy seasoned meat inside. The second time, I ordered two bags, so I was given a super generous quantity of fresh baked large buns, more sesame bagels, more of the bread similar to the sesame bagels that contains meat in it (if you know what it's called, please let me know!), and some bourek, which are similar to quiches (you can see them in the photo in the paper takeout boxes). Regarding most of the bread and the bourek, I thought they were okay but I would've liked more flavor in them; even the simit (Turkish sesame bagels), which look like they have a ton of sesame and spices on the exterior, did not actually yield the amount of flavor burst in my mouth that I expected from their appearance. However, I really loved the sesame breads that had meat inside of them as they really stood out to me in being deliciously salty and savory. I only wish the other vegetarian options had that same level of strong flavor since I guessed that the meat was carrying most of the flavor in that one. Nonetheless, the bakery staff provide friendly service and I really can't complain about the huge amount of bread I was given, since it's $5.50 each for a Too Good to Go bag. I would still recommend it if you love bread.

I was so happy to learn about Simurgh Bakery from Check, Please. I had been craving Turkish cafe items like those I had in Istanbul. Simurgh has saved me the cost of an airline ticket. I tried a bunch of things: simit--super fresh, made with excellent dough, and with a zillion tasty sesame seeds; a piece each of pistachio and date walnut baklava--exquisitely made with the right amount of crunch and not too sweet; honey cake--made the day before with delectable 8 layers, I think this was my favorite of all my selections; spinach and feta borek--very fluffy and filling; and white bean salad--different from what I had in Istanbul, but well worth the experience; especially with all the carbs I was having, the salad was a perfect enhancement to the meal. Everything was superb, prices reasonable, everyone super friendly and helpful. And the portions were so large, I got to take home leftovers to enjoy another day! The indoor seating area was busy, but picturesque with lovely wall hangings and decorations.

Love this place and they also participate in too good to go, which is at the end of the night bread that they don't use. They sell it at a discount, which is a wonderful thing. Everything in this place is very delicious and I just love the great atmosphere and the positive attitude of all the young ladies there

The food is really good; I usually go on weekend mornings and rotate dishes, although I always get an order of the dolmas to go. It's a nice, mellow place to enjoy breakfast, with tables inside and outside on the sidewalk. It's also fun to hear the cultural music here, which is unique to my listening experience yet very enjoyable (albeit sometimes too loud). The service could be a little quicker, but I'm never in a hurry when I go there. All is well; highly recommend.

Nice homy place with fast service. Food is Delicious!! Turkish breakfast has a big portion. The sausage has a hint of cumin and goes well with sliced cucumber and tomato. Really like the fresh made warm simit (sesame Turkish bagel) with jam, butter, honey We order an extra and also another drink to round up. Nice breakfast for two. And we bought a few more to go. Can't wait to make lox with Simit and Labneh cheese at home The menu has many interesting options. Will definitely come back to try more.

What a great find in a hole-in-the-wall establishment near some franchise eateries and big-box stores! We came for a quick weekend late lunch and received our food promptly. Being unfamiliar with Turkish food, we asked a lot of questions about the different offerings and received friendly explanations and recommendations. Highlights: - Turkish bagels - slightly sweet and covered in sesame. We've been ordering these delivered and sometimes just eat them straight out of the bag. - Turkish delight - with pistachios and rose petals. Fans of Narnia will recall that this was the treat that the White Witch gave Edmund that led to his betrayal of his siblings. Certainly this version is so flavorful and rosy that it might accomplish such a task! - Honey cake - a dense multilayer cake that is decadent and expertly constructed. - Baklava - of course this was amazing here!

Their food and dishes are all delicious! We tried lentil soup , rice bowls and kabobs. Their lahmuajin is amazing. I love that they serve it with aurgula and veggies. Their chicken is not so well done. It was a bit weird to have to ask for a restroom key to use it . There is no baby changing table so if you are a mom with diapers on board plan accordingly :) Their food is yummy Majd worth the drive.

I was in Emeryville with some time to pass and Simurgh Bakery popped up on Yelp. I had heard of it before and once I saw the menu and photos, I was immediately intrigued. I made my way over and realized it is in the same shopping area as Arizmendi. I walked into the cafe and waited in the short line. It was a little after 12:30. I ordered the Balkan Kebab sandwich and hazelnut & berry honey cake. The food took about 8-10 minutes to prepare and was packed to go. Once I got to my destination, I was pleased with what I saw. The sandwich was so delicious and quite the treat. The kebab was so flavorful, the pide bread was heavenly soft, the sauces (labneh & red pepper) took the sandwich to another level, along with the sumac onions. *chef's kiss* The Honey Cake is creamy, has pleasant cake texture/density, and is not-too-sweet. The frosting is nice and tart. The strawberries added a nice balance of flavor. The hazelnuts offered a wonderful crunch. Two thumbs up; perfection! A slice was big enough to share, granted, I could eat a whole slice, but I LOVE cake. If I weren't headed to Glendale next week and planning to get something very similar (granted different), I would have also considered ordering the lahmacun, but I figure I'll get that the next time I visit this delightfully wonderful establishment. Thank you!

They have a very solid menu, covering anything you could really want at a cafe. They have an ample amount of seating, tables, and natural light. They play traditional music of some sort overhead. The service is great as they're so friendly. The food was absolutely amazing. I can't wait to try everything else on the menu!

Delicious Turkish baked goods and other items, such as kibbeh, dolmas that you can purchase for take way. I love the puffy bread and Simit. Sometimes I stop in the morning on my way to work for a simit (a Turkish bagel) with labneh to go and it's always warm and crunchy on the outside and nice and soft on the inside... easy to eat on my crummy SF commute. 2 weeks ago, my husband and I went for their full breakfast and it did not disappoint! He had the Menemen, which is similar to Shakshuka but the eggs are incorporated into the tomato based sauce, making the dish luxurious and creamy, served with puffy bread. I had the Turkish breakfast, which is a platter of offerings: soft cooked eggs, olives, cucumbers, labneh, jam, cheeses served with simit bread and Turkish tea. It was all delicious and fun to eat, since I'm such a fan of sample eating. Stop by and try them. Don't forget to grab a take away bag of simit or puffy bread and some of those really amazing dolmas and kibbeh. If you enjoy Turkish flavors you definitely won't be disappointed. My husband said tbr coffee was really good too.

Although the food here is incredible, the service is bad. The staff are inattentive, you can stand at the cashier and not be greeted. After completing an online order and receiving a ready notification the food was made in front of me... an even longer wait time. Theres a lot of potential with this place. Please store owner - work on the time management, and your team communication. Subpar service will ruin food.

How have I not visited this place for the past 3 years in East bay! Wonderful food, chill ambience and such great hosts. It's one of those places that you go and end up ordering 2 of each menu item!! I was enjoying everything from the bagels to rice pudding to coffee so much that I forgot to take pictures even! Definitely a place to check out. And yes, definitely get the halwa brownie with some Turkish coffee.

The interior is very welcoming, and when I came for lunch, very busy. It took a few minutes for anyone to staff the register. Everyone was busy preparing food. Some tables hadn't been cleaned off. It seems like they can use some support in figuring out the best use of staff at any given moment - maybe some workflows could be improved. I had the Bulgur Kofte Wrap. It was quite bland. The heat was the only thing really making an impression. The texture was pate-like, so it was bland and mushy. The pistachio baklava I picked up on the way out (this was packaged right next to the register) was inedible for me. It was very stale. It reminded me of a 2 or 3-day old doughnut (which I have had, yes). My husband said he'll eat it dunked in something hot. I was really hoping I'd experience a "wow" here, but did not. I may come back to give it one more try; something that isn't vegetarian, perhaps.

I am always excited when a new business opens in Emeryville. Especially when it is food. I was even more excited to try out an app I have never used before call Too Good to Go. Double excitement!!! First, the app. You basically get a good price on food that is good but extra and would otherwise get tossed out/wasted. It is a surprise of items at a deep discount. You get a discount, food is not wasted, the business still makes some money.........everyone wins. This place is a Turkish bakery/coffee shop. I have always wanted to go to Turkey, I have 1 Turkish friend but I have never tried Turkish food. Seemed like another win! My Too Good to Go grab bag was so GREAT! Four HUGE Turkish bread rolls. Seriously HUGE. They also gave me a box that had a very generous amount of spinach pie and a smaller section of some meat pie. The spinach pie was very delicious. I woofed it down I really love all sorts of spinach pies and this by far was the best. Very flavorful. Obviously clean ingredients and even though it was dense it did not hit my stomach like a rock. ( that sometimes happens with spinach pie) It was really, really good. The smaller cut of meat pie was also very flavorful but I wasn't a fan of the unidentified seeds on the bread. It wasn't bad, just not my personal preference. Again, incredibly flavorful but no belly thud. This will be a regular stop for me. Welcome to Emeryville Simurgh!!!

My wife, five month old son, and my self arrived to simurgh at its opening this sunday, just in time to see the staff removing the fresh Simit from the oven on their baking boards which looked and smelled fantastic. We decided to get a breakfast platter & eggs in a hole because it gave us a large variety of flavors and food to fill up. Throw in a turkish tea and coffee and we were sitting pretty and well fed with love! We want to bring my wife's father that loves to bake here to appreciate the freshness.