Premium varieties of Lokum consist chopped dates, pistachios and hazelnuts or walnuts bound by the gel. The flavors they add are a lot, for example they have rosewater, mastic, orange, or lemon. It gets eaten in small cubes dusted with icing sugar or powdered cream of tartar to prevent clinging. Some other famous flavors are mint and cinnamon. The origin of lokum is not precisely known, but the candy is known to be produced in Turkey since the early 1700s. The word lokum itself came comes from Arabic, halkum. Turkish Delights are called Rahut al-halkum which means “Throat Comfort”. The word Lokum itself literally in Arabic means “morsel” and “mouthful”, which it makes sense because nowadays they make it as a mouthful small cubes to be eaten as one bite. In summary, it a is mouthful throat comfort delight. In this article we are going to explore the most famous and delicious places to try Lokum from, so fasten your seatbelts and let’s go.

A Small Walk In History

Haci Bekir:

The main branch of Haci Bekir is located in the heart of the city, in Taksim Beyoğlu in the Istiklal street, where else to be expected! He started his first business in 1777 as a small shop to sell lokum. He started to became famous in 1820s. Now he has different branches and he opened a branch in Ankara too. His menu is professional and very attractive, he has mere lokum, rosewater lokum, pistachio lokum, gummy lokum, lokum with Turkish coffee, and lokum chocolate and more! His menu includes different kinds of halvah and other products too. You can get your order online and it will get to your home directly. His website has a “send a gift” service which you can choose from the lokum or any other product to be in a special boxing to be ready to be presented to someone. Being original and cozy is rare these times so consider Haci Bekir as a first in his profession.

Hafiz Mustafa:

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Hafiz Mustafa is confectionery shop which had been opened since 1864. And right now, he is one of the most famous highest quality confectionery shops in Istanbul. He has menu full of colors and kinds of Lokum and other candies and confectioneries. He has a lot of Baklava kinds and shapes, a great Lokum menu and some drinks as well. The Lokum varies in flavors in his shop with pomegranate, mint, orange, rose leaves, limon, strawberry, double pistachios and more! He has some special kinds too which is made by mixing two or more flavors at the same time like pistachio with rosewater lokum, orange with hazelnuts, pomegranate with pistachios, and also double pistachio stuffed chocolate covered lokum. He has 4 branches in Istanbul, Sirkeci, Eminönü, Sultanahmet and Taksim.

Altan Şekerleme:

It had been opened since 1865. It is one of the biggest brands in confectioneries in Istanbul. The main branch is located in Eminönü Istanbul. The place and the profession had been inherited from the grandfather to the father and then their sons. As any confectionery shop in Istanbul, not only Lokum but different kinds of other products they produce. They have chocolate, Halva, purees and Lokum. Their Lokum menu is quite cozy and delightful. They serve Lokum with coconut powder, Caramel Lokum, coconut powder with hazelnuts Lokum, Antep pistachio Lokum, rose flavored with hazelnuts Lokum. They have a plenty of candies and sugary. It is one of the majestic confectionery shops in Istanbul so consider visit it and pick some gifts with you back to home.

In Turkey, they have a very strong beautiful well rooted history in food and confectioneries. It is of the tradition to serve the Turkish Coffee with one or two pieces of Lokum to decorate the coffee cup and to add some good taste to make your day!