The special thing in the city dubbed the 'breakfast capital of the world'

Van, a city in the far east of Turkey, is famous for having the best breakfast in the world.

Breakfast has long been known as the most important meal of the day, marking the start of a new day full of excitement and energy. This is true everywhere in the world and in Turkey too.

Breakfast is known to be the most important meal of the day.

It is often said that Turkish breakfasts are so delicious that even night owls will commit to getting up early to enjoy. In particular, the city of Van in the far east of Turkey is the most famous, dubbed the "breakfast capital of the world".

A few hours before sunrise in Van City, every kitchen is lit up to prepare for the most important meal of the day.

The neighborhood with the most breakfast shops is Kahvaltıcılar Çarşısı, near the old Silk Road.

"We only sell breakfast food. We have no bread, no soup, no kebabs, no," said Kenan Coşkun, who runs one of the oldest breakfast shops in the city with his brother. lunch, no fish in the evening, no live music, no alcohol. Only breakfast."

Dishes placed on small plates during breakfast in Van city, Turkey.

A special thing is that breakfast at Van has up to 30 different dishes, mainly focusing on dairy products of cattle grazing on the surrounding Anatolian plateau.

Breakfast items in Van include martuğa - butter and flour mixed with deep-fried eggs, kavut - a porridge-like dish made from wheat, toasted with butter and sugar, Van's famous crispy white cheese otlu peynir, cacık - The dish is made from yogurt and cucumber, marmalades, rose marmalade, honey, sirmo - herbs with a characteristic aroma, and many spices such as leeks, mountain thyme, dill, mint. .

Aylin Oney Tan, one of Turkey's leading culinary writers, said: "Local dishes will come in many different small plates. Van's breakfast is like that, there will be no room for whatever else is on the table".

The busiest breakfast street in Van City.

The origins of Van's legendary breakfast culture have been the subject of debate for years. According to Aylin Oney Tan, this tradition arose in the mid-20th century when farmers from a nearby village brought their produce to the bus station early in the morning to sell. They prepare take-out breakfast with small packages.

Meanwhile, some argue that the local cuisine is inherited from the legacy of the Ottoman Empire that ruled for more than 7 centuries. Add to the city's special location as it was located on the ancient Silk Road, the ancient trade route connecting the Western world with the busy Middle East and Asia.

Breakfast at Van is now not just a simple meal of the day, but it has been raised to a new level. The local government has submitted an application to include the breakfast tradition on UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage.

In 2014, 50,000 people participated in the setting of the Guinness World Record of Van City, creating the breakfast with the most participants.

The tradition has grown so popular that Van breakfasts have opened up all over Turkey.