Künefe is theatre. It arrives at your table sizzling in a copper pan, the pastry golden and crispy, the cheese inside stretching as you pull your first forkful. You have about five minutes to eat it before the magic fades.
What is Künefe?
A dessert from the southeastern Turkish city of Hatay (Antakya), made with shredded kadayıf pastry, unsalted cheese (traditionally dil peyniri), butter, and sugar syrup. Baked until the pastry is crispy and golden, then soaked in syrup and topped with clotted cream and pistachios.
The components:
- → Kadayıf: Shredded filo-like pastry, butter-soaked and crisped
- → Cheese: Unsalted, stretchy cheese that melts but doesn't run
- → Syrup: Light sugar syrup (şerbet), not as heavy as baklava syrup
- → Toppings: Kaymak (clotted cream) and crushed pistachios
The Künefe Experience
Good künefe is made to order. You'll wait 10-15 minutes while it bakes in its individual copper pan. When it arrives, it should be almost too hot to eat, the pastry audibly crispy, the cheese visible and stretching.
The clock starts immediately. Within 5 minutes, the pastry starts absorbing syrup and softening. Within 10, the cheese has cooled and lost its stretch. This is not a dessert for lingering—it's for immediate, focused enjoyment.
How to eat it: Fork straight in, pulling to stretch the cheese. The contrast is the point: crispy exterior, molten cheese interior, sweet syrup, rich cream. Each bite should have all of it.
Where to Get It
Antepliler Künefe
The Specialist | Green Lanes | ££
A dedicated künefe cafe from the Antepliler group—the Gaziantep specialists. Made fresh to order in individual copper pans. Crispy shredded kadayıf pastry, stretchy unsalted cheese, soaked in light sugar syrup, topped with clotted cream and crushed pistachios.
What to Order: Classic künefe with kaymak (clotted cream). That's all they do, and they do it perfectly.
Pro Tip: Eat it immediately—künefe waits for no one. The cheese goes stringy and the pastry softens within minutes.
Yasar Halim
The Baklava House | Green Lanes | ££
Primarily known for their exceptional baklava, Yasar Halim also serves künefe. Not made to order like Antepliler, but still good quality and you can grab baklava to take home while you're there.
What to Order: Künefe, then a box of pistachio baklava for later
Gökyüzü
The Full Experience | Green Lanes | ££
Gökyüzü offers künefe as part of their dessert menu—a good option if you want it after a full meal without walking to another venue. Solid execution, served hot.
What to Order: Save room after your mixed grill for künefe
🏆 The Clear Winner
Antepliler Künefe is the definitive künefe in London. It's all they do, they do it fresh to order, and they've been doing it for years. The dedicated cafe setting means you're not rushing after a big meal—you can give the künefe the attention it deserves.
Pro move: Hit Antepliler restaurant next door for dinner, then walk over to the künefe cafe for dessert. That's the complete Gaziantep experience on Green Lanes.
Künefe Tips
✓ Do
- → Eat it immediately
- → Order kaymak on top
- → Go to a specialist
- → Share one between two
✗ Don't
- → Let it sit while you finish your tea
- → Order it as a takeaway
- → Skip the pistachios
- → Expect it to be like baklava