Nefis Turkish Cafe is a welcoming daytime cafe at 83 Crwys Road in Cardiff. The menu explores Turkish breakfast culture and home-style dishes, giving the neighbourhood a place for a substantial morning meal, a casual lunch or coffee with something sweet.
Traditional breakfast choices include eggs with pastirma, roasted lamb or sucuk, as well as menemen and çılbır. These dishes bring together warm bread, eggs, peppers, tomatoes, yoghurt and aromatic spices in combinations that are satisfying without losing their fresh character.
The wider food selection introduces familiar Turkish flavours through kebabs, meze, pide, börek and vegetable dishes. Homemade baklava and other sweets offer a natural finish, while the range is generous enough for visitors to share several plates and compare different styles.
Turkish coffee, sahlep and menengic coffee sit alongside espresso drinks, teas, milkshakes and alcohol-free cocktails. Guests with allergies, intolerances or dietary requirements should confirm current ingredients and preparation methods with the cafe, particularly where nuts, dairy, eggs or gluten may be present.
Address: 83 Crwys Road, Cathays, Cardiff CF24 4NF, Wales
Nefis Turkish Cafe Menu
Appetizers
Sarma
Stuffed vine leaves with seasoned rice (5 pieces). Hand-rolled vine leaves stuffed with a mixture of aromatic rice and herbs. A classic of Turkish cuisine, tender and slightly lemony. Enjoyed cold as an appetizer.
Shepherd's salad
Tomato, cucumber, parsley, onion, feta. A refreshing salad made of diced tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and peppers, sprinkled with crumbled feta cheese. Simply dressed to highlight the freshness of the vegetables.
Tabbouleh
Cracked wheat, tomato, onion, parsley, mint, lemon juice. Salad made of fine bulgur, mixed with plenty of fresh herbs, tomato, and lemon. A light and tangy starter, perfect to whet the appetite.
Sigara böreg
Phyllo pastry rolls filled with cheese, parsley. Crispy fried phyllo pastry cigars, filled with a melting mixture of white cheese and parsley. Served hot, they offer a pleasant contrast between crispy and soft.
Mujver
Fried vegetable fritters with cheese. Fried fritters made from grated zucchini, herbs, and cheese. Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, often served with yogurt.
Mixed meze assortment
A varied selection of cold Turkish appetizers (mezzés) to share. Allows you to discover several flavors like hummus, eggplant caviar, and tzatziki in one plate.
Hummus
Chickpea puree with olive oil. Creamy chickpea puree mixed with sesame paste (tahini), garlic, and lemon. Drizzled with olive oil, it’s a must-try with bread.
Patlican ezme
Eggplant caviar. Grilled eggplant puree seasoned with garlic and olive oil. Offers a characteristic smoky flavor and a melting texture.
Tarama
Cod roe. Creamy preparation based on smoked fish roe. Its flavor is salty and briny, with a smooth texture, ideal on toast.
Rus salatasi
Macédoine salad. Also known as Olivier salad, it’s a mix of diced vegetables (potatoes, carrots, peas) bound with creamy mayonnaise.
Tarator
Spinach yogurt. Thick yogurt meze mixed with wilted spinach and garlic. A fresh and creamy appetizer.
Kanarya
Eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper, white cheese. Mix of fried or grilled vegetables (eggplant, zucchini, peppers) topped with a white cheese or garlicky yogurt sauce.
Cacik
Cucumber with yogurt, garlic. Cold soup or dip made from yogurt, crunchy cucumbers, garlic, and dried mint. Very refreshing, similar to tzatziki but often more liquid.
Ezme
Spicy tomato puree. Finely chopped salad of tomatoes, peppers, onions, and herbs. It’s a spicy and juicy preparation, full of vibrant flavors.
The Pide
Kasarli pide
Mozzarella. A type of Turkish boat-shaped pizza, generously topped with melted cheese (mozzarella or kashkaval type). The dough is crispy on the edges and soft in the center.
Peynirli pide
Feta, parsley, mozzarella. Pide topped with a mix of white cheeses (feta) and parsley, with a mozzarella base. A flavorful and savory vegetarian option.
Sucuklu pide
Turkish sausage, egg, mozzarella. Pide topped with slices of sucuk (spicy beef sausage with garlic) and often an egg. A rich and fragrant dish.
Kiymali pide
Seasoned minced meat, bell pepper, onion, parsley, tomatoes, mozzarella. The classic minced meat version, mixed with small diced vegetables (peppers, tomatoes, onions). The topping is juicy and well-seasoned.
Zebzeli pide
Onion, pepper, bell pepper duo, feta. Vegetarian pide topped with a colorful mix of bell peppers, mild peppers, onions, and feta cheese. Light and fragrant.
Pide with 3 cheeses
Mozzarella, feta, and goat cheese. For cheese lovers, a pide topped with a trio of mozzarella, feta, and goat cheese. Melting and rich in flavor.
Karisik pide
Minced meat, Turkish sausage, mozzarella. Mixed pide combining seasoned minced meat and sucuk (Turkish sausage), all bound with melted cheese. Very hearty.
Kusbasi pide
lamb, pepper, tomato, parsley. Topped with small pieces of tender lamb cut by hand, with tomatoes and peppers. A more refined and textured version than minced meat.
Pastirma pide
Mozzarella, slice of dried beef. Pide with pastirma, a dried and spiced beef (similar to bresaola but spicier), on a bed of melted mozzarella.
Kids' Menu – 12 years
Kids' Menu
Minced meat or chicken, homemade fries Capri-sun Kinder surprise 2 scoops of ice cream or chocolate mousse. Complete meal for children including a main course with fries, a drink, a dessert, and a surprise.
Our Grills
Kanat
Marinated chicken wing skewer. Chicken wings marinated in Turkish spices then grilled over charcoal. The skin is crispy and the meat is juicy.
Tavuk
Marinated chicken skewer. Skewer of marinated, tender, and fragrant chicken breast pieces, grilled. Usually served with rice or bulgur.
Kofte
Seasoned minced beef and lamb. Minced meat balls (beef and lamb mix) with herbs and spices, grilled. A very popular family dish, flavorful and tender.
Tavuk Fileto
Marinated chicken fillet and its roquefort sauce. Tender marinated chicken fillet, served with a creamy Roquefort sauce. A French touch on a grilled base.
Adana
Minced lamb skewer. Long skewer of spicy minced lamb with red pepper, grilled over fire. A classic of Turkish kebab, with a smoky and spicy flavor.
Kuzu
Marinated lamb skewer. Marinated lamb pieces skewer (shish kebab), grilled to remain tender and pink inside.
Peynirli Köfte
Minced lamb with cheese, topped with tomato sauce. Minced meat balls stuffed or mixed with cheese, served with a rich tomato sauce. The melting cheese center adds a gourmet touch.
Dana Kaburga
Veal chop. Grilled veal chop, offering tender and delicate white meat with a light grilled flavor.
Mixed Grill
Assortment of grilled meats: lamb and chicken pieces, minced meat, chop, and chicken wing. A large tasting platter featuring several types of grilled meats (lamb, chicken, kofte, chops). Ideal for sharing and trying everything.
Pirzola
Lamb chops. Grilled lamb chops, served with the bone. The meat is tender and very flavorful thanks to the grill cooking.
Antrikot
Entrecote (approx. 300g). Beautiful grilled beef steak, marbled and juicy. A classic for red meat lovers.
Rack of Lamb
Noble piece of roasted or grilled lamb, served as a rack. The meat is particularly tender and refined.
Kaburga Eti
Ribeye steak (approx. 450g). Impressive grilled ribeye steak, rich in flavor and very tender. Ideal for hearty appetites.
Nefis Royal
Assortment of our specialties: chicken fillet, lamb tenderloin, cheese-stuffed meatball, chop. A prestige platter featuring the house’s best meat cuts, including tender fillets and stuffed specialties.
Lokum
Tender beef fillet served in slices with its homemade butter (approx. 380g). Extremely tender beef fillet (like ‘loukoum’), sliced and served with hot butter. A melting experience.
T-Bone Eti
Beef steak (500G). T-bone steak, combining fillet and sirloin. A flavorful meat, grilled to perfection.
Lokum Cheddar
Tender beef fillet served in slices with its homemade butter and cheddar (approx. 380g). A gourmet version of Lokum, where slices of beef fillet are served with butter and a melted cheddar sauce.
Tomahawk
Whole ribeye steak (1kg). Gigantic ribeye steak with its long bone, resembling a tomahawk axe. An exceptional piece to share, very marbled and flavorful.
Kuzu Kafes
Whole rack of lamb. Whole rack of lamb served as a centerpiece. The meat is juicy, pink, and easily separates from the bone. Spectacular and convivial.
Our Main Courses
Sebzeli Güveç
Oven-baked vegetable stew. Vegetarian stew slow-cooked in a clay pot (güveç). The vegetables are tender and the tomato sauce is rich and flavorful.
Imam Bayildi
Oven-baked eggplant stuffed with vegetables and gratinated. Famous dish of eggplant confit in olive oil, stuffed with a mixture of onions, garlic, and tomatoes. Served warm or hot, it’s a melting delight.
Yogurtlu Izgara
Grilled meat of your choice with yogurt: chicken, Adana, lamb. Grilled meat served on a bed of creamy yogurt, often accompanied by pita bread and tomato sauce. The hot-cold and spicy-sweet mix is highly appreciated.
Güveç
Oven-baked lamb and vegetable stew. Traditional lamb and vegetable stew slow-cooked in a clay pot. The meat becomes very tender and absorbs the vegetable flavors.
Beyti
Minced meat wrapped in thin dough, topped with tomato sauce. Minced meat skewer (Adana) wrapped in lavash bread, cut into pieces, and topped with tomato sauce and yogurt. A visually appealing and delicious dish.
Alti Ezmeli
Lamb skewer on grilled tomato with vegetables. Grilled lamb pieces served on a bed of spicy tomato puree (ezme). The juicy meat perfectly complements the acidity and spice of the tomato.
Hünkar Begendi
Lamb skewer on eggplant puree with tomato sauce. Literally ‘The Sultan enjoyed it’. Lamb stew or grill served on a bed of grilled eggplant puree blended with béchamel and cheese. Very creamy and refined.
Ali Nazik
Adana skewer on eggplant puree with yogurt and tomato sauce. Specialty from Gaziantep consisting of grilled minced meat placed on a mixture of garlicky yogurt and smoked eggplant.
Desserts
Ice cream
3 scoops of your choice (chocolate, vanilla, pistachio, strawberry). Assortment of classic ice cream flavors.
Chocolate mousse
Airy and rich chocolate dessert.
Yogurt with honey and walnuts
Thick and creamy Turkish yogurt drizzled with honey and sprinkled with crunchy walnuts. A simple but delicious dessert.
Revani
Semolina cake. Moist semolina cake soaked in a light lemon syrup. Pleasant grainy texture and very sweet taste.
Chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream
Molten chocolate cake served warm, accompanied by a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a hot-cold contrast.
Maraş ice cream
Turkish ice cream made from sugar, milk, and sahlep. Traditional Turkish ice cream with an elastic texture resistant to melting, thanks to salep (orchid root). It is often eaten with cutlery.
Cheesecake with red fruit coulis
Cream cheese cake on a biscuit base, topped with a red fruit sauce.
Künefe
Angel hair filled with fresh cheese. Hot dessert made of crispy kadayif dough (angel hair), filled with melting unsalted cheese, all soaked in syrup and sprinkled with pistachios.
Baklava
Pistachio pastry. Pastry made of multiple layers of thin phyllo dough, filled with chopped pistachios and drizzled with sugar syrup. Crispy and very sweet.
Coffee
Gourmet coffee
Coffee served with an assortment of mini-desserts or Turkish pastries.
White Wine
Riesling AOC – Hans Schaeffer
Dry and fruity white wine from Alsace with mineral notes.
Cankaya white
Popular Turkish white wine, crisp and aromatic, produced in Anatolia.
Chablis AOC – Laroche
Dry, fresh, and mineral white wine from Burgundy.
Sancerre AOC
White wine from the Loire Valley, known for its freshness and citrus aromas.
Rosé Wine
Pamukkale senfoni
Dry and fruity Turkish rosé wine.
Lal kavaklidere
Dry and fruity Turkish rosé.
Villa Doluca rosé wine
Turkish rosé wine.
Tavel AOC Prieuré de Montézargues
Gourmet rosé from the Rhône Valley, colorful and structured.
Château Gantonnet AOC
Red wine from Bordeaux.
Côtes de Provence AOC – R. Desbastides
Classic pale and refreshing rosé from Provence.
Côtes de Provence AOC – Château Tour Sainte Anne
Rosé from Provence.
Red Wine
Pamukkale senfoni
Turkish red wine.
Kavaklidere Yakut
One of the most famous Turkish red wines, with red fruit aromas.
Villa Doluca red wine
Red wine from Turkey.
Antik
Turkish red wine.
Anfora Okuzgozu
Red wine from the indigenous Öküzgözü grape variety.
Côte de Bourg – Château Escalette AOC
Red wine from Bordeaux.
Château Guillot Bordeaux supérieur AOC
Superior Bordeaux red wine.
Graves – Château Maderot
Red wine from Bordeaux, Graves appellation.
Saint-Emilion Grand Cru AOC – Bellerose Figeac
Great Bordeaux red wine, elegant and complex.
Saint-Emilion Grand Cru AOC – Margaux Châteaux Paveil de Luze AOC
Prestigious Bordeaux red wine.
Val de Loire – Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil – Cuvée du Vieux Pressoir
Light and fruity red wine from the Loire.
Rhône – Crozes Hermitage AOC
Red wine from the Côtes du Rhône, spicy and full-bodied.
Glass of Wine
Sauvignon white wine
Glass of dry white wine.
Côte de Provence rosé wine
Glass of rosé wine.
Bordeaux red wine
Glass of red wine.
Beer
Efes Beer 33cl
Light and refreshing Turkish pale lager.
Heineken 33cl
International pale lager.