Four Mediterranean Breakfast Spots That You Need to Try in Central Ohio
From the msemmen at Maison Skalli to the mihlama at Tulip Cafe, here's where to find some of our favorite Mediterranean breakfast delicacies.
Where to Find a Great Mediterranean Breakfast in Central Ohio
By Bethia Woolf
We are lucky in Columbus to have breakfast options from around the world, including Mexican, Salvadoran, Chinese dim sum and Somali. As a lover of savory breakfast foods, Mediterranean-style breakfasts and brunches are among my favorites. I love the variety of dips and spreads and the piles of fresh bread for dipping. If you’re thinking about visiting for weekend brunch, be aware that none of these spots serve alcohol.
Here are four spots I recommend:
Tulip Cafe
Tulip Cafe (2926 Hayden Run Plaza) serves Turkish breakfast daily (except Mondays) until noon. The menu is concise, with four main Turkish breakfast specialties available, but the cafe also offers an array of sweet and savory pastries.
Mihlama is a panfried dish of melted mozzarella cheese combined with cornflour and bulgur. It gets caramelized in the pan and is served hot with fresh bread and a glass of traditional Turkish tea. You need to eat it immediately before it cools down. It is the perfect brunch if your guilty pleasure is mozzarella sticks and you also enjoy trying international cuisines. It is rich, so I recommend sharing it.
Meanwhile, menemen is a classic Turkish dish of scrambled eggs with tomatoes, peppers and onions. It also comes with fresh bread and a glass of traditional Turkish tea.
One of Tulip’s specialties is simit, a bagel-shaped bread roll encrusted with sesame seeds. On the simit plate, a fresh simit is served with brined cheese and a glass of Turkish tea. You can also add tomato, olives, a hard- or soft-boiled egg, honey and butter.
The açma is also bagel-shaped and described as a “Turkish bagel” on the menu. Softer than simit, the bread is filled with cheese and topped with just a smattering of sesame seeds. It is also served with Turkish tea. As with the simit plate, you can add various accouterments.
In addition to the Turkish tea included with most brunch items, you can order Turkish coffee, a Turkish latte or a wide variety of coffee and tea drinks. Even better, the Turkish coffee comes with a little square of Turkish delight.
Olive & Lime Cafe
