31-03-2025
5 Fun Board Game Cafes In Kadıköy, Istanbul
Young Turkish woman teaches friends how to play tavla. Various foods are on the table next to them. Shot on a Istanbul rooftop.
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Drinking culture isn't as big in Istanbul as it is in other cities around Europe and Asia; sure you'll still find great pubs and bars around the city, and especially in Kadıköy, but residents don't necessarily default to meeting up in a bar when hanging out with friends.
This means that you'll find plenty of other opportunities for third spaces, especially board game and card game cafes that specifically offer the space to linger over a competitive game of backgammon or a lazy game of Scrabble.
If you've been looking for a third space while visiting Kadıköy where you can lean back and linger over an engaging board game, here are five fun board game cafes where you can bring your own game or borrow from the cafe library:
The Goblin Oyun Kulübü has a little bit of everything—it's a highly curated board game shop, a video game cafe, and has tons of board games available for cafe patrons to test out and enjoy. Here you'll find everything from classic party games like Cards Against Humanity and Catan to more niche strategy games as well.
If you're looking for something cozy and aesthetically pleasing over a cafe with a huge number of niche board games, Limon Cafe will probably be your best bet. This adorable address is equal parts whimsical and comfortable with a fireplace, outdoor seating, and cozy country-inspired decor. The number of board games is also very good—but focuses more on classics like Trivial Pursuit, Monopoly, and Scrabble.
Chess-specific cafes tend to have a bit of a different vibe than your average game cafe; the clientele tends to be a bit more focused on the game over socializing casually. Gerra Chess Cafe is great because it does offer a more quiet environment but it's still welcoming to amateur chess players as well. There's also a small outdoor seating area that can be great if you feel like a quick game al fresco.
Freiraum Yeldeğirmeni is a relatively new location in Kadıköy and is a great option for folks who want to enjoy a casual coffee on a patio. The indoor/outdoor cafe is perfect for lingering over a game like Scrabble while people-watching; the seating opens right onto the street with views of the bustling Yeldeğirmeni neighborhood. Here you'll find a cabinet full of classic board games—but you can also bring your own if you prefer.
The Fun Crown PlayStation Cafe isn't a game cafe in the traditional sense—rather it focuses on digital games, including classic video games, virtual reality games, and group games like Guitar Hero and Just Dance. This cafe boasts 12 VIP private rooms for hosting your own gaming party and even includes karaoke, for a Japanese- or Korean-inspired private karaoke experience.
