Daphne Cafe

I love middle eastern cuisine, as its so diverse. I love the location for this restaurant, its in a beautiful area and easy to reach.
The restaurant is cozy and warm, it gives you a nice feeling like you are at home. their food is the best .
as I am burger fan, their kofta burger is the best for me. I love that dish, and I can eat it everyday. their lentil is delicious especially in the winter.
definitely will return, in my opinion this is the best Turkish restaurant in Pittsburgh.

While there was basically nothing wrong with the food or the service, it also wasn’t a standout. Came here for lunch with a couple of people and there were only a handful of people eating. The service was quick and friendly and the food came out pretty quickly as well. I ordered the babaganoush and have to say that I definitely had better ones, the pita bread however was delicious, fresh and light. We also ordered the falafel and grape leaves as entrees. My favorite were the falafel, but then again I wasn’t the biggest fan of the tahini sauce that came with it. As someone else mentioned, the water glasses were never re-​filled and the music in the background was so loud that it was a bit disturbing. For my main I had a simple chicken kebab with rice and I really liked it. The meat was tender and the flavors really nice. The price is quite decent for the portions you get. All the food was fresh and made with good ingredients. If you’re craving Mediterranean food for a decent price, I would definitely recommend Daphne Café, although I am sure there are better options in the Burgh.

I wanted to visit this one since a few weeks and finally I tried it. The ambiance is average, the server was good. Food was very good and delicious. I had the chicken wrap and red lentil soup and I was very impressed with the quantity. I also ordered an appetizer — Cacik which is basically a dip made of mint, yogurt etc. with pita bread and that was delicious too. The pita bread was freshly made and tasted yummy. Would visit again! But it is a little on the higher side in terms of pricing.

Great food
Friendly staff
We go to Danphen café often. Appetizers are the best.
Service can be slow when busy night,

My fiancée and I have eaten at this restaurant at least 2x/​month for the past two years. It’s a family owned byob restaurant with authentic Turkish food. Not only is the food great, but the owners are amazing hosts and, being a byob, the check is always very easy on the wallet.
They have a cute patio/​outdoor seating area which is always nice for people-​watching on Ellsworth. You can also order take-​out which we typically do during the week.
If you haven’t tried out this gem yet, stop by for lunch or dinner — this is the type of place you want to see do well here in Pittsburgh!

Service here is not great. Our server did not smile and spoke to us dispassionately. We ordered the lamb rack (comes with salad and rice) and kofte (comes with fries and rice). The lamb was cooked and seasoned well. The kofte was also good but came in tomato sauce, which in my experience is unusual and which I had missed on the menu. If you are in the minority and don’t like tomato sauce (like me), it is easy to just use a knife and remove the sauce from the kofte. That’s what I did and I was able to enjoy the kofte more. Daphne Café is a nice, quiet Mediterranean place for those who want to dine at a low-​key restaurant.
Taste | 3.5
Atmosphere | 3
Presentation | 3
Service | 2
OVERALL | 3

My review may be biased high, because I love middle eastern cuisine. Not only did I grow up on it, but it is always super veg-​friendly!
Anyway, I stopped in for dinner last week on a weeknight. As could be predicted, it wasn’t very busy so we had the full attention of the staff. I ordered the red lentil soup and the Daphne mixed veg platter.
The lentil soup was smooth overall, but I periodically picked up a small amount of crunch that felt like a mistake. Probably won’t order that again.
However, the main dish came out pretty much perfect. The grape leaves and hummus especially were good, so if you’re looking to order appetizers, I would strongly recommend those.
Overall very happy, will return

Despite going to the chiropractor practically across the street from Daphne Café, I have never even noticed this place. So when a friend recommended coming here, I was surprised to discover this cute little café. They have outdoor and indoor seating, but the outdoor seating was really cute! On a lovely summer day, this was such a great atmosphere to have a business lunch.
I enjoyed the Baba Ganoush and falafel very much for lunch. They provide you with plenty of pita to enjoy with your meal. The Baba Ganoush was a very generous portion, and I actually took quite a bit home with me. The falafel was probably the best falafel I have had in Pittsburgh. While I didn’t pay for the meal so I don’t remember the exact prices, they seemed fairly reasonable at the time.
We had pretty good service throughout the meal so I think that issue has been resolved!

So I’m currently waiting and NO ONE is here to help. There are two customers and it looks like the waitress only wants to serve me after the couple have ordered, gotten their food and leaves. This happens and I wait some more before a man (although very nice) takes my order in between talking on the phone. I get my food and I can’t believe I paid $ 20 for this!
I don’t know what makes Turkish food different from Middle Eastern food but it was dry. I only devoured it bc in a poor college student.
I’m most likely not coming back and I’m spreading the word. The waitress looks hella mad like she’s their daughter and was pissed she had to work at all! The baklava was soggy and it was just a bad time.

Fantastic! A lovely patio to dine on and BYOB! You can get a great meal at a fair price, relax on the patio, and drink exactly what you want, which you paid exactly what you were willing.
Who wouldn’t love this place? Add that the family that owns and runs the place is warm and friendly and looks after you? Come on! Get down here!

No, no, no, no, and no! This place has the consistency of a monkey on a seesaw. I’ve been here more times than I’d care to admit… sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s terrible, sometimes it’s just OK. I can’t figure it out. This is just another example of what happens when mediocre food lands in an unbelievable location. The lentil soup is the only thing I could recommend… but honestly, it’s not worth the trip.

Stopped in on a Saturday night a few weeks ago to have a cute date night BYOB dinner on an outside patio for the first time. It is small inside, cozy and quaint. The outside patio is nice and there were couples and larger parties enjoying each other right on Ellsworth. We split the Kisir as an appetizer — it was a grain type spread and served with pita bread. It was prepared with the perfect amount and combination of spices. A very different flavor than I was expecting, but still very good. Their pita bread was warm and fluffy and perfect!
I ordered the Aegean salad and it had a very nice house dressing on it. Bobby got their savory pocket and while he didn’t love it; he didn’t hate it either. I had a bite — it was good, but I probably would have tried something else! We split their baklava… incredible. Literally, mouthwatering.
The service was very friendly — wouldn’t mind going back just because I feel healthy when I am eating Mediterranean food and it was a nice, quaint little atmosphere for a date before stepping out for some drinks.

Great place and service. We went while they were hosting a wedding party outside, so the staff had their work cut out for them. We waited a little, but our waitress made sure to take care of us when she could.
I got the doner salad which was a decent size. The lamb was well-​seasoned and the vegetables were fresh.
Try the aryan if you’re feeling adventurous. It’s a salty yogurt drink. They make it fresh, which is far better than the bottled version at the local middle eastern stores.
I wouldn’t recommend this place for date night unless you get outdoor seating. The inside is a bit sparse and casual. Outside would be great. The bride and groom clearly thought so.

Ever since I came back from spring break in Greece, I have been obsessed with Mediterranean food. I hadn’t explored many of the aforementioned cuisine here in Pittsburgh, though. I found this place and it looked great. Upon walking into the dining room, I knew that I would have a great experience. Not being super hungry, we just ordered an appetizer sampler and a Greek salad. This was enough to fill me up, surprisingly. The sampler was the best option in order to maximize utility for your dollar. The Greek salad was very fresh. I always like to try new things and so I ordered a Camlica. It was a carbonated beverage similar to a Sprite and very delicious! I will be back soon to try more!

This is a great hidden gem in Shadyside. We arrived around 8pm for dinner and sat on their patio-​which is perfect for warm weather dining. The service is very prompt and attentive. We started out with the Mediterranean dip with warm pita. It was a great mix of flavors, however you must like tomatoes as the main ingredient is tomato paste. We ordered the doner platter to share and it came with a large amount of shaved lamb, rice, cacik along with grilled tomatoes and peppers. The ingredients were all very fresh and tasty. Make sure to order turkish coffee at the end of your meal along with some baklava! Also, they are byob if you are in the mood to bring along some wine.

Hello Pittsburgh — Love the city and the people — had a great visit! Found this little place nestled away on I believe what’s called Shady Side area of town — which is beautiful.
On with the review — I had the HOME MADE (in house) Turkish Doner (Gyro) with Bulgar along with side salad. Exceptional — rare to find homemade Doner — so when I found this place I was psyched — and it exceeded expectations.
The Doner is thinly shaved and has an added peppery flavor. Also tried the bulgar, which was great.
This was my second night — the first night I tried the sampler platter which included Flavor filled Lamb Chops, Moderately spiced yet flavorful Adana kabob, MOIST and tender chicken breast kabob and the Doner. All were superb. Truly Authentic Turkish meal.
Try the Non-​GMO Organic Turkish Tea — be sure to ask how it’s grown.
Overall experience was great — The owners were warm and welcoming — they enjoy sharing their culture. The music added to the experience — was able to decompress from the day and do some reading while eating. Felt like an evening at a friend’s place relaxing.
Great find indeed!

If you looking for a delicious Mediterranean food don’t go further. Family own restaurant and friendly people.
We enjoyed it a lot…

Ate there last night (Saturday) for dinner. BF and I both got the gyro (lamb) platters. There was a lot of meat and the sides we got were good — I really liked the bulgar pilaf and the salad had a light oil dressing on it which was yummy. The serving size was pretty great for the price and the food came out quickly.
It wasn’t really very busy which was nice that we were attended to quickly. The waitress could use a little more pep, though. Overall, we are glad to have found a mediterranean place that we like. We will def be returning.

Service wasn’t the best, with one girl working the whole place, but the food was very reasonable for the price. The Turkish coffee was alright, definitely not the best that I’ve had, but the Gyro wrap was big and tasty, though I asked for a side of the sauce since it was a bit dry.
I’d definitely give this place another shot, it’s right off the main strip in Shadyside, and it seems like a great takeout option with lots of veg friendly options. I’ll return.

Daphne’s has very tasty, healthy Turkish food and an especially cute patio. I like dropping by in the summertime to sit in the sunshine and grab lunch on the weekend. It’s an under-​appreciated spot in Shadyside– I have never seen it crowded. The interior is very casual and less welcoming than the outside. A few more decorations and music/​ambiance would make it feel more like a sit-​down place and les like a take-​out spot.
One bone to pick – they charge (or used to charge) an absurd amount (maybe $ 6 extra?) to add a protein like chicken to their salads. This seems really silly to me and disproportionately pricey; I hope they have changed that. They have an excellent Greek salad and I’d be a much happier camper if I could get a little chicken on it and not pay $ 15 dollars, when everything else on the menu is in the $ 8 – 10 range.