Alperen Şengün Takes Istanbul | OFF DAY

Why home feels like a retreat   

Istanbul is the kind of place that slows you down no matter how fast life moves elsewhere. I come back during the offseason to recharge, reconnect, and remember where I started. The city has its own rhythm — the early mornings when only the fishermen are out, the smell of the sea, the neighbors who become family. After a long NBA season with 82 games, those quiet hours are everything.

Morning: a true Turkish breakfast

My favorite way to start the day is a full Turkish breakfast. It is not breakfast as a quick stop between errands. It is an experience — plates of olives, cheeses, cucumbers, tomatoes, fresh bread, sweet watermelon and melon that tastes like it was picked a minute ago. There are simple dishes that feel perfect because they are done well.

Kal Cafe is one of those spots I recommend without hesitation. No frills, just generations of recipes: menemen (tomato and egg), meat with egg, cheeses, and piping hot bread for scooping it all up. A tip: eat with your hands, tear the bread, and scoop. That way you get every bit.

“When it’s 5 a.m., it’s just fishermen, breakfast, and the quiet. My dad was a fisherman until I was 16. Early mornings always started with a full spirit.”

Afternoon: the Bosphorus clears your head

There is something about getting out on the water with my girlfriend, Hannah, that resets everything. We take a boat along the Bosphorus, watch the city slide by, and feel the mix of Europe and Asia stretching on both sides. You can hear the ships, the birds, and the horn of the ferries. The sea smell sinks in and you breathe differently.

The Bosphorus is a living map of Istanbul: one shore is the Asia side, the other is Europe. I always show it to friends who visit from abroad. It’s the easiest way to feel how the city connects so many histories and stories at once.

Turkish coffee and small rituals

Turkish coffee is everywhere, and for good reason. It’s thick, bold, and always comes with something sweet and a glass of water. The grounds stay at the bottom of the cup, and some people read the patterns — but I like the moment of drinking it more than predicting what comes next.

“I don’t want to learn the future. I just want to live in the moment.”

Shopping and style in Nişantaşı

Nişantaşı is Istanbul’s answer to high-end shopping — think tailored pieces and bold streetwear mixed with local vibe. I like stores that stand out: colorful, different, and not simple. One brand I frequent is Les Benjamins. Every piece has personality, and when you walk in you know you’ll find something unique.

Style for me changes with the season. When it matters — big games or important nights — I’ll wear something that speaks. Otherwise, I like pieces that bring life and tell a story. Shopping here is about discovery more than label names.

Evening: seafood, raki, and family

Istanbul’s seafood culture is one of its best-kept secrets. After shopping, a stop at Elast House (a spot known for great meats and seafood) is perfect. Fresh fish, green on the plate, eggplant dishes, and the social rhythm of sharing a table make dinner feel sacred.

Raki, the anise-flavored spirit, is the national drink. You dilute it with water and it turns milky. It loosens stories and brings people together. With friends and teammates who feel like family — my agent Bora, my translator OG, my assistant coach Ken — a meal can stretch for hours. We talk, laugh, and remember where we came from.

• What I always order: fresh fish when it’s available, anything with eggplant, and plenty of greens.
• Who I eat with: people I grew up with, teammates, and those who helped me get here. Food tastes better when it’s shared.

Small things that mean a lot

There are everyday details that stick with me: street cats with their own personalities, a perfect watermelon sold from a corner stand, a café that keeps the same recipes for decades. These are small comforts that add up to feeling at home.

I don’t want complicated souvenirs. I want mornings where the city is quiet, afternoons on the Bosphorus, and nights where the conversation keeps going. Istanbul gives those back to me every time I come home.

Final thought

Istanbul isn’t a place you visit and forget. It’s where people, food, and the sea come together. It reminds me why I work hard, why I leave, and why I come back. Those off days are not about rest alone. They are about reconnecting with the people and the flavors that built me.

UNINTERRUPTED / and OFF DAY