05/22/2026
We had a field trip! Selin Demir posted this after our fabulous trip to Koza Cafe in Kirkland, WA. Read on for details! It was one of the most delicious adventures I've ever had!
Stirring the Pot with Linda Nygaard: Field Trip to The Koza Cafe
Today’s Stirring the Pot episode was all about Turkish food, hospitality and the perfect place to experience both: Koza Café.
(Link to listen our episode is on the comments)
I first caught up with Yalcin & Meltem at TurkFest 2026, where he mentioned they’d be serving lahmacun with a new chef. That was all I needed to hear. I was already due for a trip (and running low on Turkish tomato paste anyway 😄. When I told Linda & Heidi, we knew it was time for another Koza field trip; this time with our friend Sharon joining in.
The result? A day full of joy, laughter, and incredibly delicious food:
Ramazan usta makes an amazing traditional döner used in iskender kebab or wraps - straight from the streets of Istanbul
Hamza usta - aka the “dough whisperer” - turns out fantastic pide and lahmacun
But Koza is more than a café - it’s a community. From the boncuks (evil eye charms) lining the walls to Turkish books you can borrow, Yalçın & Meltem have created something really special.
Their vision is simple and powerful: serve the food they grew up eating - not a modified version. And they are absolutely delivering.
If I lived closer to Kirkland, I’d be there every week. If you haven’t been yet, I can’t recommend it enough: you’ll love the food, the people, and the warmth of the whole experience. And don’t forget to stop next door at KOZA TURKISH AND MEDITERRANEAN GROCERY & DELI to pick up some goodies from Türkiye 🇹🇷
I created a little video but it turned out to be 7 minutes since it includes my laughs and videos from the kitchen. I am also including the pictures for those of you who don't have time to watch the video so you can oooh and aaahh on the food. See less
