Our Source of Pride
Hafiz Mustafa draws its greatest pride from the people who give the house its daily character.
THE FLAVOR OF HERITAGE
Hafız Mustafa belongs to a rare category of houses whose history can still be tasted. Since 1864, generations have prepared desserts rooted in Turkish and Ottoman confectionery, preserving flavors whose cultural value reaches far beyond the table.
The same sensitivity appears in the interiors. Historic tiles, timber-clad columns, paintings, and ornamental details preserve the house's visual language and give each visit a direct connection to its past.
More than a century and a half has also placed Hafız Mustafa beside defining moments in Istanbul’s story. The opening of Darü’l-Fünun-ı Osmani, the constitutional periods, the reigns of Sultan Abdülhamit II, Sultan Mehmet Reşat and Sultan Mehmet Vahdettin, Istanbul’s occupation, and the proclamation of the Republic all passed during the life of the house.
Hacı İsmail Hakkı Bey’s Ahi tradition remains central to Hafız Mustafa’s values. Hacı Avni Ongurlar and his sons continue this legacy with respect for the recipes, culture, hospitality, and identity that have given the house its place in Istanbul across generations.
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Success follows its own path.
Hafiz Mustafa has always drawn strength from a shared sense of family. Respect, sincerity, fairness, and mutual care shape the way we work together. Open conversation gives every colleague the freedom to contribute, while responsibility gives every role its value. Unity within our house creates the confidence, peace, and purpose required for lasting success.
More than a century and a half of experience has taught us the value of patience and perseverance. Hafiz Mustafa has carried Turkish and Ottoman tastes across generations through original recipes and inherited methods. Progress comes from disciplined work, loyalty to our principles, and the courage to preserve our own identity. Success earns its meaning when it grows from genuine effort.
Turkish confectionery occupies a precious place within our culture, and we carry that responsibility with great pride. Premium organic ingredients enter our kitchens alongside natural beet sweetness, Zamzam water used during production, and natural madder in place of artificial coloring. Skilled chefs prepare our desserts according to traditional methods passed through generations. Ingredient quality, natural preparation, and respect for original recipes guide the standards of Hafiz Mustafa.
Historical and cultural heritage remains central to our direction. Quality in hospitality, care for our guests, and respect for the Hafiz Mustafa name accompany every decision we make. National and international growth carries the same principles that have guided the house across generations.
My sincere gratitude goes to our colleagues, guests, and business partners who share this path with us.
Their trust gives meaning to our work and strengthens the future we continue to write together.
With warm regards,
AVNİ ONGURLAR
HONORED AT THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT
Hafız Mustafa 1864 received the “Legacy Honor – Cultural Heritage Pride” recognition during a family business gathering in the British Parliament setting in London. Vice Chairman Emre Ongurlar accepted the honor from British MP Matt Vickers at the Thames Pavilion, alongside MPs, members of the House of Lords, and senior figures from the British business community. The recognition celebrated family businesses contributing to Britain’s economy, cultural life, and international trade.
London has become an important chapter in Hafız Mustafa’s international story. The Knightsbridge opening followed five years of preparation, factory investment, and the creation of more than 100 new jobs, introducing Turkish confectionery culture to a wider British audience. Emre Ongurlar described the honor as fresh encouragement for the house’s international direction and its growing responsibility as an ambassador for Turkish dessert heritage.
AVNI ONGURLAR RECEIVES TÜRKIYE’S CULTURE AND TOURISM AMBASSADOR AWARD
Türkiye Tourism and Promotion Platform (TUTAP) named Avni Ongurlar, Honorary President of Hafız Mustafa 1864, Türkiye’s 2023 Culture and Tourism Ambassador, recognizing his contribution to Turkish culture and tourism. TUTAP Chairman Fikret Yıldız presented the distinction, placing Hafız Mustafa’s century-and-a-half confectionery tradition among the cultural values introduced to audiences far beyond Türkiye.
Ongurlar described the honor as recognition of Hafız Mustafa’s respected place in Türkiye and its contribution to the country’s international promotion. Around 1,500 tonnes of desserts are produced annually, carrying ancestral confectionery recipes to guests at home and abroad. His message centered on preserving inherited recipes, protecting cultural heritage, and preparing a taste heritage worthy of future generations.
HACI HATICE ONGURLAR SECONDARY SCHOOL
Hacı Hatice Ongurlar Secondary School opened in Eskişehir as an educational contribution from Hafız Mustafa and the Ongurlar family. Completed in November 2023 in less than ten months, the school carries the name of Avni Ongurlar’s late mother. Its 8,500-square-meter campus includes 32 classrooms, indoor and outdoor sports facilities, a conference hall, an internal garden, and dedicated ceremony areas, creating a substantial new educational setting for local students.
Avni Ongurlar described the school as a debt of gratitude to Eskişehir, the city of his birth, and spoke about education’s role in preparing cultured, capable generations for the future. Environmental considerations and energy efficiency formed part of the architectural planning, alongside spaces intended to support concentration, learning, and student life. Hafız Mustafa’s contribution places education beside confectionery heritage as another inheritance intended to reach generations yet to come.