Our Story

Istanbull Katz. A New Chapter, The Same Love for Cats.

Istanbull Katz is an independent cat-friendly wine and tapas house in the heart of Brighton, founded by Turkish entrepreneur Ash, whose journey in hospitality has always been closely connected to animal welfare, creativity and community.

Ash is also the founder of Munchies Craft Cat Café, Brighton’s first cat café, and Purrfect Space, a unique co-working and cultural venue where rescued cats have found their forever home.

Across all three businesses, one thing has always remained the same: our love for cats and our commitment to making a real difference in their lives.

How It All Started

Our journey with Istanbull Katz began almost a year ago, when we set out to introduce a contemporary Turkish dining experience to Brighton.

Originally opened as a restaurant, our mission was to share the flavours of Istanbul while donating a portion of our profits to an animal rescue shelter in Turkey.

This was a shelter we already knew personally. Through our ongoing rescue work, we had adopted cats from them, travelled to Istanbul to bring rescued cats to the UK ourselves, and built a close relationship with the people caring for animals in need.

But as our journey continued, we realised something important.

Running Munchies Craft Cat Café and Purrfect Space had already brought us closer to what we truly loved doing: working directly with rescue cats, caring for them and giving them a better life.

Restaurant life comes with its own demands, and we wanted to dedicate more of our time, energy and resources to the work that matters most to us.

So we decided to take Istanbull Katz in a new direction.

A Different Kind of Wine & TAPAS House

Today, Istanbull Katz is evolving into something a little different.

Not quite a traditional wine bar. Not quite a cat café. A little bit of both, with its own personality.

A relaxed, intimate space for people who appreciate good wine, thoughtfully prepared mezze, a chill authentic music from a vinyl, meaningful conversations and, of course, cats.

A place to slow down, discover something different and enjoy an evening surrounded by the quiet company of our resident rescue cats.

We want to offer Brighton an alternative to the usual nightlife, somewhere with character, warmth and a purpose beyond hospitality.

More Than Just a Business

Rescuing cats has never been something we do from a distance.

We have personally travelled to Istanbul to meet, adopt and bring vulnerable cats back to the UK. Many of these cats have complex medical needs, disabilities or lifelong conditions, and we have committed to giving them the care and stability they deserve.

It takes time, money, patience and a great deal of personal commitment. But it is something we genuinely love doing.

With Istanbull Katz, we hope to continue this work, welcome more rescued cats into our care and create another safe, permanent home for animals who need one.

Every visit helps us sustain the spaces and care that make this possible.

Three independent spaces. One shared mission.

Munchies Craft Cat Café, Purrfect Space and Istanbull Katz may each offer a different experience, but they are all built around the same belief: that a business can bring people together while doing something meaningful for animals.

Good wine. Good company. A genuine love for cats.

Welcome to the next chapter of Istanbull Katz.