Rocklin’s newest caffeine fix is not your standard drip. Antalya Delights & Cafe quietly opened in late February on a Sierra College-area strip, bringing what is described as the Sacramento region’s first dedicated Turkish café to a modest counter-service space. On offer: sand-brewed Turkish coffee, dibek coffee, sesame-crusted simit, and imported lokum and baklava. The pistachio coffee proved such a hit it sold out in the first week. Owner Eugene Shapishnikov, a Latvia native who previously worked at Google and Time magazine, says he set out to recreate the small bakery-and-coffee culture he remembers from time spent in Antalya and Istanbul.
As reported by Abridged PBS KVIE, Antalya Delights & Cafe sits at 4810 Granite Drive, Suite A6, and made its debut in late February. The outlet notes that the café imports lokum and baklava from a producer with more than a century of history, and that many of the sweets, along with the plain simit, are vegetarian-friendly.
"At some point, the stars seemed to align: the right product, the right community, and the right moment," Shapishnikov told Abridged. The same report points out his previous stints at Google and Time magazine and notes that the café has been racking up steady five-star reviews online in recent months.
What to order
The menu leans hard into Turkish staples: crisp, sesame-crusted simit rings; jewel-toned lokum (Turkish delight); and layered baklava, all paired with traditional Turkish coffee and dibek coffee, the latter made by pounding beans in a stone mortar. The Antalya Delights website lists signature items, gift boxes, and walk-in hours MonFri 9:00 a.m.7:00 p.m., Sat 9:00 a.m.9:00 p.m. and Sun 9:00 a.m.7:00 p.m. Antalya Delights & Cafe also highlights a simit breakfast plate and savory pairings meant to play nicely with tea or coffee.
A sign of a changing dining strip
Rocklin’s dining scene along this corridor is quietly shifting. In coverage of the area, Istanbul eats heat up Rocklin with the news that Bosphorus Turkish Cuisine, a full-service Turkish restaurant, is moving into the neighborhood, and notes that cafés like Antalya Delights hint at a growing local appetite for Turkish flavors. With its small footprint and gift-ready sweets, Antalya is positioned as both a quick coffee stop and a place to grab souvenirs for friends, neighbors, and out-of-town visitors.
So far, the neighborhood response has been warm. Customers have been praising the authenticity of the coffee ritual and the array of sweets, while the shop leans into takeout and gift boxes as it builds a steady clientele. For now, Shapishnikov says he plans to fine-tune the menu as demand grows, but if the first few months are any indication, Rocklin’s strip malls just got a little more interesting.
