Istanbul street food and eating out

Istanbul is one of the world’s largest cities with over 14 million population. It’s one of the most exciting places with state-of-the-art shopping malls and dining options.

Istanbul’s  Bosphorus Strait  connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara where Asia and Europe meet. It’s strategically located on the spices route, and the food history is rich with Greek, Roman and Persian influences, with the Mediterranean Sea to the South and Aegean Sea to the west.

Istanbul’s food culture has been developed by the imperial cooking traditions. “A Sultan must feed his people” is a credo that built the bond between a ruler and his subjects through food.

I have enjoyed delicious meals in amazing restaurants, from the casual eateries to luxury contemporary dining places that can rival the best in the world.

Wherever I travel, I’m drawn to the street food as it reflects the local culture and customs and offer the best variety at a fraction of the price of restaurants.

As Istanbul is an ancient city that hosted many civilizations through many centuries, the food culture is very rich, and its street food is both diverse and tasty.

Is Istanbul street food safe?

Overall, the street food is safe and the ingredients are fresh and cleanly prepared. Typically the kitchen and food preparation area are visible so you can see how the dishes are being made. Of course, you should use common sense and the usual precautions.

Overall, the street food is safe and the ingredients are fresh and cleanly prepared. Typically the kitchen and food preparation area are visible so you can see how the dishes are being made. Of course, you should use common sense and the usual precautions.

As Istanbul is an ancient city that hosted many civilizations through many centuries, the food culture is very rich, and its street food is both diverse and tasty.

What to expect?

Street food in Istanbul is casual, usually with outdoor seating. Typically, there’s no access to rest room. Most places provide utensils and wet wipes as some dishes can be eaten with your hands. Alcohol is not commonly served.

Be prepared to pay in cash and leave a tip, round up the bill amount or around 10%.

Where to find the best street food?

Thousands of street vendors are spread out all over the city. If your stay is brief, you can hang out the main tourist sites like Taksim Square, Hazzopulo, and Asmali Mescit. For sure, you’ll find amazing food that are popular with both visitors and locals.

You could also take a food tour like this Culinary Tour of local Tavern and Gourmet Street Foods offered by Viator.

Macun

The first street food that I notice due to its cheerful colors is Macun. It’s a soft and sweet Turkish toffee paste prepared with various herbs and spices. Macun has a long history and was consumed as a pharmaceutical medicine. Now it’s a popular sweet snack: the vendor swirls each flavored paste around a screw-driver looking stick and serves it like a lollipop. You can also mix and match flavors, sweet and spicy…

The Grand Bazaar

A great place to start the street food experience is the Grand Bazaar, where you can find all types of merchandise as well as food, spices and sweets.

I love bringing home spices or unique ingredients from my trips instead of souvenirs… At the Grand Bazaar, you can find the widest variety imaginable!

Virtually everything can be found at the Grand Bazaar

Turkey also produces many different types of cheeses…

Doner

Perhaps the most famous street food in Istanbul is the doner: They are vertical spits piled with thinly sliced and ground meat and can be found all over the city. Each doner place has its own recipe to marinate and roast the meat. Thin slices of roasted and flavorful meat are served wrapped in flatbread or crusty rolls.

One of the best doner places is Donerci Sahin Usta just off the Grand Bazaar. Just amazing flavors!

Durum

Dürüm is one of the most popular Turkish dish that is served on a street corner or in fancy restaurants. These wraps are filled with beef, chicken, cheese or vegetables and are so delicious and filling.

Kokoreç

There are self service fast food places like Pehlivan which serves a wide range of Turkish dishes such as lentils, ezo bridal soup, all kinds of wraps and dishes using offals like kokoreç which is skewered sheep’s intestines, served with a bread loaf.

It’s not my favorite, but if you’re a big fan of this street eats, another place to visit is Şampiyon Kokoreç.

Börek

Börek is a range of baked flaky dough filled with meat, cheese or vegetables. It’s popular not only in Turkey, but also in other parts of Central Asia and Eastern Europe and can be enjoyed at breakfast or any time of the day.

 

Another popular street food is the kebabs. My favorite is cag kebab, a horizontally stacked kebab of lamb marinated in Turkish spices, and served with a side of flatbread or rice.

In addition to kebabs, you can also find Kofte Ekmek which are grilled or pan fried meatballs marinated with onions, spices and herbs. They are served with fries, salad or rice.

To bring the Turkish tasty flavors into your home, please check my recipe for Turkish style Beef Kofte kebabs.

Turşu (Pickles)

Preserved fruits and vegetables are popular in Turkey. It’s also the place to find all types of pickled fruits and vegetables sold in jars.

Baklava

Nowadays, Baklava can be found all over the world, but it tastes so much better in Istanbul… Baklava is made of filo pastry filled with nuts and dried fruits and drizzled with syrup or honey. You can find dozens of varieties in Istanbul so be sure to try a couple.

Turkish Delight

Turkish people surely have a sweet tooth as there are so many tempting desserts in Istanbul. Turkish delight is a world-famous confectionery and of course the best can only be found in Istanbul. Gooey sweet gel englobes hazelnuts, walnuts and pistachios and are flavored with orange, rosewater or mastic and dusted with icing sugar. The taste, texture and flavor are really unique.

Fruit Juices

At every Istanbul corner, there’s a juice vendor. Make sure that the fruit press looks clean before you order a cup of fresh orange juice or my favorite, Pomegranate juice, packed with healthy nutrients and antioxidants.

Fresh pomegranate juice is really popular and so tasty. Another local favorite is ‘turnip water’ which is purplish and tastes spicy and sour.

Turkish Coffee

Turkish Coffee has become well-known all around the world for its strong taste and special preparation method, and is made from finely ground Arabica beans.

Coffee was introduced in Istanbul in the 16th century by Syrian traders and a century later, it became an integral part of formal ceremonies. Women in the harem were trained on how to prepare the perfect brew for the Sultan.

Throughout the centuries, coffee has played an important role in Turkish marriage customs. Still nowadays, the Bride-to-be is judged by her coffee-making skills and is expected to follow a coffee ritual and serve Turkish coffee to her prospective husband’s family when her hand is asked in marriage.

Dining Out

Istanbul boasts the best restaurants serving international cuisines. We would recommend restaurants specialized in seafood which is plentiful and fresh.

Meze

Most restaurants would offer Meze which are appetizer dishes including pickles, hummus and various dips such as ezme made from fresh tomatoes and chilis or patlican salatasi made from grilled eggplant.

Fresh Seafood

While in Istanbul, don’t miss the chance to try the fresh and abundant seafood!

There are many restaurants with the best rooftop views, here’s a list of the top 10.

A fun way to end the evening is to enjoy drinks and music in one of the many rooftop bars which have mushroomed all over Istanbul city center.

Here’s a list of the most popular rooftop bars.

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