Delightful Food In Istanbul,Turkish. You Must Try On Your Turkey Trip
Street Foods in Istanbul You Must EatIstanbul is an ancient city that’s hosted many civilizations over the years, so the food culture is very rich. As the most crowded and diverse city in Turkey , it has the best food options. Street food is the perfect reflection of Turkey and İstanbul’s magnificent tastes.
It’s also cheap, which will help manage your budget. I suggest you don’t spend a lot of time in luxury restaurants, especially if you have limited time. Instead, why not go out to discover some delicious street food and try some unique and amazing flavors.
The best thing about street food in Istanbul, one of the best things about street food is that it’s accessible 24/7, so it’s never hard to find something to eat.
Musafira (Enjoy Your Meal)!
KAHVESI
Did you know that it was actually the Ottomans who first introduced coffee in Europe? Coffee has been an integral part of Turkish culture for hundreds of years which is why you definitely can’t miss having a cup.
Turkish coffee is very finely ground coffee brewed by boiling. Any coffee bean may be used; arabica varieties are considered best, but robusta or a blend is also used. The coffee grounds are left in the coffee when served.
How do you make Turk kahvesi coffee?
CAY
Tea is an important part of Turkish culture and is the most commonly consumed hot drink, despite the country's long history of coffee consumption. Offering tea to guests is part of Turkish hospitality. Tea is most often consumed in households, shops, and kıraathane – social gatherings of men.
Despite its popularity, tea only became the beverage of choice in Turkey in the early 20th century.
If you ask any Turk what is quintessentially Turkish, most will answer ‘cay’. Cay is a strong black tea that is served in small glass cups. Wherever you go in Istanbul, you will see vendors selling tea or shopkeepers drinking tea by the side of the road. It’s a part of Turkish hospitality so you should expect a hot cup of tea when visiting somebody in Turkey.
Even if you are not big on black tea, you should try at least one cup. Often, the tea is served with a small sugar cube on the side. Because the cups have no handles, you pick the cup up and hold it by its rim.
Cay is omnipresent and you really shouldn’t have a problem finding yourself a cup. It should cost no more than 1-2 TL. If you sit down in a cafe in the Grand Bazaar you may very well be charged 9 TL for a cup, which is why these places are best avoided.
How To Make Turkish Tea
BAKLAVA
Modern baklava may have been invented in Turkey during the Ottoman Empire, then modified in Greece. Many Meditteranean countries have their own versions of baklava, slightly tweaking the recipe to make it unique.
CAY
Tea is an important part of Turkish culture and is the most commonly consumed hot drink, despite the country's long history of coffee consumption. Offering tea to guests is part of Turkish hospitality. Tea is most often consumed in households, shops, and kıraathane – social gatherings of men.
Despite its popularity, tea only became the beverage of choice in Turkey in the early 20th century.
If you ask any Turk what is quintessentially Turkish, most will answer ‘cay’. Cay is a strong black tea that is served in small glass cups. Wherever you go in Istanbul, you will see vendors selling tea or shopkeepers drinking tea by the side of the road. It’s a part of Turkish hospitality so you should expect a hot cup of tea when visiting somebody in Turkey.
Even if you are not big on black tea, you should try at least one cup. Often, the tea is served with a small sugar cube on the side. Because the cups have no handles, you pick the cup up and hold it by its rim.
Cay is omnipresent and you really shouldn’t have a problem finding yourself a cup. It should cost no more than 1-2 TL. If you sit down in a cafe in the Grand Bazaar you may very well be charged 9 TL for a cup, which is why these places are best avoided.
How To Make Turkish Tea
BAKLAVA
Modern baklava may have been invented in Turkey during the Ottoman Empire, then modified in Greece. Many Meditteranean countries have their own versions of baklava, slightly tweaking the recipe to make it unique.
Chances are, you’ve had baklava once in your life before. But have you had it in Istanbul?! Baklava is a sweet dish consisting of filo pastry stuffed with nuts and dried fruits. The pastry is held together by either syrup or honey, which makes it a bit of a sticky affair. Baklava comes in dozens of varieties, and you should make sure to try at least one or two of them.
Although baklava can be found in any bakery and many neighborhood stores or even supermarkets, you should head to Hafiz Mustafa. Dating back to 1864, they sell some of the best baklavas in all of Turkey.
How to Make Baklava | Easy Turkish Recipes
DONDURMA (TURKISH ICE CREAM)
It is possibly the most iconic item on this list, Turkish ice cream stands out less for its flavor than for its entertainment value. Sticky and almost ‘elastic’, this ice cream is perfect for fooling unsuspecting customers. The ice cream cone will be placed in your hand and swiftly taken away again, so many times that your head will spin. At least you’ll be rewarded with a sweet treat afterward.
Dondurma is commonly sold from both street vendors' carts and storefronts, where the mixture is churned regularly with long-handled paddles to keep it workable. Vendors often tease the customer by serving the ice cream cone on a stick and then taking away the dondurma with the stick by rotating it around, before finally giving it to the customer.
Turkish ice cream can be a little bit pricey and if you’re not careful you’ll be roped into paying even more. Make sure to insist on a single flavor instead of agreeing to a ‘mix’ that will quickly triple the price. A scoop shouldn’t cost more than 3-5 TL, but it may certainly be more around the main tourist sights.
Making stretchy ice cream with a centuries-old recipe
BALIK EKMEK
Balık ekmek is a common street food item in Turkish cuisine. It is a sandwich of a filet of fried or grilled fish served along with various vegetables, inside a bun of Turkish bread. It is typically served on the Eminönü square straight from the boat on which it is prepared.
If you follow Rick Steves as religiously as us, you may have heard of balik ekmek, a Turkish fish sandwich. It consists of a big chunk of white bread, filled with a fillet of fried fish and vegetables such as lettuce and raw onion. Mackerel is the fish most commonly used in this Turkish street food.
You can find a slew of restaurants selling balik ekmek at and around Galata Bridge. Grab this snack for only 12 TL before going on a cruise around the Bosphorus!
The Best Fish Sandwich in Istanbul (BALIK EKMEK)
ICLI KOFTE (STUFFED MEATBALLS)
Icli kofte literally means ‘stuffed meatballs’ and consists of a bulgur shell stuffed with minced meat, spices, onions, and sometimes nuts. The meat used for the stuffing is usually beef or lamb.
İçli köfte is a crispy bulgur shell stuffed with minced meat, parsley, and nuts. It’s made by hand and tastes like nothing you’ll find easily in other countries. Honestly, I’m not a fan of it, but you should try it and decide for yourself.
SIMIT
Simit is a kind of Turkish bread, baked in the shape of a circle. Most commonly it’s encrusted with sesame seeds, although on occasion you may also come across poppy, flax, or sunflower seeds. In some ways, it’s reminiscent of a bagel. Simit is eaten plain, as a snack on the go, or with a cup of tea for breakfast.
lahmacun
Lahmacun is a type of flatbread that is topped with minced meat, usually beef or lamb, as well as vegetables and herbs. It is often dubbed a ‘Turkish pizza’, although it is significantly lighter and can be eaten as a snack rather than a full meal.
If you want to eat a very small 'Lahmacun', you have to go to the Tarsus district of Mersin city in Turkey and that type called 'Fındık Lahmacun' or in English 'Nut Lahmacun'. This type of 'Lahmacun' is the common type that you can eat in any Middle Eastern country.
Turkish Lahmacun recipe
menemen (TURKISH SCRAMBLED EGGS)
Menemen is another dish commonly eaten for breakfast and may be compared to a soupy plate of scrambled eggs.
Traditionally, it consists of eggs, green bell peppers, tomatoes, and a healthy helping of olive oil. It is spiced with ground black pepper and may occasionally also contain chopped onion. To make the dish more hearty, you can also order meat with your menemen.
The dish is usually served with a generous helping of fresh Turkish bread. All in all, this is a hearty breakfast that could also serve as a light lunch.
One of The Best Egg Recipes in The World, Menemen!
KOKOREC
The main ingredient in kokoreç is grilled offal. It’s sliced, chopped, and mixed with tomato, other vegetables, and spices and served inside bread.
There are terms like quarter-kokoreç, half-Kokoreç, etc., which define the size of the bread. This food may not be a good choice for lunch, but it’s perfect at night, especially after drinking some beer.
One of the best places to eat kokoreç is Şampiyon Kokoreç. I usually go with the half-bread size, which is more than enough. The price of it is 15TL (around $2.80).
How Turkish Street Food Kokorech is Made
CAG KEBAP
As opposed to doner kebab, cag kebab is a horizontally stacked kebab of lamb. It is prepared and cooked on a rotating spit before the meat is shaved off the pit and served.
The meat is usually marinated in Turkish spices which gives it more flavor than a regular kebab. When it is served, it’s often stacked on a smaller skewer, called ‘bico’. It comes with a side of flatbread and tastes fabulous dipped in some ezme.
Summary
To sum it all up, there are many options for delicious street food in İstanbul, especially in touristy regions like Beşiktaş, Ortaköy, Taksim, Eminönü, and Sultanahmet. They’re even open late at night, so you can indulge 24/7.
İstanbul has a nice cultural mix, and it has a rich cuisine. I’ve listed some of the more popular, delicious ones here. I’ve also suggested specific places, but this isn’t an exhaustive list. I’m sure you’ll discover your own unique and delicious places to enjoy traditional street foods in İstanbul.
Now, what do you think? What is your favorite street food in Istanbul? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
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