This 3.5-hour culinary adventure takes you on a search for the hidden gems of Istanbul’s thriving street food scene. Sample a variety of tasty treats as your guide leads you to the city’s culinary heart, and finish off your tour in the Taksim Square area.
About this activity
- Free cancellation
- Cancel up to 24 hours in advance to receive a full refund
- Mobile ticketing
- Use your phone or print your voucher
- Duration 3 hours
- Starting time 6:00 PM
- Instant confirmation
- Live tour guide
- English
Experience
Highlights
- Sample delicious Turkish street food like the locals do, tasting from the best food carts, street cafés, and other secret spots
- Visit a traditional tavern and try raki, the Turkish alcoholic drink of choice
- Hang out with in-the-know locals and enjoy refreshments at a backstreet urban café
- Stroll through hidden alleyways and learn about the unique food culture of this ancient city that borders both Europe and Asia
Full description
Take a ride on the world’s second-oldest funicular to the heart of Istanbul’s food scene on a 3.5-hour culinary tour. Wander through back streets and hidden lanes, feasting as you go.
Your local guide will offer insight into the intricacies and traditions of Turkish food culture, and tell you about the origins and ingredients of Turkey’s most popular dishes.
Start your food tour off with a taste of borek, a delicious flaky pastry filled with local cheese, potato, or meat. Wash it down with a cup of ayran, a yogurt drink that is considered by many to be the national beverage of Turkey.
Next you’ll take part in a true local tradition. At the end of a long working day, many of the locals sit down for some drinks, tasty food, and good conversation with friends. Pull up a seat at a traditional meyhene (tavern) and join in, sampling meze accompanied by a glass of raki.
Take a post-meze break at an out-of-the-way teahouse that was a popular meeting place of the Young Turks, the political reform movement of the early 20th century that brought multi-party democracy to Turkey.
Then it will be time to try some delectable treats from favorite street food carts, including içli kofte (deep-fried meat balls) and midye dolma (mussels stuffed with rice).
Indulge your sweet tooth with a sample of Turkish delight in the historic Cicek Passage, followed by some of Turkey’s famed baklava and çikolata (chocolate) or Maraş ice cream.
A visit to Istanbul isn’t complete until you’ve stopped at Taksim Square, the nightlife center of Istanbul, where late-night revelers flock for the delicious Islik burger.
Take a stroll through the atmospheric back streets and finish your tour at an alfresco café and bar that is a popular local haunt.
Includes
- Local English-speaking guide
- Progressive dinner
- Food, tea, and coffee
- Extra drinks
- Tip/gratuity for your local guide
Select participants and date
Participants
Date
Prepare for the activity
Meeting point
The Tünel (The Tunnel) entrance, IETT building in Karaköy, opposite Nordstern Hotel (Kemeraltı Cd, Arap Cami Mh., Beyoğlu
Open in Google Maps ⟶Important information
Know before you go
- Dress standard:
- While Istanbul can be quite liberal, please be aware that the standard of dress throughout Turkey is conservative. To respect this and for your own comfort, modest clothing is recommended. This means clothing that covers your shoulders and knees (for both women and men).
- Note that at the Blue Mosque, women are required to cover their hair (it is recommended that you bring a scarf with you), and both men and women will need to remove their shoes.
- Child policy:
- Children below the age of 12 are not permitted on this tour.
- Cancellation policy:
- Cancellations made more than 2 days prior to the scheduled date are eligible for a full refund.
- Cancellations made 2 days or less prior to the scheduled date are not eligible for a refund.
