Don’t Leave Istanbul
Without tasting
Simit & Çay: The Turkish tea, known in Turkish language as ‘çay’, is a bitter, slightly sweet black tea. When you drink tea simit can be a quick snack company which is a circular bread (bagel), crusted with sesame seeds and baked until crispy.
Balık Ekmek: Freshly baked fish placed on a fresh baguette with onions inside. Food carts on boats by the Galata Bridge is the best place to try. We recommend you to eat it with pickled juice.
Kumpir: A traditional style of baked potato which is usually served with cheese and burger, served with a variety of di erent toppings (mushroom, sweet corn, olives, beans,sausages,…) and combinations on what you like. The best place to try kumpir is Ortaköy.
Turkish Delight (Lokum): This is a family of confections based on a gel of starch and honey/sugar. Premium varieties consist largely of chopped pistachios, hazelnuts, or walnuts bound by the gel.
Turkish Coffee: If you’re willing to take a step outside of your usual cup of joy, Turkish coffee is a great drink to start. It plays an important role in local society. They say ‘drinking one cup of coffee together guarantees forty years of friendship’. That cup can show some symbols about your future too. ‘Fal’ is the Turkish tradition of reading the future from leftover co ee grounds at the bo om of the cup.
Midye Dolma: Stuffed mussels with rice, herbs, and spices, is a delicious treat for a quick snack. Mostly served with fresh lemon.
Salep: Hot milk and ground orchid tubers served with cinnamon. Keeps you warm in the winter.
Baklava: Layered pastry dessert made of filo pastry, filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey.
Wet Hamburgers: The meat pa y is put inside a bun, covered in tomato sauce and left to steam in a glass case.
Lahmacun: Lahmacun is a thin flatbread topped with minced meat, tomatoes, green pepper, parsley, and herbs. You can also enjoy your lahmacun wrapping it up with side dishes served, just like the locals do.
Other delicacies: Fresh Corn, Boza, Sherbet, Kestane, Rakı
