While different street food is popular in different regions, the most popular street food, like simit, can be found nearly everywhere in Türkiye. So, if you are in a rush, or just want to enjoy the vibrant street life in the cities across Türkiye, stop and grab a delicious local snack!

Here is a quick guide to the most popular street eats in Türkiye. 

Simit is a crunchy, circular bread covered with sesame seeds and a true legend among Türkiye’s favorite flavors. The taste of a freshly baked simit is something to savor and cherish. It is a known fact that the locals have a hard time resisting the delicious aroma of this street delight. It can be eaten on its own or with cheese and a cup of tea. Many enjoy it with a glass of ayran, a very popular salted yoğurt drink, in the afternoons. It’s also popular as it is budget- and vegan-friendly. In İstanbul, many people share this delicious snack with seagulls as they cross the Bosphorus on the ferry.

Balık-ekmek is a popular fish sandwich and one of the most popular street foods in Türkiye, best enjoyed on the coasts of Karaköy or Eminönü in İstanbul. The appealing smell of a fresh loaf of bread with warm, grilled fish, fresh greens, and onions invites passersby. It’s very affordable, nutritional, and tasty – and its taste lingers in your mouth!

Kumpir is the ultimate baked potato with a great variety of toppings. Without a doubt, this delicious snack is a major contribution to the many ways of eating potatoes. Following the addition of butter, you are faced with a mountain of choices for further toppings. There’s no limit to how many you can pile on top! Toppings range from sausage to pickles, sweetcorn to olives. It’s guaranteed you’ll come back, time and time again, to try a different combination of flavors. In Istanbul, Ortaköy is the most popular area in the city to enjoy this delicacy.

Döner is one of the most well-known Turkish foods in the world. Pieces of meat are seasoned with suet, local herbs, and spices, skewered on a spit and grilled vertically, served as dürüm (wrap) or as a sandwich. Originally the meat used for döner kebap was lamb. Today, it is made using a mixture of lamb and beef, only beef, or even only chicken.

Kestane kebap, or roasted chestnuts, are delicious street delights that herald the beginning of winter. Their smell is strong enough to make you turn and head straight for the chestnuts being slowly roasted over the embers. When winter comes, it’s possible to find a chestnut seller on every corner in almost every city of Türkiye.

Midye dolma are stuffed mussels, and are another irresistible street food that you can often find in coastal areas, especially in İstanbul and İzmir. The mussels are filled with a special kind of rice, chopped onions, currants, and spices. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself at the side of a counter in the street, squeezing a lot of lemon on the mussel in your hand. Once you start, you might not be able to stop! The flavors are addictive. Many locals have been known to eat as many as 100 in one go!

Kokoreç is chargrilled skewered sheep’s intestines, served in either half or a quarter of a bread loaf with plenty of fat and salt. It’s the street food most enjoyed by dedicated offal lovers!

Tavuklu pilav can be a great option, if you are in a hurry and looking for a grab-and-go. It is simply made by putting boiled chicken pieces on top of plain rice pilaf, an indispensable side dish in classical Turkish cuisine. Boiled chickpeas are also added to this unique duo. A great accompaniment is a glass of ayran and a plate of pickles. It’s easy to spot vendors selling tavuklu pilav in glass-covered carts around town.

Turşu suyu (pickle juice) is delicious with its bold flavor, and is sold in glasses with small pieces of chopped pickles. This unique taste will get you addicted fast! It has a salty and sour taste, and can be found easily at mobile stalls, in bazaars, and markets.

Çiğ köfte dürüm is comprised of bulgur patties wrapped in paper-thin lavaş bread with fresh greens. Aficionados often add lots of lemon and pomegranate syrup, and accompany it with ayran. Çiğ köfte can be found almost everywhere in Türkiye. Traditionally, this dish used to be prepared with raw meat, but this is rarely the case any longer. However, if you are concerned, don’t hesitate to ask!

Lahmacun is a thin, crispy flatbread that has been spread with spicy minced lamb and baked in a stone oven. It is often eaten with parsley and lemon as a wrap. 

Tantuni is originally from Mersin but it is possible to come across this super tasty snack just about everywhere in Türkiye. It is made from a unique combination of chopped meat and parsley, tomatoes, green peppers, and onions, wrapped into a warm flatbread or sandwiched between half a loaf of fresh white bread. Tantuni is the perfect way to fill up your belly fast! Many like to accompany tantuni with şalgam, a spicy fermented purple carrot and turnip drink and a side order of pickles.

Islak hamburger is a simple burger, packed with garlicky flavor, and covered in buttery tomato sauce which accounts for the succulent texture and the sponginess of the bun.

Mısır (corn) is a travel-friendly snack sold by street vendors, and is often a summer staple coinciding with the region’s growing season. Köz mısır is corn on the cob that is grilled and süt mısır is boiled corn kernels – both are presented sprinkled with salt. 

Börek is a flaky pastry, usually filled with cheese, and provides a quick and delicious breakfast when you are on the go.

Sokak poğaçası is a palm-sized bun with or without filling. It can also be found in bakeries.

Kağıt helva is a crispy wafer with a sweet filling made of condensed milk.

Buzlu badem (fresh almonds on ice) is one of the best and most refreshing street snacks, especially in the overwhelming summer heat. Fresh almonds are boiled or blanched in hot water, then peeled and served on ice. Vendors usually stop and offer their wares to customers at tables in bars and restaurants. This fresh snack is a street food you will encounter while walking along the city streets in the evening.

Turkish street food yazısı ilk önce DMC Turquia - Turquia Travel - Global travel, Global events üzerinde ortaya çıktı.

With one arm reaching out to Asia and the other to Europe, İstanbul is the only city in the world built on two continents. The Bosphorus courses the waters of the Black Sea, the Sea of Marmara, and the Golden Horn through the city’s heart.

İstanbul’s fate has been sealed by its strategic location and its enchanting natural beauty. For more than 1,500 years it was the capital of three empires: The Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empires. It was adorned as befitted its importance with magnificent monuments and became a metropolis where diverse cultures, nations, and religions mingled. These cultures, nations, and religions are the small colored stones that form the mosaic of İstanbul.

Striking Multireligious Identity

İstanbul’s identity began to take shape with the Byzantines and gained momentum during the period of the Ottoman Empire. Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror declared İstanbul the capital of Ottoman Empire after he conquered the city in 1453. Over the next 450 years the city was adorned with superb Ottoman monuments. Building works after the conquest gathered apace during the reign of Sultan Bayezid II, with the finest works built by Mimar Sinan, the Chief Royal Architect. This world-famous architect put his signature on the silhouette of İstanbul with a number of masterpieces.

The Ottomans were tolerant towards all religions and dedicated many places of worship to the Christian and Jewish communities so that they could practice their religion undisturbed. Thus, in İstanbul mosques, churches, and synagogues stood and still stand side by side as the physical evidence of İstanbul as a center and symbol of tolerance and the fraternity of religions. 

Glorious Treasures

As an imperial capital of 1,500 years, İstanbul is rich in architectural monuments reflecting its past splendor.

At every turn in the city one can happen upon Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman palaces, mosques, churches, monasteries, monuments, walls, and ruins. The old city center, with its places of worship, government, trade and entertainment, was where the citizens mingled, enjoying the benefits of the security and bounty of the state while maintaining their culture and way of life.

The most magnificent of İstanbul’s monuments are clustered on the Historical Peninsula, the triangular piece of land surrounded by the Sea of Marmara to the east and south, by the Golden Horn to the north, and by the city walls to the west. This group of sites, known as the Historic Areas of İstanbul, were included on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985, and continue to this day to impress visitors with their history and importance. Sultanahmet Square is the heart of the Historical Peninsula and in its vicinity one can find the most prominent examples of Byzantine and Ottoman architecture.

Living Heritage of the Byzantines

During the Byzantine period the center of the city was the Hippodrome and its environs. The palace was the center of power and Ayasofya-i Kebîr Cami-i Şerîfi (Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque) was the most spectacular religious building. The hippodrome served as an entertainment center for the people and the Yerebatan Sarnıcı (Basilica Cistern) supplied most of the city’s water. All these structures can be found in the center of the city. During Ottoman times, the square where the hippodrome once stood became the site for the circumcision ceremonies of the sultans’ sons.

Great Mystic Symbols

The most glorious architectural heritage of the Byzantine Empire is Ayasofya-i Kebîr Cami-i Şerîfi (Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque) which is referred to as the “8th Wonder of the World.” With a history of more than 1,500 years, it is one of the great symbols of İstanbul. The mosaics of Ayasofya-i Kebîr Cami-i Şerîfi (Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque), which were uncovered after it became a museum, are the foremost examples of Byzantine art of the 9th to 12th centuries. The Kariye Mosque (former Chora Church) is another Byzantine monument famous for its fine mosaics and frescoes. The Neve Shalom, Ahrida, and Aşkenazi Synagogues are three of the most important sacred places for Judaism in İstanbul.

The Topkapı Palace is particularly important for the Mukaddes Emanetler Dairesi (Chamber of Holy Relics) where Prophet Muhammed’s Hırka-i Saadet (Blessed Mantle) and Sancak-ı Şerif (Holy Banner) are kept in their golden chests. The Sultan Ahmet Mosque, also known as the Blue Mosque, was built between 1609 and 1616, and houses the tomb of its founder, Sultan Ahmed I, a madrasah, and a hospice.

Historic Areas of İstanbul

The Historic Areas of İstanbul, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985, cover four main areas: The Archaeological Park, the Süleymaniye Mosque and its associated conservation area, Zeyrek Mosque and its associated conservation area, and the City Walls of İstanbul. In its evaluation report, the International Council on Monuments and Sites has stated that one cannot conceive of the UNESCO World Heritage List without İstanbul, which has been associated with the world’s major political, religious, and artistic events for over 2,000 years. The cultural property in this area includes unique monuments and masterpieces of universal architecture. Two of these monuments are Ayasofya-i Kebîr Cami-i Şerîfi (Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque) , built by Anthemius of Tralles and Isidore of Miletus in AD 532-537, and the Süleymaniye Mosque, a masterpiece of Mimar Sinan (“Architect Sinan”) or Mimar Koca Sinan (“Great Architect Sinan”). The 6,650-meter-long city walls of Theodosius II, with its second line of defenses created in AD 447, has been one of the world’s leading references in military architecture.

The Other Shore

Another historical area of İstanbul, on the opposite shore of the Golden Horn, is the former district of Pera, meaning “the other shore.” Settled by Genoese and Venetians in the 12th century, this quarter was inhabited mostly by Levantines and represented the city’s Western face. The cosmopolitan character of ancient İstanbul is reflected in the following buildings in Pera: the Galata Tower built by the Genoese, stately consulates which were embassies before the capital was moved to Ankara, and the Art Nouveau buildings of İstiklal Avenue. Church of St. Anthony of Padua, a silent and tranquil spot on this avenue, is visited frequently by devout visitors of every religion. Palaces, summer palaces, castles, and large mansions built by the Ottomans continue to adorn İstanbul. After Topkapı Palace, Yıldız Palace and Dolmabahçe Palace on the shores of the Bosphorus became the residences of the Ottoman sultans. İstanbul is also famous for the elegant wooden houses, known as yalıs, built along the shores of the strait.

Haliç, The Golden Horn

This horn-shaped estuary known as the Golden Horn divides European İstanbul in two. As one of the world’s best natural harbors, the Byzantine and Ottoman navies and their commercial shipping interests were centered here. Today, lovely parks and promenades line the shores where the setting sun casts a golden hue on the water. At Fener and Balat, neighborhoods midway up the Golden Horn, whole streets full of old wooden houses, churches, and synagogues date from Byzantine and Ottoman times, while the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople resides at Fener. Eyüp, a little further up, is full of Ottoman architecture, much of it restored, and cemeteries dotted with dark cypress trees covering the hillsides. Many believers come to the Tomb of Eyüp in the hope that their prayers will be granted. The Pierre Loti Café, atop the hill overlooking the shrine, is a wonderful place to enjoy an alternative view of İstanbul.

The Bosphorus

A stay in İstanbul is not complete without a traditional and unforgettable boat excursion up the Bosphorus, the strait that separates Europe and Asia. Its shores offer a delightful mixture of past and present, grand splendors and simple beauty.

Modern hotels stand next to yalıs (waterfront wooden villas), marble palaces abut on rustic stone fortresses, and elegant compounds neighbor small fishing villages.

The best way to see the Bosphorus is to board one of the passenger boats that regularly zigzag along the shores. Embark at Eminönü and stop alternately on the Asian and European sides of the strait! The round-trip excursion, very reasonably priced, takes about six hours. For those who want a private voyage, there are agencies that specialize in organizing daytime or nighttime mini-cruises.

During the trip you will go past the magnificent Dolmabahçe Palace, while further along you will encounter the green parks and imperial pavilions of Yıldız Palace. Built on the waterfront with parks extending behind it, Çırağan Palace was refurbished in 1874 by Sultan Abdülaziz, and is now restored as a grand hotel. For 300 meters along the Bosphorus shore, its ornate marble facades reflect the swiftly moving water. At Ortaköy, the next stop, every Sunday artists gather to exhibit their work in a street-side gallery where the variety of people create a lively scene. While in Ortaköy, you should sample a tasty kumpir (baked potato) from one of the street vendors. And also note its church, mosque, and synagogue that have existed side by side for hundreds of years – a tribute to Türkiye’s tolerance at grassroots level. Overshadowing İstanbul’s traditional architecture at Ortaköy is one of the world’s largest suspension bridges, the Boğaziçi Bridge, linking Europe and Asia.

Shore Excursion

The beautiful Beylerbeyi Palace lies just past the bridge on the Asian side and behind the palace rises Çamlıca Hill, the highest point in İstanbul. You can drive here to admire the magnificent panorama of İstanbul and the beautiful, landscaped gardens. On the opposite shore, the wooden Ottoman villas of Arnavutköy create a contrast with the luxurious modern apartments of neighboring Bebek. A few kilometers further along the Bosphorus stand the fortresses of Rumeli Hisarı (Rumeli Fortress) and Anadolu Hisarı (Anatolian Fortress) facing each other across the strait like watchful protectors. Göksu Palace, sometimes known as Küçüksu Palace, graces the Asian shore next to Anadolu Hisarı. As the second link between the two continents, the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge straddles the waterway just past these two fortresses.

From Duatepe Hill on the European side you can admire the magnificent panorama of the bridge and the Bosphorus. Below Duatepe, beautiful Emirgan Park bursts with color when its tulips bloom in the spring. On the Asian shore is Kanlıca, a fishing village that is now a favored suburb for affluent İstanbul residents. Crowds gather in the restaurants and cafés along its shores to sample its famous yogurt.

Shortly after Kanlıca and Çubuklu is Beykoz Korusu (İbrahim Paşa Woods), a popular retreat. In its cafés and restaurants, you can enjoy the delightful scenery and clean, fresh air. Back on the European side, at Tarabya Bay, yachts seem to dance at the moorings. The coastal road then bustles with taverns and fish restaurants from Tarabya to the charming suburbs of Sarıyer and Büyükdere. Sarıyer has one of the largest fish markets in İstanbul and is also famous for its delicious varieties of milk puddings and börek (pastries). After Sarıyer, the narrow strait widens and opens into the Black Sea.

Around İstanbul?

The Princes’ Islands, an archipelago of nine islands in the Sea of Marmara, were places of exile for Byzantine princes. Today, during the summer months, İstanbul residents escape to the islands’ cool sea breeze and elegant 19th-century houses.

Büyükada is the largest of the islands. Here you can enjoy a ride e-cart among the pine trees or relax on a beach in one of the numerous coves that ring the island. The other popular islands are Kınalı, Sedef, Burgaz, and Heybeliada. Regular ferryboats connect the islands with both the European and Asian shores, and a faster sea bus service operates from Kabataş in the summer.

Istanbul – Turkey yazısı ilk önce DMC Turquia - Turquia Travel - Global travel, Global events üzerinde ortaya çıktı.