Kokoreç is a food that has Greek heritage made in Istanbul. It’s made in different ways in different Balkan countries and we think you really should give it a try. It’s grilled sheep’s intestines chopped into small pieces and usually served as a sandwich or in a half-loaf bread. The usual tradition is to eat these from a well-known restaurant (such as Mercan or Şampiyon). These can be found in Taksim and Kadikoy.

Midye tava:

The Turkish (and in particular the Istanbulite) way of cooking mussels. Again these should be bought from reputable places. Some can be found in Kadikoy, Taksim and Beşiktaş. The specialty is the tarator sauce; the white sauce seen on the picture with a supposedly secret recipe. It’s typically served in a sandwich or half-bread loaf.

Midye dolma:

Another Turkish way of eating mussels is as a dolma. The best way to do this is to eat the midye dolma as an appetizer, or as a top-up if you feel hungry following a midye or kokorec sandwich.

Lahmacun:

Lahmacun is a Turkish thin-layered minced meat pizza-like food. Most people can eat between 2-4 of them as a main course, and some people like to put salad and onions in it. There are sometimes hot-spiced varieties, and vegetarian variants. It should be safe to eat from any decent kebab house/restaurant. Sometimes a small lahmacun is served as an appetizer before a different kind of kebab.

Işkembe corbasi:

Typically this is a follow up soup after a night out. It helps the stomach deal with the alcohol. Again, typically, it is only eaten at a reputable restaurant, as when done badly it can make you very sick.

Iskender kebap:

Although it’s become more of a global food these days, you’re still encouraged to try İskender kebap for the original deal in a restaurant in Istanbul.

Fish in bread:

An excellent choice of a quick and relatively healthy fast food if you happen to be by the seaside in central Istanbul. You can find fish in bread (balık ekmek) on the shores, particularly around Rumelihisarı and Kadıköy seaside.

Manti:

Delicious pasta filled with minced meat, served topped with yogurt and garlic and spiced with red pepper powder and melted butter. Look for specialized restaurants dedicated to mantı which offer the best.

While different types of döner are typically served on a plate over rice, döner is also sold with pide (long bread) and as dürüm (wrap). The most famous dish of döner is probably the İskender Kebab, in which döner is combined with a tomato sauce and butter, and served with yoghurt.

Eating fish on the Bosphorus is superb! Turkey’s sophisticated culinary culture involving fish stems from the fact that the country is surrounded by seas on three sides. The Bosphorus is a popular fishing ground in Turkey, where many different species of fish with substantially different flavors are caught. For this reason, the area of Istanbul that is most associated with seafood is Boğaziçi. You can sample both seasonal fish and seafood mezes at any restaurants that are found all along the Bosphorus, on both the European and the Asian Side.

Istanbul: A Meyhane Paradise

Meyhanes are unique locations. Alcohol is drunk, and special mezes are eaten with rakı. Deep conversations take place, troubles are cast away, and the music starts up and the dance begins. Meyhanes are indispensable locations for conversations among friends.

The history of meyhane culture among Turks stretches back to the 15th century. In those times, this culture was prevalent in neighborhoods of Galata, Tahtakale, Ortaköy, Tarabya, Kumkapı, Balık Pazarı, Kadıköy, Yeniköy and Çengelköy, which were inhabited by non-Muslim communities. In the area near the Galata Tower alone, there were hundreds of meyhanes.

The King Of The Table: Rakı

Rakı, an alcoholic beverage with a history not as old as that of wine or beer, was first produced by the Ottomans. Because rakı was known as “lion’s milk”, it was served in containers decorated with embossed figures of lions. In fact, the color of rakı does indeed resemble milk. Rakı is produced from the razaki grape, and, in the past, was known by such names as “araka” and “araki”.

First, water is added to both dry and fresh grapes. After the mixture becomes must (unfermented grape juice), the process of fermentation begins. Later, after this mixture is distilled, its extraction becomes a type of alcohol known as “suma” (in essence, rakı before it has been flavored with anise). Finally, after aniseed is added, the suma is fermented again, and turns into rakı.

Rakı must be drunk according to certain customs. Above all, rakı must be consumed slowly at a table set specifically for this purpose, adorned with different kinds of mezes, hot dishes, meats, and fruit. Rakı can either be drunk with water or dry, and ice may be added to it if so desired.

The Exquisite Flavor Of Kebabs

Kebab is the name generally given to different types of meat that are roasted over a coal fire. Among the most common types of kebab are the spicy Adana kebab and the mild Urfa kebab, both of which are made out of mincemeat; and shish kebabs, made out of small pieces of veal or lamb. Kebabs are typically served with different types of vegetables, such as peanuts, tomatoes, and eggplant.

Kebabs are typically eaten at restaurants known as “grillrooms” (ocakbaşı), where one can sit around the coal fire and dine while watching the different stages of grilling that occur. Kebabs can also be eaten with various condiments as dürüm (wrap); it is even possible to eat on your feet at dürüm restaurants.

Lahmacun: Turkish Fast Food

Lahmacun is a dish particular to Turkey’s Southeastern cuisine. It is made from a mixture of onions, spices and mincemeat, which is spread over a thin layer of dough and cooked over a coal flame. Lahmacun can be either spicy or mild, there is a similar dish known “peymacun”, which is made with a mixture of cheese and parsley. It is often eaten as a wrap with condiments. Ayran (a salty yoghurt drink) is the most appropriate beverage.

Fruit Syrup: A Sweet Voyage

Fruit syrup (şerbet), which is prepared by boiling fruits such as apricots, cherries, plums, and oranges together with sugar or honey, is a traditional Turkish drink that originated in Ottoman times. Fruit syrup was an essential part of both palace cuisine and home cooking during the Ottoman era. It was so popular then that one could easily find fresh types of fruit syrup, stored in glass containers, at candy shops every day.

Today, fruit syrup is typically drunk with a meal, and is often offered to guests. In particular, it is customary to offer fruit syrup when making visits to a family to propose a marriage engagement or after the birth of a child.

Narghile!

The term narghile (hookah, or water-pipe) comes from the Persian word nargil, which means coconut. Narghiles play an important part in many Eastern cultures, and first became a part of Turkish culture in the 16th century, during Ottoman times. The narghile is a crucial aspect of deep conversations in our own time. Narghile cafes are certainly prominent in many areas of Istanbul. Above all, a large number of narghile cafes are found in the neighborhoods of Tophane, Çemberlitaş, Beyoğlu and Kadıköy.

Simit: A Sesame Feast

Simit is one of the most traditional and common types of Turkish food. It is made from flour, formed in the shape of a ring and cooked in an oven, and is typically covered with a large quantity of sesame seeds. Simit is both inexpensive and flavorsome.

One can find fresh simit at every hour of the day in bakeries and shops that sell baked flour goods. You also might encounter simit merchants, with their glass-pane wagons, walking along the city’s bustling streets. In the past few years, several simit chain restaurants, which only sell different types of simit have become popular.

Turkish traditional flavors in istanbul

How About A Bubbly Turkish Coffee?

The coffee plant was brought to the Arabic Peninsula by merchants coming from Ethiopia in the 10^th century. Its first use that is similar to the current is seen in around the Mocha city in Yemen in the form of “drinking coffee juice”. Those who used the coffee in roasted form first have been the Turks. Traditions reigning for hundreds of years are effective on the whole process ranging from cooking to the service of the Turkish coffee that is produced by means of milling the Arabica-type high-quality coffee beans.

This special hot drink is brewed in special pots called “cezve”. The tastiest Turkish coffee is brewed gradually in copper coffeepot over low flame. The Turkish coffee with great flavor and taste is served in petty cups accompanied with one glass of water. For many Turkish people, nothing can take the place of abundantly bubbled Turkish coffee.

Our ancestors already emphasize it by expressing “A cup of coffee has a memory of forty years!”

A Peculiar And Unique Taste: Turkish Delight

Among the leading foods well known as a traditional Turkish flavor in all over the world and offered to guests comes the Turkish delight. Starch and sugar solution constitutes the raw material of this traditional sweet especially preferred for offering to guests. It is rendered more attractive by integrating supplements such as almond, pistachio nut, hazelnut, cream and rose. Turkish delight stands are ranked high among the foods offered to the guests.

The history of Turkish delight dates back to the 14^th and 15^th centuries. It was initially made of grape molasses and honey and then refined sugar in the midst of the 18^th century.

Well-steeped Tea Delight In Thin Elegant Glass

Turkey is one of the biggest tea producers in the world. Tea comes second after water among beverages that are highly consumed throughout the country. The Turkish people have their breakfast in the morning in accompaniment with tea. Showing variation from country to country, the tea culture has acquired a peculiar nature over years in Turkey. Tea is brewed in a special cooking appliance called “çaydanlık” (teakettle) and this process is called as “çay demleme” (steeping)”.

Anyhow, the vital spot of brewing tea in Turkish style lies in this “steeping” process. After the water put into the lower section of the teakettle that is composed of two parts boils, it is added over tea preliminarily put in the upper part, the teapot. The flame is reduced and the tea is allowed to steeping. After well-steeping over light flame, the tea is served in thin elegant glasses.

As Turkish tea has an influential taste and effect like the Turkish coffee, again thinner glasses are preferred for service.

The Fish In Bosphorus Is Distinctive!

Fish culture in Turkey, a peninsula enclosed by sea from the three sides, is quite sophisticated. This culture has reached its climax in Istanbul, a city through which a sea passes. The portion of the city that has got the most share of pleasure from this culture is undoubtedly the Bosphorus line.

It is possible for you to enjoy thousand varieties of tastes made up of fish in the restaurants located along this line. Traditional Turkish appetizers produced by flavors extracted from sea may be good starters for your meal. Rakı will for sure accompany your meal.

The Most Special Turkish Dessert: Baklava

Here is the traditional Turkish dessert: Baklava… An indispensable sweet of the Turkish cuisine, baklava is the traditional dessert of national festivals.

It is a pastry of phyllo dough and nuts. Phyllo is a simple flour-and-water dough that is stretched to paper thinness and cut into sheets on trays. Dry fruits such as walnut and pistachio nut are sprinkled among the sheets. Next, after the trays are baked, hot sauces composed of sugar and water are poured on the sheet and then allowed to cool down.

This traditional dessert may be tasted with ice cream or cream on it.

Enjoy The Traditional Delight: Hookah (Nargile)

It is not definite which community used hookah first. However, it is known that its involvement in the Turkish culture dates back to the 17^th century during the period of the Ottoman Empire. Smoked in a period of 2-2.5 hours on average daily, hookah was employed as a tool for “chitchat” at that time. Admired by women as well as men, hookah had a function during the period of Ottoman Empire of bringing people together. Being a traditional delight, hookah survives in hookah cafés today.

The hookah is composed of four sections namely the mouthpiece, fold (upper section), frame (the lower section filled with water) and flexible tube. A special oak wood is used to fire the hookah. It introduces a pleasant aroma into the hookah. Furthermore, various tobacco options are offered to those wishing to garnish the hookah delight with miscellaneous flavors such as banana, apple and cocoa.

The Guest Of Honor Of The Çilingir Sofrasi (Snacks Table): Raki

Today, the whole world accepts the fact that rakı was first produced within the boundaries of the Ottoman State. The reason for why calling rakı as the “lion’s milk” is that it was served in ancient Ottoman pubs in lion-engraved cups and further due to its milk-like color. It is thought that the word “Rakı” comes from the Razaki type grapes used in the preparation of arrack, or according to another view its origin is “arak” that is derived from roots of the date fruit in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The inclusion of arrack in our life dates back to the second half of 1800’s. While depicted as the sign of masculinity in the past, rakı is a beverage also admired by the women today. It can be drunk straight or with water. rakı is usually drunk at table called “Çilingir sofrası” set with rich meat dishes, hors d´oeuvres and fruits.

Let Sherbet Sweeten Your Taste!

Sherbet is one of the traditional beverages since the Ottoman period. It is prepared by usually boiling fruits such as cherry, orange, apricot and plum and then adding sugar or honey on it. The sherbets have also different varieties prepared with violet, bergamot, rose and lemon.

It can accompany your meals or be offered to guests. It is known that in the Ottoman traditions, it was offered to the guests in the palace. Offering sherbet as a drink to people that have come to visit the mother and her newborn baby is still a common tradition.

A Tasty Stand-up Snack: Simit

Simit is a ring-shaped, savory roll baked in oven and covered with sesame seeds. Simit is the traditional and most common representative of stand-up snacks.

Offered for sale in barrows equipped with display window in around all busiest streets of Istanbul, simit was upgraded to a food served in various forms in various menus at special simit shops for a couple of years due to the high interest it has received. It is offered in olive, sausage and kashar cheese-added varieties.

Thanks to its both affordable price and well-known taste, it is very commonly consumed.

Traditional Fast Food: Lahmacun

It is a sort of food introduced by the Southeastern cuisine. It is a kind of pancake with spicy meat filling and onion and baked in stove. In addition to its spicy and non-spicy varieties, lahmacun for vegetarians is also offered recently. Peymacun that is prepared with cheese is another variety of this food.

It is in thin and round shape and eaten in rolled form. The beverage that most commonly accompanies lahmacun is ayran.

A Sui Generis Flavor: Badem Ezmesi (Almond Paste)

It is a sort of sweet prepared with almond that is cultivated for 3500 years in Iranand China. It is a traditional sweet having its origin in the Ottoman palaces in Edirne, the capital city of the Ottoman State at a period. It is a sweet variety cooked with almond’s kernel, sugar and egg’s white in a formable consistency.

The soft almond paste is used as a filling agent in pastries and candies. The almond’s kernel is scalded, peeled, dried and then pounded into powder form. Sherbet is poured on pounded almond and then thoroughly mixed. Sometimes some fragrant agents are supplemented into the almond paste during kneading or grated coconut is sprinkled over it.

If you happen to go to Bebek, do not neglect to stop by the renowned Bebek Badem Ezmecisi (Bebek Pounded Almond Shop).

You Will Be Addicted To This Flavor: Kebab

It is Eastern Mediterranean and Southeastern Anatolia origin. It is a traditional meat dish cooked in fireplace over the coal flame. The most widespread examples of this dish are the Adanaand Urfakebab prepared with minced meat. Shish kebab that is grilled on on a stick have varieties such as red chopped meat shish or chicken shish.

It is served on plate together with various garnitures and can also be eaten in rolled bread as well. We highly prefer you to enjoy the kebab varieties in special meat restaurants called “ocakbaşı (fireside)” in Istanbul, sitting around a huge coal fireplace and watching the entire process of cooking kebab.

There Is No Way Of Neglecting Döner!

It is type of kebab that is derived from the method of roasting lamb on a spit over fire that is traditionally performed in special days, feasts and other ceremonies. Starting on the second half of the 19^th century, Doner kebab was first prepared with red meat but then sausage and chicken doner types began to get widespread.

Doner varieties are offered on plate and also enjoyed in rolled bread. The type of doner that is prepared with butter and tomato paste sauce and generally served with yoghurt is known as “Iskender Kebap”. Doner stands among the mostly consumed foods.

Meyhane & Pubs

“I wandered around all the pubs of Istanbul tonight”*

Pubs are places where people eat, drink, go into deep chats and have heart-to-heart talks with each other. The pub delight enjoyed in accompaniment with special appetizers and rakı is irreplaceable.

*Münir Nurettin Selçuk

The introduction of Turks with the pub culture dates back to the 15^th century. At that period, the pub culture was mainly prevailing in districts such as Galata, Tahtakale, Kadıköy, Ortaköy, Tarabya, Kumkapı, Balık pazarı, Yeniköy and Çengelköy accommodating predominantly the non-Muslims. In the region around the Galata tower, there are around 200 pubs. This district was being commemorated with the pubs there.

During the Ottoman Period, there were three kinds of pubs such as “regular”, “established” and “mobile” pubs. Today, mainly in Balık Pazarı in Beyoğlu, there are various pubs in the Kumkapı, Adalar and Bosphorus region.

Everybody loves desserts. Pudding, cake, ice cream, tiramisu… But Turkish desserts are different. They are often naturally sweet and creatively spiced. You will love them.

Here are the top Turkish desserts…

Baklava

The most known Turkish dessert is, of course, baklava (sweet pastry). Layers of phyllo dough and chopped nuts are sweetened with syrup or honey, then cut into individual servings.

Künefe

Künefe is a kind of sweet pastry and it has got cheese in it. You should have Künefe, when it’s still hot.

Lokma

This dessert is like doughnut with syrup. The difference is; lokma is fried dough.They are flavored with honey, sugar syrup, or cinnamon.

Ekmek Kadayıfı

Ekmek Kadayıfı is a version of bread pudding that served with kaymak (a type of milk cream). This dessert is one of the sweetest desserts of Turkish culture.

Helva

Helva or halva is a dense dessert. Halva means sweet. There is a flour-based version that is more gelatinous, whereas the nut, butter, and sugar-based version crumble more easily.

Aşure

Aşure is mostly cooked in houses at a certain time of the year known as Aşure month (according to the Islamic Calendar) and shared with relatives and neighbors. You can find it in restaurants easily too. It contains wheat, rice, beans, chickpeas, sugar, dried fruits, and nuts.

Raki is a sweetened, often anise-flavored alcoholic drink that is very popular in Turkey, it is often served with seafood, it is the go to spirit for celebrating a birthday or a promotion, and however you can’t just drink it anywhere, at any time, with anyone.

Different occasions call for different kind of Raki, a Raki-fueled night often ends with people dancing on tables and chairs, on such nights, the Raki gathering becomes a kind of group gathering to celebrate, in which a friend got engaged or married. Mostly it begins with a gentle subjects of work and daily life, having a glass or two of Raki later, it moves on to matters of the heart and deep communications.

The Famous Ayran:

Ayran, which is also known as the non-alcoholic national drink of Turkey, a yogurt-based refreshment, it is very easy to make one on your own by mixing its ingredients (Yogurt, Water, and Salt).

As much as the locals love ayran (it goes well with shish and kebabs), the drink is not well known for celebrations. Ayran actually is a summer drink, it is usually served as an appetizer, it goes really well as mentioned above with shish and kebabs, many street foods can be eaten with an Ayran in your hand, you can drink it as it is or by adding some mint to it.

The Turkish Tea Or Çay:

The Turkish Tea is not like any other black tea, it is big in Turkey, a way if life for Turkish culture, one of the best drinks in Turkey, it means a lot to the population, they admire this drink, whether it is winter or summer, it is indeed a quick way to relax and chill, Turkish tea is full-flavored and too strong to be served in big glasses, it is always served in little tulip shaped cups, which by the way you have to hold it by the rim to save your fingers from burning, it is served hot all the time.

During breakfast, tea is one of the main components of the Turkish breakfast, you can’t have a Turkish breakfast without a Turkish tea, you will feel that something is missing from the table.

The Turkish tea is consumed massively throughout the country, in public cafe’s, or restaurants, or at brunch, even when you are just relaxing or reading your favorite book, tea will bee there to give a refreshment company.

Take your daily does of caffaine from the amazing Turkish Coffee

There are many things you need to know about the famous Turkish coffee, derived from the Arabica bean and composed of a very fine grind, the Turkish coffee became famous all around the world for both its strong taste and dark brown color.

It is not just a normal traditional drink, with its amazing taste, the Turkish coffee is very popular for the locals for fortune telling, once you are finished with your coffee,close the cup with the saucer,and flip the cup and wait for coffee grounds to slip down, leaving marks all around the cup representing the past and the future of the drinker, once the cup is cooled, the shapes left by the coffee grounds can be read.

If you want to know more about the Turkish coffee, the best way is to go with a guide to know how to make the perfect Turkish coffee and taste delicious coffees.

Şalgam Or Şalgam Suyu:

It is pronounced “Shalgam”, it is a local drink prepared for a daily consumption or for a meal appetizer, and it goes back from southern Turkey cities as Adana, Hatay, Cappadocia, Tarsus, Mersin, and Izmir.

The main ingredient is red carrots, then bulgur-cracked wheat-yeast, salt and water.

As much as kebab conquered all cities in Turkey, so did Şalgam suyu, it is available all year long in markets, though it is recommended to choose the organic type of brand while buying it, not just for its mere good but also because it is the closest one to the original homemade juice, while you are touring around the old cities of Turkey check the corners for carts selling the juice, it is best served there with a slice of red carrot, and you are welcomed to sit down on a small table, then have a sip of the juice and chat with the vendor.

As you see Turkey has a lot of famous drinks spreading across the world, made with fresh ingredients and a smiley face, while you are in Turkey have a nice drink whether it’s alcoholic or non-alcoholic and have a nice chilled experience.

,Of all the things we should talk about, first is that they serve the richest coffee without any extras or over making it, in addition to their indoor and outdoor seating, they offer the coziest environment to drink your coffee with a calm mind, and don’t forget the cheesecake they serve, it is both light and creamy just so that you can the best bite with your Turkish coffee, and last but not least their amazing service with a smiley face while serving your order. The place is located in Beyoğlu close to Galatasaray bus station that could lead you to visit precious places such as Istiklal street passing by Galata tower after refill your energy with a Turkish coffee.

Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi:

If you are in the Spice Bazaar in Eminönü, pass by one of the famous Turkish coffee brewery in town, because why not its being your main destination to visit, you can smell the coffee beans being roasted from the beginning of the Bazaar to its end, the long line of people you see waiting outside is a spectacular evidence of the quality of the coffee there, you can watch the staff working from outside while they prepare and roast the coffee beans, it is an amazing view while you are waiting for your coffee to be prepared, if you find yourself satisfied with their coffee you can pick up freshly ground coffee powder packages to take with you after you leave, so you can bring home one of the delicious Turkish coffee ever made as you are there do not hesitate to take the ferry way one station crossing from Eminönü to the Asian side to Üskudar area a short trip that could last for 10 to 15 minutes passing by an amazing views on the Bosphorus and on the wonderful green hills and spaces of Istanbul surrounding you from all sides reaching to the spectacular sightseeing area of Istanbul that always comes with a Turkish coffee with the amazing view on the Kız Kulesi fascinates you with the city more and more.

Drink You Coffee With Astonishing View At Pierre Loti Café:

The view of which this coffee shop offers you is definitely worth drinking your coffee at, alongside your loved ones and partners or even friends, you can check the beauty and magic of the Eyüp district, the coffee shop sits on top of the hill offering views over Sarayburnu and the magnificent Golden Horn, the staff there wear the traditional Ottoman clothes, this place is astonishing to check out and have a cup of coffee whether it is morning or afthernoon or even in the evening it is always perfect to live that in Istanbul and that what this city gives you, enjoyment perfection during the 24/7 all year.

Fazil Bey’s Turkish Coffee:

Located in Kadıköy Bazaar,open since 1923, fazıl Bey’s Turkish coffee offers you a traditional coffee experience with locals pouring down every day to get their daily dose of caffeine, in fact the store is one of the city’s oldest popular shop, it is a two-storey shop, with its relaxing and enjoyable environment, and beautiful antiques like gold coffee machines that serves and roast your coffee in a professional manner, you will get the best out of your coffee while sitting there enjoying your time whether it is alone or with your friends and loved ones, the café serves a wide variations of coffee flavors, in addition to their amazing almond cookies. This coffee shop is a cozy place to spend your afternoon at.

Turkey does not leave you a chance to resist it or not to get charmed by every detail of beautifulness and love.

Coffee is not only a drink in Turkey, it is a tradition it is a habit it is a hospitality and welcoming drink.

One of our charming, funny traditional habits: when I guy wants to ask his wanted woman to merry him, he must drink a coffee with salts and other spices (depends on the bride) to proof the bride that he is going to accept her and be there for her through difficulties.

A lot of pickle shops used to be in the side streets of Istanbul in the past when viscera were bought from offal shops, desserts from pastry shops and pickles from pickle shops. Having been located especially around Cemberlitas, Laleli and Fatih suburbs, these pickle shops couldn’t survive because of hard financial conditions that came with competition. Old pickle shops like Cemberlitas Tursucusu (pickle shop), Tursucu Sukru (Sukru the Pickle Seller) and Meraklı Tursucusu (Meraklı Pickleshop) have closed down. But there are still surviving pickle shops that continue their historical profession. Ozcan Tursuları in Kadıkoy’s Fish Market, Soydan Tursuları across from the Beşiktaş Fish Market, Uludağ Tursuları in Fatih and Pelit Tursuları in Kurtulus are some of these. We knocked on their doors one by one, sharing our thoughts and feelings about pickles. We asked each of them the question: how is the best pickle prepared? With lemon juice or with vinegar?

Petek Pickleshop:

Petek Tursulari is run by Halil Arı of Konya origins, and has been serving the Beyoglu Fish Market for 35 years. He used to be a partner of Pelit Tursulari, now he is continuing his profession alone. Kadir Topbas, Çetin Atlan, Mehmet Agar, Bulent Ersoy, Sibel Can, Ata Demirer are famous customers of this shop. In addition to classical pickles, egg, mushroom, plum, okra, apple, pomegranate, corn and melon skin pickles are his specialties. Halil Bey (Mr.Halil) tells us that pickles can be made both with vinegar and lemon juice, plus the salt. For example, with gherkin, tomato and Cengelkoy-type cucumber pickles both vinegar and lemon juice are used. But for cabbage and green pepper pickles only salt should be added. Since they are preparing pickles in terms of tons Halil Bey says that it is not possible to obtain the same taste in house preparation and he advises housewives who want to prepare their own pickles at home to use only salt and adds: “They don’t need to prepare it by themselves. I invite them to buy from us’’

Ozcan Pickleshop:

Ozcan Tursuları (Pickleshop) is one of the oldest shops in Kadikoy’s Fishmarket. Established in 1956 and having been run by three brothers that inherited this profession from their father after long years of being his apprentices. The oldest one of three brothers, Bahattin Bey, tells us that once upon a time in Kadikoy, Hakkı Usta (Master Hakkı) and Mardif Usta (Master Mardif) used to be the best pickle shop owners in Kadıkoy. In this shop, there are even 6-7 types of pepper pickles- plus banana peppers, thin green peppers, Albanian peppers and others. For the preparation of the pickles, both lemon juice and vinegar can be used but the one prepared with lemon juice is for summer. Especially Cengelkoy-style cucumber should be made with lemon juice, tomatoes with a little vinegar and the carrot without either vinegar or lemon juice. Since cabbage changes color, vinegar is never applied- only salt is added. In the past, young and raw grape pickles used to be prepared in earthenware jars and were buried in the soil in gardens for protection. He insists that homemade pickles will not taste as good as his and he adds: “I can not cook as well as a housewife and the housewives can not prepare pickles as good as I do”. Pickles are prepared from fruit and vegetables that are specially grown for pickle preparation. Therefore, pickles can and should not be prepared from the fruit and vegetables that are bought from green grocers, especially not from the ones grown in greenhouses.

Soydan Pickleshop:

Soydan Tursuları (Pickleshop) has been serving for four generations in its shop located across from Besiktas Fishmarket. Cetin Bey has been running his business for eight years. When the family migrated from Karabuk to Istanbul, they started their pickle profession in Ortakoy, and then they moved their shop to Besiktas. As their specialties, they have pickles made from peach, young and raw melon, plum and cauliflower. They prepare sweet pickles made to customer specifications. The reason for that is the expiry date of sweet pickles is shorter than the standard ones because when the salt and vinegar is added to sweet pickles it turns sour more rapidly. Soydan brand pickles have foreign customers from Germany and United Kingdom. Famous customers of Soydan pickles are Arif Susam, Mustafa Erdogan, Tugba Ozay, Ahu Turkpence and the football players of Besiktas Football Team. Çetin Bey tells us that the pickles that can survive a very long time during the winter season but must be consumed in a maximum of one month in the summer season. In natural pickles, the top surface of the container contains a special layer that is formed by the passing time and it is called kaymak (cream). This layer formation does not cause the pickles to be ruined, it is only the salt inside the mixture that has floated to the surface. Therefore mixing the top layer of the pickle jar with a spoon is recommended.

Uludag Pickleshop:

Uludag Pickleshop, serving since 1950-1955 , is one of the oldest surviving pickleshops of the Fatih district, and is located in Yavuzselim Street. This is the second generation of pickle makers and they follow the master and apprentice tradition. With the arrival and growth of supermarkets in the pickle market, pre-packed pickles have been started to be preferred by consumers and their sector has been weakened, says Mehmet Gokkaya. He adds that there is a great difference between the tastes of their pickles and the ones prepared in factories. Ready-made ones are pasteurized and are prepared in a single day. In the factories, the vegetables are prepared in boiling water and placed in vinegar, quickly becoming pickles, but the pickles prepared by Uludag need at least one month preservation. Uludag Tursuları receives different types of vegetables and fruits from different cities. They buy their vegetables from Izmir, Afyon, Tekirdag and Bursa. In the pickles, they apply vinegar for the pickle preparation but he adds onşy the amount of lemon juice that is requested by the customer. The recipe for the preparation of cabbage pickle:

Cabbage Pickle: Cabbage is one of the easiest vegetables for pickle preparation. Approximately 1 kilogram of cabbage is sliced. To one liter of water add 800 grams of rock salt. And upon your wish one fistful of chickpea can be added.

Pelit Pickleshop:

Pelit Tursuları has been running since 1968 in the main street of Kurtulus. The preparation site of the pickles used to be in Eyup-Nisancılar, but since the climate and water were more suitable, they moved the preparation site to Gedelek Village. Metin Kurucay has been working for Pelit Pickleshop that has dealer shops in Kocamustafapasa, Ferikoy and Besiktas for approximately 10 years. Run and presented by Oktay Pelit, in Pelit Pickleshop there are 35 types of pickles. Okra, cauliflower, apple, pear and watermelon pickles are their specialities. Metin Bey tells us that pickles are to be consumed in a shorter time period are prepared with lemon juice and the ones that need longer are prepared with vinegar. Stating that Cemil İpekci, Bülent Ersoy and Savas Ay are some of their famous customers, he adds that the day after a movie named Neseli Gunler (Happy Days) was on TV a lot of people rushed into their shops to buy pickles. Today the traditional way to prepare pickles is slowly dying. Hypermarkets, delicatessen and the cheap pickles prepared in factories are the main reasons for that. But for the followers that have the taste of true pickles prepared with totally natural ingredients, pickle shops will survive.

Cucumber Pickles From Haci Abdullah Restaurant:

Located on a side street near the Aga Camii (Mosque) on Istiklal Street, Hacı Abdullah restaurant has been operating since 1888 and is one of the most famous restaurants in Istanbul. This restaurant is famous for its Ottoman Cuisine, which is represented in its shop window, and serves marvelous types of pickles to its customers. They prepare their own pickles with the vegetables they have been purchasing from the same supplier for approximately 70 years. From cardoon to oak acorn, gherkin and eggplant, they have various kinds of pickles. Being in the restaurant sector for more than 45 years, Abdullah Bey tells us that there used to be very famous pickle shops in every suburb of Istanbul in the past. Şükrü in Carsıkapı and Tahir in Besiktas are the pickle shop owners he remembers immediately. Abdullah Bey insists that the taste of the pickles that our mothers used to prepare at home can never be replaced by the shop pickles and told us the formula of preparing the type of pickle that we couldn’t get at the other pickle shops.

Cucumber pickle: 1 kilograms of cucumber is washed. 750 grams of vinegar, a number of garlic cloves are then added. Considering the season, leaves of celeriac or if not available some parsley can be added. After you add a fistful of chickpeas, 400 to 450 grams of rock salt is added and the cap of the glass jar is closed. After waiting for 15 to 20 days, the pickle is ready to be served.

A Small Walk In History

Haci Bekir:

The main branch of Haci Bekir is located in the heart of the city, in Taksim Beyoğlu in the Istiklal street, where else to be expected! He started his first business in 1777 as a small shop to sell lokum. He started to became famous in 1820s. Now he has different branches and he opened a branch in Ankara too. His menu is professional and very attractive, he has mere lokum, rosewater lokum, pistachio lokum, gummy lokum, lokum with Turkish coffee, and lokum chocolate and more! His menu includes different kinds of halvah and other products too. You can get your order online and it will get to your home directly. His website has a “send a gift” service which you can choose from the lokum or any other product to be in a special boxing to be ready to be presented to someone. Being original and cozy is rare these times so consider Haci Bekir as a first in his profession.

Hafiz Mustafa:

Hafiz Mustafa is confectionery shop which had been opened since 1864. And right now, he is one of the most famous highest quality confectionery shops in Istanbul. He has menu full of colors and kinds of Lokum and other candies and confectioneries. He has a lot of Baklava kinds and shapes, a great Lokum menu and some drinks as well. The Lokum varies in flavors in his shop with pomegranate, mint, orange, rose leaves, limon, strawberry, double pistachios and more! He has some special kinds too which is made by mixing two or more flavors at the same time like pistachio with rosewater lokum, orange with hazelnuts, pomegranate with pistachios, and also double pistachio stuffed chocolate covered lokum. He has 4 branches in Istanbul, Sirkeci, Eminönü, Sultanahmet and Taksim.

Altan Şekerleme:

It had been opened since 1865. It is one of the biggest brands in confectioneries in Istanbul. The main branch is located in Eminönü Istanbul. The place and the profession had been inherited from the grandfather to the father and then their sons. As any confectionery shop in Istanbul, not only Lokum but different kinds of other products they produce. They have chocolate, Halva, purees and Lokum. Their Lokum menu is quite cozy and delightful. They serve Lokum with coconut powder, Caramel Lokum, coconut powder with hazelnuts Lokum, Antep pistachio Lokum, rose flavored with hazelnuts Lokum. They have a plenty of candies and sugary. It is one of the majestic confectionery shops in Istanbul so consider visit it and pick some gifts with you back to home.

In Turkey, they have a very strong beautiful well rooted history in food and confectioneries. It is of the tradition to serve the Turkish Coffee with one or two pieces of Lokum to decorate the coffee cup and to add some good taste to make your day!

Meat Doner

Doner is an old Turkish meal that has now grown popular in many Western nations. An open flame gently grills a compressed lamb and beef mixture spinning on a vertical rotisserie. The cone of doner meat is roasted by the flame as it spins and then carefully cut down in extremely thin slices with a very long knife. The meat is then served with your choice of delicious tomatoes, onions, lettuce, yogurt, and potatoes on bread or lavas wrap (durum). 

Lahmacun

Lahmacun is a circular, extremely thin flatbread topped with minced meat and a combination of vegetables, herbs, and spices. The term “Turkish pizza” is a frequent misnomer. There is no cheese in lahmacun, and it has nothing to do with pizza other than the fact that it is also cooked in an oven. It comes with a handful of parsley and lemon, which you sprinkle on top of the heated lahmacun. Then you wrap it up and enjoy it. Katerina fell in love with Turkish lahmacun, which is also very inexpensive. 

Baklava

Baklava and kadayif, those sweet, nutty, flaky pastries, are the most well-known Turkish sweets outside of Turkey. The most renowned baklava comes from the towns of Gaziantep and Urfa in southern Turkey. They take great care in making it, from rolling the thinnest sheets of fresh filo dough to choosing and crushing the nuts. Until the 1990s, Baklava was only served as a celebration dessert in Turkey during the religious holidays of Ramadan and the Sacrifice feast. 

Where To Eat Baklava In Istanbul?

Güllüolu is a well-known Turkish baklava restaurant in Kadikoy, Istanbul. Over five generations, this store has attracted millions of Turkish and international baklava enthusiasts. Güllüoglu is renowned for being the first location in Istanbul to bake baklava in the Turkish firin (Turkish Oven). This store has just one location in Istanbul, and its brand is well-known for the Galata Tower and Nadir Güllü logos, which set it apart from many other establishments in the city. When visiting Güllüoglu, you may sample classic baklava flavors including pistachio and walnut baklava, as well as contemporary baklava flavors like chocolate baklava and carrot slices baklava. 

Turkish Coffee

Because the marc is present in the cup, this coffee differs from our traditional coffee. Take care not to drink it! When ordering a Turkish coffee, you must indicate the cooking method, as well as the quantity of sugar you want in it. After you’ve finished your coffee, you may read your future in the coffee’s markings. Return your cup to the saucer; just wait till the cup cools before returning it; the lingering traces are foretellings of your destiny! You can drink the best Turkish coffee in the many coffee shops in Taksim, where you also will find some amazing deserts!

Mezes aren't for the starving, but for those who want to satisfy their eyes and taste buds. The main meal usually consists of kebabs or fish. It's fine to eat only meze or to get a personalized plate of smaller dishes called a "meze tabağı" Restaurants often have refrigerated display cabinets full of mezes, while others bring sample meals to the table. You don't get to sample them, only choose from what's available. Meze is difficult to choose from. Here are some traditional Turkish mezes. 

Classics first:

Acılı Ezme

"Acılı Ezme" comprises mashed tomatoes, green peppers, onions, garlic, and lemon juice. Olive oil, red pepper paste, paprika flakes, pomegranate molasses, and mint add a Turkish flavour. Some are spicier than others, but "acılıl" indicates spicy.

Haydari

This delightful meze is built on yoghurt, garlic, and spices like dill and mint.

Eggplants

There are many eggplant-based mezes in Turkey. The layman may find the food names and preparations bewildering.

Şakşuka

"Baba ghanoush" is the most popular eggplant meze in Turkey and the Middle East. Eggplant is roasted with green peppers, tomatoes, parsley, olive oil, and tomato sauce.

Köpoğlu

"Köpoğlu" is a meal made of eggplant, green peppers, and tomatoes in a garlicky yogurt sauce.

Patlıcan Salatası

"Patlcan Salatası" means eggplant salad in Turkish. This salad comprises of smoked eggplant and roasted red peppers combined in olive oil and lemon juice. Some locations serve smoked eggplant, garlic, and yogurt as eggplant salad. Yourtlu patlcan salatas is this meze.

Beans

Hummus

Once you experience Turkish hummus, you'll never want it any other way. In Turkey, this chickpea dip is served on clay plates and topped with sizzling pastirma or pine nuts after being baked in the oven.

Barbunya Pilaki

"Barbunya pilaki" is a bean-based meze. Barbunya is the borlotti bean, often called the cranberry bean. Pilaki is a cooking method in which beans or fish are cooked with onions, garlic, tomatoes, carrots, and parsley in olive oil.

Taze Fasulye

"Taze fasulye" is long green beans cooked with onions, tomatoes, and olive oil. "Börülce" uses whole or shelled black-eyed peas.

Bakla

In Turkey, broad beans are either shelled or left in their green casings and prepared with sautéed onions, ample dill weed, olive oil, and lemon juice to become the meze called “zeytinyağlı bakla” or the whole mixture can be blended into a thick paste, which can be served in slices when cold or as a hot puree and is called “fava.”

Veggies

Denizbörülcesi

While samphire, or "deniz börülcesi" in Turkish, is succulent, it is blanched and dressed in olive oil, smashed garlic, and lemon juice like most seasonal greens.

Semizotu

This moderate meze has purslane, garlic, and yogurt.

Havuç Tarator

"Havuç tarator" combines sauteed grated carrots, garlic, and yogurt. In another form, zucchini is substituted for carrots, and the meze is named "kabak borani"

Atom

"Atom" is a meze of roasted peppers blended into garlicky yogurt, so beware

These days, the "starter" of a dinner is almost always the first course, and it is typically served soon before the "main" course. There is a wide variety of choices for starters, some of which can be served hot (such as vol-au-vents and soufflés), while others can be served cold (such as cold cuts and patés). However, in the context of a more formal meal, they can be served after the soup or the hors d'oeuvres course. In this particular instance, the appetizer is served not as the first course of dinner but rather after the second or third main dish has been had. The size of the dishes that make up a starter is greater than that of an appetizer. They are served at the beginning of the meal as a way to whet the appetite without being unduly filling and are made up of a mix of hot and cold items that are passed around the table.

Starters’ Changes Over The Centuries

Nowadays, it seems natural for a meal to have three courses: an appetizer, an entrée, and a dessert. But formal dinners in France, and later in the rest of Europe, were divided into several courses, each made up of several dishes, from the 16th century until the 19th century. Service à la française, or French-style service, refers to this method of accommodating customers. The various delicacies offered in each course were available for the guests to help themselves. There were more courses as there were more guests. Typically, a minimal three-course meal would consist of three courses: the first course of soups, hors d'oeuvres, and starters; the second course of roasts, cold cuts, vegetables, and entremets; and the third course of sweets (pastries, fruit, sorbets, ice cream and petits fours). There was always a special place for soup. It was not placed on the table with the other dishes during service à la française; rather, it was served simultaneously to each guest at the beginning of the meal and primarily in the evening.

Throughout the course of the 19th century, service à la russe, sometimes known as Russian-style service, steadily supplanted service à la française in popularity. This type of service is still in use today. This kind of service features hors d'oeuvres, an appetizer, a main course, and a dessert course. Each course is comprised of a singular dish, which is presented to the diners simultaneously in the form of their individual portion on a plate. When there are a number of different appetizers, all of them are served at the same time.

Hors d'oeuvres and Appetisers

The food provided with an aperitif is not the same as hors d'oeuvres, which are a formal component of the meal. Additionally, it might be challenging to distinguish between starters and hors d'oeuvres because some foods, such as Greek-style vegetables, fit into both categories. Hors d'oeuvres and starters can both be served hot or cold and can include a variety of foods; therefore, what distinguishes them is more about when the dishes are presented and the number of servings than about the type of dishes. The purpose of the appetizers, which come before the starter, is to pique your interest. They frequently include a variety of finger-food delicacies that can be eaten in any order. In contrast, a beginning is a bigger serving of a single dish