Don’t miss out on the diversity of turkish food while you’re in istanbul! turkish cuisine is one of the world’s most diverse. after french and chinese cuisines, it is regarded as the third richest cuisine. however, in the west, this cuisine is underappreciated, since it is often confined to the döner kebab!
published: 14 September 2022 / updated: 7 March 2024Share
Turkey is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and the Orient. This unusual position, coupled with the movement of Turks from Central Asia to Europe throughout the ages, has created the character of its cuisine. Because of six centuries of Ottoman regional dominance and reciprocal impact between Turkey and its surrounding nations (Greece, Bulgaria, The Balkans, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Armenia…), we find many similar dishes in those cuisines such as dolma, börek, kebab, manti (Turkish ravioli), and so on.
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.
Your Key to Istanbul
Grab the Deal! Time Left to Claim:
05
hours
22
minutes
54
seconds
Planning Your Istanbul Trip?
Istanbul Tourist Pass®️ is your digital pass to 100+ attractions, including Istanbul’s top sights, guided tours and unique experiences. It gives you skip-the-line access and nothing to pay at the door.
✓ Valid for 1 year
✓ Mobile QR ticket
✓ Skip the ticket lines
✓ Save up to 50%
Top Attractions and 100+ Attractions & Experiences Included:
⭐ Trusted by 2M+ travelers since 2013 ⭐ 100% savings guarantee
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!
Related Tours
Skip the Line
Recommended
Secure Payment
Full Day Tour
Audio Guide
Kids Friendly
Sightseeing
History
Nature
Guided Tour
Entrance Ticket
Pick Up/Drop Off
5 GB FREE INTERNET with eSIM! Skip-the-Line Access to 100+ Museums, Tours & Attractions with Show&Go instant e-Tickets! Get a flexible pass & Explore Istanbul by yourself. Save up to 50%
Turkish dishes stand out among the dishes in the world cuisine both for their taste and have been popular for many years. Due to its location, Turkey has been a common center where many nations have lived together throughout history and where cultures have intertwined. Therefore, a synthesis of culture had been formed in this environment, and the food culture of the Turks has become quite diverse over time. And today, we will take a closer look at döner, or Turkish sub.
In Istanbul, historical bazaars dating back to the old imperial periods, such as the Grand Bazaar, Arasta Bazaar, and Mimar Sinan Bazaar, and the historical bazaar culture continued during the Ottoman period and has extended to the present day. In Uskudar on the Asian side of Istanbul, Mimar Sinan Bazaar is representing the bazaar culture of centuries today. If you love to shop in historical bazaars, then Mimar Sinan Bazaar is one of the least known bazaars, and you should not miss it!
A beautiful weather, wonderful environment, and a calm and cozy place needs the best turkish coffee in town, during your visit in istanbul, drinking turkish coffee is one of the things you do, but have you ever drank the best one yet? read our article to discover the best turkish coffee you will ever get in istanbul.
July is the hottest month in istanbul. during those days of july, you may feel exhausted not because of the sun, but the humidity. yet, you can enjoy more for being in istanbul in july since days are longer than for the other times of the year. if you go out the afternoon, you may enjoy more since it gets cooler following the afternoon. if you know how to feel fresh, you will enjoy being in istanbul in july. here what you should do to feel fresh in istanbul in july!