Go on a Istanbul street food tour, and discover and enjoy the city’s culinary paradise with our useful guide on street food in Istanbul, including where you can try it out. Street food in Istanbul is affected by the culture of the city and its inhabitants.
11 Delicious Street Food in Istanbul You Should Try Out
Istanbul has several kinds of street food, and even you can find and taste different famous dishes along its own districts. We recommend you don’t leave Istanbul without tasting these famous street food.
Simit
Simit is a sesame-seed-covered ring-shaped bagel-like bread. It is by far Istanbul’s most prevalent and popular street delicacy.
People here typically pair it with cheese and a cup of Turkish tea. The delicious combination of simit, cheese, and tea tastes much better when riding the Bosphorus ferry.
Kokorec
Kokorec is cooked from lamb or goat intestines wrapped around spiced offal. It comes as a sandwich or on a platter with toppings.
Many people find it a little daring and unusual, but once you try it, you won’t be sorry.
Kumpir
Baked potatoes stuffed with every garnish conceivable make excellent street food. Ortakoy is home to the most well-known kumpir joints.
Cig Kofte
Köfte is a raw meatball dish popular in Turkish cuisine. It’s historically cooked with either beef or lamb, but only the vegetarian version made with very fine bulgur is offered in Turkish restaurants and streets. It comes on a lettuce leaf and must be spicy-hot!
Stuffed Mussels
Another popular Street food is mussels stuffed with herbed rice, currants, and pine nuts, and the vendor will keep delivering you a new one with a spritz of lemon until you say stop.
Meatballs in Bread
Mussels stuffed with herbed rice, currants, and pine nuts are another favorite street snack, and the vendor will keep delivering you a new one with a spritz of lemon until you say stop. It is one of Istanbul’s and Turkey’s most popular and adored street foods. This meatball sandwich will blow your mind with its combination of mixed spices, sliced tomatoes, green peppers, and onions.
Rice with Chicken
The Chicken & Rice combo may be seen anytime and everywhere on Istanbul’s streets. It’s just butter rice with chickpeas on top of a chicken breast. Many individuals prefer to add ketchup and spicy peppers to the powerful combination.
Fish and bread
The Eminonu region is known for its fish and bread street food. It’s a freshly grilled fish fillet sandwiched between halves of white bread with onions, tomatoes, salad, and herbs.
Pickle Juice
A glass of pickle juice, spicy or not, is renowned as a fast, delicious, and natural remedy for even the most severe headaches. It’s delicious and high in minerals.
Roasted Chestnuts
Roasted chestnuts are one of the most famous winter street snacks and a delightful snack.
Lokma
This popular street dish has been around since the Ottoman era. Loma, or hoop sweets, are leavened, deep-fried dough pastries drenched in syrup or honey and occasionally dusted with cinnamon or other spices.
