Street Food

The best Street food in Istanbul

Turkey has always been a bridge between West and East. Every cultural aspect of this nation expresses this continuous bond, exchange between different peoples and traditions. Culinary art is no exception: Turkish cuisine is a fusion of ingredients, techniques, aromas from the Mediterranean, the Balkans, the Caucasus, Asia, the Middle East. One of the best ways to savor and discover these flavors and recipes is street food and Turkey offers so many interesting taste opportunities. Take a plate, a sandwich, a dessert, a drink. Immerse yourself in these aromas and colors and continue to stroll through the streets and monuments of Istanbul. For those who want to take notes on what to taste on the street in Istanbul, here is a list of street food not to be missed.

simit

Similar to bagel, simit is a round-shaped bread with the surface sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Dürüm

The dürüm is a roll, a thin and soft bread, which is filled with meat and rolled on itself.

Döner kebab

Döner kebab is a type of kebab, made of meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie.

Çiğ Köfte

Çiğ köfte are tasty dark red meatballs, born in eastern Turkey but now loved throughout the country.

Gözleme

Gözleme is a pastry made of yufka and brushed with butter and egg. The filling can vary.

Kokoreç

Kokoreç is a large skewer of lamb entrails cooked on a horizontal rotisserie, served in a bun.

Börek

It is a special pastry, yufka, which can be rolled and stuffed differently.

Lahmacun

It is also called Turkish pizza. The appearance is in fact similar but the flavor is different.

Balik ekmek

Sandwich stuffed with blue fish, salad, onion, tomatoes and a squeeze of lemon.

Misir

The corn on the cob are roasted on the grill and salted before being served in paper bags.

Midye dolma

They are stewed mussels filled with rice, garlic, aromatic herbs and spices.

Nohut & pilav

Long grain rice is cooked in chicken broth, chickpeas are added and left to rest.

Kestane

Roasted chestnuts are one of the most popular street foods in Istanbul.

Kumpir

Kumpir is a cooked potato, split in half and stuffed with just about anything.

Dondurma

Dondurma is the typical Turkish ice cream served by friendly ice cream makers.