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Travel Guides

Traditional Food in Istanbul: Must Try Turkish Classics

Traditional Food in Istanbul: 

Must Try Turkish Classics

A generous spread of cheeses, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggs, honey, jam and fresh bread. It’s a social meal meant to be enjoyed slowly with tea.

Scrambled eggs cooked with tomatoes, green peppers and spices. It’s a breakfast favorite served hot with fresh bread.

A circular sesame-crusted bread sold by street vendors across the city. It’s often eaten plain or with cheese and tea.

From Adana to Urfa styles, kebabs are a cornerstone of Turkish cuisine. Grilled meats are served with rice, vegetables and flatbread.

Turkish meatballs made with minced beef or lamb and spices. They are grilled and typically served with salad and bread.

Thinly sliced meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie. It’s served in wraps, sandwiches or on plates with rice.

Often called Turkish pizza, this thin flatbread is topped with minced meat, herbs and spices. It’s rolled up with fresh parsley and lemon before eating.

A boat-shaped flatbread topped with cheese, minced meat or vegetables. It’s baked in a stone oven and served hot.

Vegetables or grape leaves stuffed with rice, herbs and sometimes meat. These are staples of traditional Turkish home cooking.

A famous street food sandwich of grilled fish served in bread with onions and salad. It’s especially popular along the Bosphorus.

Stuffed mussels filled with spiced rice and served with lemon. They are commonly sold by street vendors at night.

A selection of small dishes such as hummus, eggplant salad and stuffed grape leaves. Meze is typically shared before a main meal.

Layered pastry filled with cheese, spinach or minced meat. It’s enjoyed for breakfast or as a snack.

Thin slices of döner meat served over bread with tomato sauce, yogurt and melted butter. It’s rich, comforting and very filling.

Small Turkish dumplings filled with meat and topped with yogurt and chili butter sauce. They are delicate yet full of flavor.

Layers of thin pastry filled with pistachios or walnuts and soaked in syrup. It’s one of Turkey’s most famous desserts.

A warm dessert made from shredded pastry filled with melted cheese and soaked in sweet syrup. It’s served hot and topped with pistachios.

Strong black tea served in tulip-shaped glasses is part of daily life in Istanbul. Turkish coffee is thick, intense and traditionally served with a sweet treat.

To fully experience Istanbul’s traditional food scene, stay in central districts like Sultanahmet, Karaköy or Kadıköy where street food, historic restaurants and modern eateries are all within walking distance. Book your accommodation through 

to find the best central locations and flexible options close to the city’s top culinary spots.

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