Introduction
One of the best parts about travel is tasting and learning about the local cuisine. I've been slow traveling through Istanbul for nearly a year now and through discovering the best street food spots, I've curated this comprehensive guide. Below I share my top 10 street food recommendations in Istanbul.
Street Food Guide
1. Doner Kebab Durum
Doner kebab is arguably one of the most popular street foods to try in Istanbul. The iconic meat spigots have popped up in places all around the world and the concept exists throughout various cultures and regions.
The Turkish style Doner Kebab Durum conists of shaved rotisserie meat (either chicken or beef), french fries, pickles, and a flavorful sauce folded together in a "durum" or large wrap similar to a thin pita bread.
It's not difficult to find doner kebab anywhere in Istanbul, but you'll want to try it at a well-known vendor. One of the most famous kebab spots is Dönerci Şahin Usta.
2. Midye Dolma
Midye Dolma (sometimes just called Midye) are mussels stuffed with rice, spices, herbs, and an optional sauce.
As someone who doesn't love seafood, I was initially hesitant to try midye for the first time. However when I did, it quickly became one of my favorite street foods in Istanbul. The combination of flavors and spices is unmatched, and there is no fishy or "seafood-y" taste. I tend to opt for the midye with sauce: "soslu," but you can also order them without sauce: "sossuz."
Midye is another famous street food you'll find all around Istanbul; however you don't want to try it just anywhere. You'll see informal street vendors with a tray of midye dolma popping up at all hours of the day and night, but I don't recommend trying it on the side of the road.
3. Balik Durum
Balik Durum, otherwise known as a "fish wrap" is another famous street food to try when visiting Istanbul. Seafood is popular across the city due to the proximity of the sea (the Bosphorus) and you'll often find local Turks fishing off the side of the bridges in Istanbul throughout the day.
A typicaly Balik Durum incorporates grilled fish, fresh veggies, pomegranate, and plenty of sauces and spices folded together in a wrap. The wraps are always flavorful, fresh, and seasoned to perfection.
There are many options for fish sandwiches (balik ekmek) in the Eminonu district, but I don't recommend these places. The sandwiches tend to be dry and bready, and oftentimes the bones aren't fully removed from the fish.
For this reason, I recommend trying a Balik Durum instead. The bread is thin (the same type of bread used for doner kebab durum), so the focus of the sandwich is the fish. The most popular place to try this is Balık Dürüm Mehmet Usta in Karakoy. There is almost always a line extending down the street, but take that as a sign that you're at a good spot.
4. Lahmacun
Lahmacun is a popular street food across many cultures, but the Turkish style Lahmacun is unique.
Sometimes referred to as "Turkish style pizza," Lahmacun consists of a thin piece of bread topped with a layer of minced meat, tomatoes, and onions. It's typically eaten folded up with squeezed lemon juice and a bunch of parsley.
The flavor combination is very unique, and it's a great appetizer to eat alongside meat kebabs.
5. Kokoreç
Kokoreç may be one of Istanbul's most adventurous street foods to try.
If you're a fan of organ meat (or just feeling brave), Kokoreç is a must try. It's grilled lamb intestines chopped and mixed with spices and tomatoes, then served in bread as a sandwich.
It's similar in appearance to the Doner Kebab, as it's also visible at vendors rotating on a spigot. The smells that come from these shops are always amazing! This is one of the only street foods in Istanbul that I have not yet tried - but I know I will before my journey in this city comes to an end.
6. Kumpir
A Turkish baked and stuffed potato, otherwise known as Kumpir, is a popular street food you must try when visiting Istanbul.
It's a pretty simple yet delicious street food. They start with a baked potato and mix it with cheese, and then add a variety of toppings to your liking. I typically add olives, peppers, corn, beef sausage, and hot sauce. They have 20+ toppings you can add to the potato to make it as stuffed as you like it. This is definitely a filling street food - so share with someone if you can!
7. Helva
I wanted to include something sweet on this list! Helva is a traditional dessert served in different ways across many different cultures and regions of the world.
Turkish style Helva is made from semolina flour and has a thick consistency with a somewhat nutty flavor. They typically start with a cup of ice cream and top it with the warm Helva mixture, adding tahini and pine nuts to the top. The contrast of the warm Helva with the cold ice cream is amazing!
8. Islak Burger
The famous Islak Burger, or "Wet Burger" is another famous street food to try when in Istanbul.
Islak Burgers are a bit different from your typical hamburger. They start with a beef patty, but the white bun around it is soaked in a garlick-y tomato sauce. The burgers steam inside a clear box typically on display for customers. They are served slightly wet (hence the name) after steaming for some time.
9. Borek
Borek is a traditional Turkish pastry typically eaten at breakfast-time.
It consists of a multi-layered dough with filling added to it. You can choose from cheese, spinach, meat, and vegetable filling. My personal favorite is the cheese-filled Borek.
10. Turkish Kahvalti
Turkish Kahvalti, otherwise known as Turkish Breakfast, is a big deal in Istanbul.
It's not so much considered a "street food" but I wanted to include it nonetheless as I believe that this is something you cannot miss when in Istanbul.
Turkish breakfast consists of a large spread of multiple dishes, typically shared among a pair or group of people. It includes fresh dips and produce, local cheeses and jams, eggs and sausage, Turkish pastries, and warm bread. There's something for everyone - I've never known someone to not like Turkish Kahvalti.
That concludes my Street Food Guide in Istanbul! I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you again for your support. If you're looking for information on travel to Istanbul, consider booking a consultation call with me. Happy travels!
Check out my blog, TikTok, and other Thatch guides for more!
Introduction
One of the best parts about travel is tasting and learning about the local cuisine. I've been slow traveling through Istanbul for nearly a year now and through discovering the best street food spots, I've curated this comprehensive guide. Below I share my top 10 street food recommendations in Istanbul.
Street Food Guide
1. Doner Kebab Durum
Doner kebab is arguably one of the most popular street foods to try in Istanbul. The iconic meat spigots have popped up in places all around the world and the concept exists throughout various cultures and regions.
The Turkish style Doner Kebab Durum conists of shaved rotisserie meat (either chicken or beef), french fries, pickles, and a flavorful sauce folded together in a "durum" or large wrap similar to a thin pita bread.
It's not difficult to find doner kebab anywhere in Istanbul, but you'll want to try it at a well-known vendor. One of the most famous kebab spots is Dönerci Şahin Usta.
2. Midye Dolma
Midye Dolma (sometimes just called Midye) are mussels stuffed with rice, spices, herbs, and an optional sauce.
As someone who doesn't love seafood, I was initially hesitant to try midye for the first time. However when I did, it quickly became one of my favorite street foods in Istanbul. The combination of flavors and spices is unmatched, and there is no fishy or "seafood-y" taste. I tend to opt for the midye with sauce: "soslu," but you can also order them without sauce: "sossuz."
Midye is another famous street food you'll find all around Istanbul; however you don't want to try it just anywhere. You'll see informal street vendors with a tray of midye dolma popping up at all hours of the day and night, but I don't recommend trying it on the side of the road.
3. Balik Durum
Balik Durum, otherwise known as a "fish wrap" is another famous street food to try when visiting Istanbul. Seafood is popular across the city due to the proximity of the sea (the Bosphorus) and you'll often find local Turks fishing off the side of the bridges in Istanbul throughout the day.
A typicaly Balik Durum incorporates grilled fish, fresh veggies, pomegranate, and plenty of sauces and spices folded together in a wrap. The wraps are always flavorful, fresh, and seasoned to perfection.
There are many options for fish sandwiches (balik ekmek) in the Eminonu district, but I don't recommend these places. The sandwiches tend to be dry and bready, and oftentimes the bones aren't fully removed from the fish.
For this reason, I recommend trying a Balik Durum instead. The bread is thin (the same type of bread used for doner kebab durum), so the focus of the sandwich is the fish. The most popular place to try this is Balık Dürüm Mehmet Usta in Karakoy. There is almost always a line extending down the street, but take that as a sign that you're at a good spot.
4. Lahmacun
Lahmacun is a popular street food across many cultures, but the Turkish style Lahmacun is unique.
Sometimes referred to as "Turkish style pizza," Lahmacun consists of a thin piece of bread topped with a layer of minced meat, tomatoes, and onions. It's typically eaten folded up with squeezed lemon juice and a bunch of parsley.
The flavor combination is very unique, and it's a great appetizer to eat alongside meat kebabs.
5. Kokoreç
Kokoreç may be one of Istanbul's most adventurous street foods to try.
If you're a fan of organ meat (or just feeling brave), Kokoreç is a must try. It's grilled lamb intestines chopped and mixed with spices and tomatoes, then served in bread as a sandwich.
It's similar in appearance to the Doner Kebab, as it's also visible at vendors rotating on a spigot. The smells that come from these shops are always amazing! This is one of the only street foods in Istanbul that I have not yet tried - but I know I will before my journey in this city comes to an end.
6. Kumpir
A Turkish baked and stuffed potato, otherwise known as Kumpir, is a popular street food you must try when visiting Istanbul.
It's a pretty simple yet delicious street food. They start with a baked potato and mix it with cheese, and then add a variety of toppings to your liking. I typically add olives, peppers, corn, beef sausage, and hot sauce. They have 20+ toppings you can add to the potato to make it as stuffed as you like it. This is definitely a filling street food - so share with someone if you can!
7. Helva
I wanted to include something sweet on this list! Helva is a traditional dessert served in different ways across many different cultures and regions of the world.
Turkish style Helva is made from semolina flour and has a thick consistency with a somewhat nutty flavor. They typically start with a cup of ice cream and top it with the warm Helva mixture, adding tahini and pine nuts to the top. The contrast of the warm Helva with the cold ice cream is amazing!
8. Islak Burger
The famous Islak Burger, or "Wet Burger" is another famous street food to try when in Istanbul.
Islak Burgers are a bit different from your typical hamburger. They start with a beef patty, but the white bun around it is soaked in a garlick-y tomato sauce. The burgers steam inside a clear box typically on display for customers. They are served slightly wet (hence the name) after steaming for some time.
9. Borek
Borek is a traditional Turkish pastry typically eaten at breakfast-time.
It consists of a multi-layered dough with filling added to it. You can choose from cheese, spinach, meat, and vegetable filling. My personal favorite is the cheese-filled Borek.
10. Turkish Kahvalti
Turkish Kahvalti, otherwise known as Turkish Breakfast, is a big deal in Istanbul.
It's not so much considered a "street food" but I wanted to include it nonetheless as I believe that this is something you cannot miss when in Istanbul.
Turkish breakfast consists of a large spread of multiple dishes, typically shared among a pair or group of people. It includes fresh dips and produce, local cheeses and jams, eggs and sausage, Turkish pastries, and warm bread. There's something for everyone - I've never known someone to not like Turkish Kahvalti.
That concludes my Street Food Guide in Istanbul! I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you again for your support. If you're looking for information on travel to Istanbul, consider booking a consultation call with me. Happy travels!
Check out my blog, TikTok, and other Thatch guides for more!