Street Food İstanbul

Istanbul Street Food; What to Expect when You eat In Istanbul

Food is one of the essential things to consider when you visit a new place. It is an integral part of every culture, and Istanbul is not an exception. Most people limit the choice of Istanbul Street foods to Kebabs, but there is a lot more. 

Istanbul is a paradise and home for diverse cosines. You will find street foods all over Istanbul. They are available along the roads, in the markets, at the riverside on the street corners, and almost everywhere you look. 

If you are new to Istanbul and keen on trying the foods, take a look at some of the top street foods below. 

Diverse Istanbul Street Foods That Will Tempt Your Appetite 

1.    Doner Kebab

Doner Kebab is one of the most famous street foods in Istanbul. You will find this food on almost every corner of the street. The food requires the vendor to shave off grilled lamb with a long sharp knife and chop it into pieces. 

You can top it with onions, chili sauce, tomatoes, and mayonnaise to enhance this delicacy. Wrapping it between bread loaf will make it more filling, and you can have it regardless of meager budgets. Some of the most popular variations of Doner Kebab include Eggplant, Iskender, and Adana Kebab. 

2.    Juicy Islak 

Juicy Islak is another fantastic food you will find on the streets of Istanbul. Otherwise called wet burgers, it is trendy among youths. The burger is moist because of the oily tomato sauce and garlic steamed with the burger. 

3.    Misir 

Misir is simply corn on the cob, and everyone loves to have a bite. It is covered with melting butter to enhance its age. The corn is usually succulent and garnished with sprinkles, spices, and salt will remind you of summertime BBQ. Sadly, this food is not prevalent during winter, and chestnuts become alternatives. 

4.    Kokorec 

Kokorec is one of the few streets with awful ingredients. Most people will not even want to have a bite after finding out its components. This food is lamb offal infused in herbs and stuffed in the intestine. This combination is grilled and chopped into pieces. Interestingly, the combination gives a fantastic taste and flavor. 

You will enjoy Kokorec more when you eat it on bread or durum wrap. You can also combine it with fresh tomatoes and sprinkles of mayonnaise. 

Other street foods you can try in Istanbul include; 

●      Kumpir from Ortakoy in Istanbul 

●      Cig Kofte crafted from raw meats 

●      Midye Dolma which is a rice-stuffed mussel 

●      Balik Ekmek or grilled fish bread 

●      Borek and Simit, which is a tasty pastry snack 

Turkish Food Culture 

Aside from Istanbul Street foods, there are other unique Turkish delicacies. Turkey has a rich food culture of amazing cuisines that offers fantastic flavors and a healthy diet. You will get almost any type of dish around Turkey, including fried snacks and vegetarian dishes. 

If you want to explore the great food culture of turkey, here are some foods to try. 

●      Sucuklu (Spicy sausage and cheese) 

●      Kasauli (Cheese)

●      Lahmacu (Turkish pizza)

●      Meals garnished with greens and lemon wedges 

Understanding the unique food culture of Turkey and the street foods of Istanbul will change the way to view Turkey. Feel free to explore and enjoy because you won’t have to break the bank. 

​​​​​​