Karadeniz Pidesi
Blacksea Pide
Pide is part of the Black Sea cuisine. Its main ingredient is a special cheese. It can be made with meat, sausages, eggs or with other toppings. Try it with an ayran.
Ege Lokması
Aegean Lokması
Ege cuisine is mainly based on fish and vegetables seasoned with herbs. Filled squash blossoms, lokma or gum ice cream are well known in Istanbul. Dont forget to try the different herbs they offer.
Büryan Kebabı
Büryan Kebabı
In Istanbul it is possible to find all kinds of meat dishes. As Turks have a special meat cuisine the tastes can differ wildly. Büryan which is cooked in wells or baldır which is made from shank are well known.
Köfte
Meatball
Meatball is a stand alone cuisine for Turks. There are approximately 300 known meatball types in Turkey. Most of them can be found in Istanbul.
Tantuni
Tantuni
Çukurova cuisine includes tastes like şırdan, bicibici, tantuni or cezerye. The legendary snow helva is made of real snow. It is very hard to find places to taste these dishes, but Istanbul has fairly enough of them.
İç Anadolu Mutfağı
Central Anatolia Cuisine
Central Anatolian Cuisine is made of meat and dough. In addition butter is used without limit. Definitely not healty it is delicious though. Do not forget to try mantı.
Sakatat Ciğer
Offal Liver
Offal cuisine is peculiar to Turkey. You can eat parts of animals you have never heard. Different cooking methods and lots of spice are the main ingredients after offals.
Kokoreç & Midye
Kokorec & Mussels
Kokereç is made from intestines of lamb and eventhough it is an offal it has its own seperate cuisine together with mussels. This two odd ingredients have been used to create specific dishes separetely. Its home is of course Istanbul.
Çiğ Köfte & İçli Köfte
Çiğ Köfte & İçli Köfte
Çiğ köfte is actually uncooked meat. With içli köfte they are two unusual meatball which must be tasted. In Istanbul their best examples can be found.
Dürüm
Dürüm
If you haven’t eaten dürüm in Istanbul you haven’t tasted its full potential. Prepeared with different sauces they are delicious. There are versions made from unusual ingredients too.
Kahvaltı
Breakfast
Turkish breakfast is well known worldwide. We recommend a long breakfast on a Sunday at Bosphorus. Try the different tastes varying from menemen to simit.
Van Kahvaltısı
Van Breakfast
A type of Turkish breakfast stands out. It is called Van breakfast. With different tastes nowhere to be found.
Hatay Mutfağı
Hatay Cuisine
Hatay cuisine has many different tastes like künefe, ekşili kebap, biberli ekmek. Use of spices are mandatory. Tastes heavenly.
Fasıl
Fasıl
Fasıl is an activity involving Turkish Art Music, drinking rakı and eating lots of meze. It requires long hours. For those who do not use alcohol fruit juices are available.
Av Eti
Venison
In Istanbul there are no official hunting grounds. However, it is still possible to find and eat game. Do not forget to place your order a day before.
Cağ Kebabı
Cag Kebab
East Anatolian Cuisine has one main ingredient: Meat. Its best known dish is cağ kebabı. Its home Erzurum is far away, but you can still eat it in Istanbul.
Börek
Patty
Patty has its own cuisine in Turkey. With all kinds of patty fillings from meat to fish you can try all the diffferent tastes. Depending on the dough there are dozens of types.
Tavuklu Pilav
Rice with Chicken
Turkish rice is delicious because of the butter it includes. In Istanbul it comes with many different toppings. Do not forget to try it with yoghurt.
Parklar ve Bahçeler
Parks and Gardens
Kahve Seçenekleri
Coffee Options
One can drink Turkish coffee anywhere. However Turkish coffee of Istanbul cannot be drunk somewhere else. Real Turkish coffee from Ottoman tradition can be drunk only in Istanbul.
Döner
Döner
Döner is a mandatory food for Turks. In İstanbul it is possible to find places which serve outstanding exemplar. Try with different sauces.