Walking and public transport (boat/metro/bus) tour in Istanbul for a culinary tour in Istanbul. In love with our city, our traditions and our culinary specialties, it is natural to want to share these nuggets with visitors curious to discover the Turkish cuisine. Let’s discover culinary in Istanbul.
Turkish gastronomy is one of the richest in the world, full of colors, impregnated with the indelible traces of the mix of Turkish, Greek, Armenian, Jewish, Arab, Russian, Kurdish and Caucasian peoples. Asian, Oriental and Mediterranean flavors make Turkish cuisine unique and varied.
Culinary in Istanbul
Some Turkish specialties may put you off, by its explanation. But if everyone knew what black pudding was, surely many would not eat it. As if jumping into the deep end, take your courage in both hands and bite into this kokorec, without thinking, to better feel the flavors.
The pastirma: The sausage of the rich. Very tasty, it can be eaten dry or cooked, a real delight. The name pastirma comes from the Turkish word bastirmak which means “to press”.It is a Turkish sausage made of spiced beef, pressed and air-dried.
Turkish stuffed mussels: An unmissable street delicacy. You will not see molds of this style anywhere else. Well filled with rice, spices. Easy to eat on its own, seasoned with lemon juice. A fun and tasty discovery.
The iskender : One of the typical Turkish dishes that can be eaten for any occasion. For those who are on a diet, abstain. Rich in meat, tomato sauce, hot salted butter, yogurt, bread. Iskender is an unmissable tasting.
The pide : The specialty par excellence of any self-respecting Turk. It comes in different flavors, cheese, meat, chicken. We’ll eat our fingers. A traditional Turkish dish, you can make them in any size, they are served as an appetizer or as a main course. You will love the pide, because its recipe is simple and you can vary the filling according to your mood and appetite – culinary in Istanbul.
Çig kofte: A raw meat dish originating from Turkey, Armenia and the Kurdish gastronomic culture. It is the equivalent of the Kebbé nayé or the steak Tartare but without the meat. These bulgur balls are rich in flavor thanks to a clever blend of spices, which you can adapt to your tastes. To be enjoyed in a green salad leaf with Turkish pomegranate sauce and lemon juice.
Içli köfte: A dish of Levantine, Turkish cuisine, traditionally stuffed with meat. A stuffed bulgur ball, a surprise ball. Minced meat and spices in the heart of a breaded dish. I won’t tell you more!
The lahmacun : It is very appreciated by the local inhabitants. The lahmacun is eaten both in the street and as a main dish. The aromatic herbs that make it up give a unique and delicious taste to the lahmacun; thin, light, crispy, well filled with tomato, minced meat, onions, parsley. It can be eaten without hunger with the hands.
The dolma with eggplant, bell pepper and zucchini: A starter of Turkish gastronomy that is often found in the mezze dishes, typical Turkish family dish. In a bell pepper, eggplant or zucchini, minced meat with rice, spices baked in the oven. Sumptuous tastes of colorful specialties.
Kokoreç: This is lamb intestines or offal, rolled up on a spit, grilled and sprinkled with herbs and spices such as cumin, paprika or oregano. It is often served in a lightly toasted bread. The herbs and spices manage to cover the strong taste of Kokoreç.
Desserts
Turkish ice cream: With different flavors (orange, pistachio), Turkish ice creams are unique in their kind. In addition to cream, sugar and all the many different flavors, real Turkish ice cream is made with salep (a flour made from dried wild orchid bulbs that grow only in Turkey). It contains a kind of starch which gives the ice cream this very particular elastic consistency allowing to stretch it at will – culinary visit in Istanbul.
Baklava : Turkish pastry, so delicious coming straight from the Topkapi Palace. Baklava is a very refined dessert. The preparation is complicated and time-consuming, as it is made of thin sheets of buttered or oiled dough. Its paste should be almost as thin and transparent as cigarette paper. Its long and delicate elaboration is often reserved for the most skilful pastry chefs.
Kadayif: A very specific paste that is nicknamed angel hair and is found in the Levantine countries. The sweet version of kadayif is filled with dried fruits, but it can also be served with cheese in a mezze dish.
Sekerpare: Prepared by soaking balls of dough in sweet syrup and topped with dried fruit (hazelnuts, pistachios, walnuts.). It is a very popular pastry in the country.
Drinks
Ayran: A yoghurt-based drink, it is made of one third fresh yoghurt and two thirds slightly salted water (the yoghurt can be cow’s, sheep’s or goat’s milk). Ayran can be drunk with everything (Pide, Lahmacum, Köfte), chilled with every meal.
The çay (Turkish tea) : Turkish black tea served hot in small glasses. It can be drunk “açik” diluted with more water than usual for those who do not like it too strong.
Turkish coffee: It is drunk from a cup specially designed for tasting this beverage. It is prepared in a typical brass and copper container with a long handle, quite an art!
Turkish Lemonade: Sweetened lemon juice, mixed with its zest and accompanied by fresh mint leaves. It is easily drunk during the hot summer days, a pure delight.
Gastronomic Center of Turkey – Culinary in Istanbul
We invite you to come and discover with us for a day all these specialties so tasty and somewhat surprising for some. Turkish cuisine is above all based on the freshness of products, respecting the natural flavors of food.
During your culinary in Istanbul, you will have the opportunity to taste a bit of everything. Have you ever eaten kokoreç, lahmacun, pide or dolma?
Lots of new names for a full day of tasting, while wandering around Europe and Asia discovering neighborhoods off the beaten path. We will taste together some funny specialities accompanied by crisp anecdotes and ancestral stories.
To get to know a people better, you have to go through their culinary specialties which tell us a lot about their origins!
Culinary in Istanbul Program :
-Departure from your hotel at 9:00 am (on an empty stomach) for the culinary in Istanbul.
-Crossing by boat to the Asian shore (meeting with our friends the seagulls, that we will feed with simit “traditional bread covered with sesame”).
-Discovery of a typical local market of Kadiköy, with a lively and joyful atmosphere, where we will taste local products (cheese, olives, sausages, honey).
-Visit to the old railway station Haydarpaşa
-Return to the European shore by boat and explore the Beşiktaş and Taksim districts.
-Funny tasting of Turkish ice cream (maraş) with a worldwide reputation.
-Sip a Turkish coffee with some sweet specialties to taste.
-Return to your hotel at 5pm (with a full stomach).
-Optional for the evening: meal of fish and a panel of cold and hot mezzes in a neighborhood with gypsy music and a very festive atmosphere.
All Istanbul offers you to stroll through the Asian and European neighborhoods during a one-day culinary tour in Istanbul., Come and listen to the history of the city, feel the special atmosphere while tasting culinary specialties of all kinds (salty, sweet, with atypical and varied tastes), all in good humor and sympathy, sharing and curiosity.