29 Must-try food when in Istanbul Turkey

Kadayif, or tel kadayif, is a dessert made from kadayif shredded dough, same dough used in künefe. This dessert is made with a layer of tel kadayif/kadayif dough, followed by a layer of walnuts or hazelnuts, then covered with additional layer of the dough. It is either baked or fried, then soaked in sweet syrup and garnished with chopped pistachios.

Şekerpare, round little dough balls with almond in the middle, is a very popular dessert in Turkey. The dough is baked in the oven and afterward, it is poured with sweet syrup flavoured with lemon. The dessert is then left to soak up all the syrup for couple of hours. Once it has absorbed all the syrup and become soft, it is ready to be served as is or with with kaymak

Sütlaç is a rice milk pudding, yet each country around the globe has its own very special recipe. Turkish sütlaç is a creamy rice pudding that is first cooked on the stove. Once it has thickened to the desired consistency, it is baked in the oven for a few minutes, until it starts to bubble and the top becomes caramelised, not burned. It can be garnished with cinnamon, pistachios, or hazelnuts and is best served chilled.

Midye, or stuffed mussels, is a popular Turkish street food. Fresh mussels are first placed in hot water to open their shell, and are then stuffed with a mixture of rice, oil and spices. The stuffed mussels are then closed and put in hot water to boil. Once cooked, they need about 10 minutes to cool before they are ready to be eaten. Traditionally, lemon juice is squeezed on them before consumption.

Tantuni consists of a thinly sliced beef or lamb meat, which is first boiled and then fried, wrapped in lavash bread (flatbread). The wrap typically includes condiments such as onions, peppers, tomatoes, and parsley.

Kokoreç is one of the most popular street foods consumed in Turkey. This savoury dish typically consists of lamb or goat intestines filled with seasoned offal, which refers to a variety of internal organs. Lamb is generally the preferred and more traditional choice, but goat is sometimes used as an alternative. The intestines are first thoroughly washed, then rubbed with salt and soaked in a mixture of water and vinegar or water and lemon juice. The prepared intestines are then skewered and grilled. Kokoreç is typically served in bread as a sandwich but can also be served on a plate.

Traditionally, çiğ köfte was made with raw meat, but that has been prohibited since 2008 by the Turkish government for safety reasons. Nowadays, çiğ köfte is usually made with bulgur, though it can also be prepared with potatoes and ground nuts, such as walnuts or hazelnuts. Other common ingredients include onions, garlic, tomato paste, spices and herbs. Çiğ köfte is typically served in lettuce leaves.

Halva is a dense and sweet confection, usually made from semolina or sesame paste known as tahini. There are different types of halva made in many countries throughout the world, like sunflower halva, peanut halva, saffron halva, each with its own distinct flavour and texture. Turkish halva is traditionally prepared for special occasions like births, weddings, funerals, and religious gatherings. Its primary ingredient, being either sesame or semolina, is complemented by various flavours, like nuts or dried fruits.

Manti is a type of dumpling found in many cuisines, generally filled with minced meat, wrapped in a thin dough, and then boiled or steamed. Turkish manti are dumplings filled with seasoned ground meat, usually lamb or beef. They are boiled and typically served with a yogurt and garlic-infused sauce, melted butter, red Aleppo peppers, and garnished with Aleppo pepper flakes, spearmint or sumac.

Pide is one of Turkey’s most famous foods. This savoury delight is often referred to as ‘Turkish pizza’ (together with lahmacun), because its taste and ingredients are similar to traditional pizza. However, the dough differs, as pide typically uses all-purpose flour, resulting in unique texture and flavour.  Pide can be topped with variety of ingredients such as minced meat, sucuk sausage, cheese, vegetables, and herbs.

Balik Ekmek, a fish sandwich, is a popular Turkish street food commonly found along the coast of the Bosphorus, to be precise usually around Galata bridge and Eminönü district, served from boats docked there. This sandwich, simple yet tasty, consists of fried or grilled fish, mostly mackerel, and is generally served with vegetables like lettuce and onions.

The origin of kebab is traced back directly to Middle East, where it originally consisted of meat cut into pieces, skewered and then grilled over open fire. Over time, this tradition spread to various countries, each adopting the dish with unique meat preparations and cooking techniques. Today, kebab can be prepared in a multitude of ways, including grilling, pan-frying, oven-roasting, stewing, or shaping into meatballs… In Turkish cuisine, kebap typically involves sliced, diced or ground meat skewered and grilled or roasted. Common meats used include lamb, beef, or chicken. There are several types of kebap, each distinguished by its specific preparation technique. Some of the more popular dishes are listed below.
Döner kebab: Layers of thinly sliced meat, typically lamb, beef, or chicken, are stacked on a vertical rotisserie and slowly roasted. The meat is then shaved off and served either on a plate or wrapped in bread.
Adana kebap: Long skewers of minced meat, traditionally lamb, seasoned with spices and grilled over charcoal.
Şiş Kebap: Chunks of marinated meat, usually lamb or beef, skewered and grilled over an open fire. While traditionally only meat is used on, vegetables like bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms and eggplant can also be added on skewer.
Cağ kebap: Lamb chunks or slices skewered and grilled.
Beyti kebap: Ground beef or lamb skewered, grilled and then wrapped in lavaş (thin flatbread), served on a plate with tomato sauce and yogurt.

One of Turkey’s most famous desserts, though its origin is somewhat disputed. Various nations, including Greeks, Persians, Assyrians, and Turks, claim its creation due to similar dishes present in their cuisines. However, the Ottoman Empire is often credited with inventing the baklava we know today. Many countries make this incredible dessert, each with its signature baklava recipe. The fundamental ingredients include phyllo dough, nuts (pistachios, walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts), butter or oil, and sugar syrup. The preparation of baklava involves carefully layering sheets of phyllo dough, each covered with butter or oil, with a rich layer of nuts in between. The baklava is then cut into desired shapes before baking. After baking, it is soaked in sugar syrup and garnished with ground nuts. There are many different variants of baklava, and each baklavacı (pastry shop specialising in baklava) has its own signature ‘best’ recipe. Deciding which one is truly the best is up to personal preference. The gold standard of this amazing dessert is the baklava from Gaziantep (Antep), which has received protected status from the European Union for its origin, technique, ingredients and geographical indication (GI).

Katmer in Turkey and other Asian states differs significantly. In Central Asia, karmer is typically a flatbread served as a side dish. In Turkey, however, is a dessert characterized by thin dough filled with kaymak and pistachios, folded, fried, and then garnished with additional pistachios. The origin of this dessert is attributed to Gaziantep, where the traditional preparation involves frying the katmer. However, in different regions of Turkey, it is also possible to find baked versions of this delightful pastry.

Kaymak cheese is popular in many countries, each with its own unique preparation method, resulting in different tastes. In Turkey, kaymak is typically enjoyed with desserts like baklava. In other countries, taste of kaymak varies, leading to its use in either savoury dishes or desserts, depending on local milk type and preparation method. To make kaymak, raw milk is slowly boiled and then simmered on low heat for two hours. The cream that rises to the top is then skimmed off (upper layer is removed), and left to chill and mildly ferment, resulting in rich and creamy texture. Traditionally, the water buffalo milk is used for preparation of kaymak, because of its higher fat content that contributes to the creamy texture and flavour. However, other types of milk such as cow’s, sheep’s and goat’s milk can also be used, but they alter the overall flavour of the traditional kaymak.