Dishes you should try in Istanbul: Eminönü Balık Ekmek (grilled fish sandwich), İstanbul Simidi (sesame bread ring), Boğaziçi Lüferi (Bosphorus bluefish) and Sultanahmet Köftesi (Sultanahmet grilled meatballs). This guide also covers the local products to buy and what Istanbul is famous for.
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A street food with a registered geographical indication, made with grilled fish on the boats at the Eminönü pier.
A simit with a registered geographical indication, dipped in molasses and coated in sesame.
A fish with a registered geographical indication that passes through the Bosphorus in autumn.
Grilled meatballs served with piyaz (white bean salad).
Mussels stuffed with spiced rice; a street classic of the city.
A milk pudding made with shredded chicken breast fibres, handed down from the palace kitchen.
Fresh fish caught around the islands, served grilled or steamed in seaside restaurants. Fish from the clean waters of the Sea of Marmara are especially tasty.
Büyükada's famous ice cream parlours, with mastic, drop-mastic and fruit flavours, form long queues in the summer months.
A spread served in Arnavutköy's villages, rich with homemade jams, fresh cheeses, village eggs and tandır bread.
Meatballs cooked over charcoal in Arnavutköy's rural areas, served with fresh vegetables and ayran.
Ataşehir's modern restaurants offer innovative menus that combine Anatolian cuisine with contemporary presentation.
The fish restaurants on the Avcılar coast serve fresh fish with views of the Sea of Marmara.
Avcılar's tradesmen's restaurants serve traditional Turkish home cooking at affordable prices.
Thanks to the population of Bağcılar with origins in south-eastern Anatolia, there are many authentic lahmacun masters in the district. Minced meat topping is spread over thin dough and baked in a stone oven.
Çiğ köfte dürüm stalls on the streets of Bağcılar offer one of Istanbul's most popular street foods.
Bahçelievler's tradesmen's lokantas serve traditional Turkish home cooking at affordable prices.
Kebap restaurants in the district serve various kinds of kebap, especially Adana and Urfa kebap.
Profiteroles, the most famous treat of Bakırköy, consist of small choux pastry balls with chocolate sauce and cream. They are one of Istanbul's best-known desserts.
Fish restaurants on the Florya and Yeşilköy seafront serve fresh fish with views of the Sea of Marmara.
Başakşehir's modern restaurants offer menus that combine traditional Turkish cuisine with contemporary presentation.
Kebap restaurants in the district serve kebap styles from different regions of Anatolia.
Bayrampaşa's tradesmen's lokantas serve traditional Turkish home cooking at affordable prices.
Kumpir, the symbol of Ortaköy Square, is prepared by filling a giant potato with butter, kaşar cheese and dozens of different ingredients. Eating it with a view of the Bosphorus is a separate pleasure.
Beşiktaş's historic fish market has fresh seafood and fish restaurants. The market becomes especially busy in the anchovy, bluefish and bonito seasons.
Waffle stalls in Ortaköy Square offer waffles decorated with chocolate, fruit and ice cream, one of Istanbul's most popular street treats.
Fresh fish caught in the Bosphorus and the Black Sea, served grilled or steamed in Beykoz's seaside restaurants.
A spread served in the boutique hotels and farmhouses of Polonezköy, famous for homemade jams, fresh cheeses and village eggs.
Beylikdüzü's modern restaurants serve a range of flavours from world cuisines.
Sütlaç, kazandibi and tavuk göğsü served at historic muhallebicis (milk pudding shops) on İstiklal Caddesi since the 1930s are emblems of Istanbul's dessert culture.
The meze served in the taverns of the 1876 Çiçek Pasajı (Flower Passage) are among the most authentic examples of Istanbul's meyhane culture. Seafood, olive oil dishes and hot mezes make up a rich spread.
Güllüoğlu baklava, made since 1871, is one of Istanbul's best-known sweet brands, with pistachios and butter syrup between thin layers of yufka.
Fish caught in Büyükçekmece Lake and the Sea of Marmara are served fresh in the waterfront restaurants.
Influenced by Thracian cuisine, Büyükçekmece's köfte are served grilled, with piyaz and roasted peppers.
Çatalca köfte, made from a mixture of beef and lamb mince, is grilled and served with piyaz and roasted peppers.
Thinly sliced beef liver is dusted in flour and fried in hot oil. Ciğer tava, one of the classic dishes of Thracian cuisine, is served with onions and peppers.
Dairy products linked to Çatalca, based on its livestock farming.
A spread-out breakfast served at farmhouses in Çekmeköy's rural areas, offering a rich table of homemade produce.
Restaurants around the Istanbul Bus Terminal serve flavours from different regions of Anatolia.
Thanks to Esenyurt's multicultural character, dishes from every region of Anatolia can be found in the district.
Turkish delight sold in the historic shops around the mosque, in rose, pistachio and pomegranate flavours, is the gift most often bought by visitors.
Tea drunk at the historic tea garden on Pierre Loti Hill, accompanied by views of the Golden Horn, is an indispensable part of the Istanbul experience.
A dish mentioned among the district's historic flavours on Wikipedia.
Fish grilled on boats moored at Eminönü, served in bread with onions and herbs. It is Istanbul's best-known street food.
Hundreds of kinds of spices, lokum (Turkish delight), dried fruit and medicinal herbs are sold in the Spice Bazaar, built in 1660. The bazaar itself is a historic experience.
Tradesmen's restaurants in Gaziosmanpaşa serve traditional Turkish home cooking at affordable prices.
The tradesmen's restaurants of Güngören serve traditional Turkish home cooking at affordable prices.
The historic fish market serves fresh seafood and street food such as midye tava (fried mussels), midye dolma (stuffed mussels) and balık ekmek (fish sandwich). The fish restaurants in the market are also famous for their fresh fish menus.
Çiya, Kadıköy's world-famous restaurant, brings to life long-forgotten historic recipes gathered from across Anatolia through modern presentations.
The historic ice cream makers in the Kadıköy bazaar serve traditional Turkish ice cream made with goat's milk and salep.
The tradesmen's restaurants of Kağıthane serve traditional Turkish home cooking at affordable prices.
Fish restaurants on the Kartal seafront serve fresh fish with views of the Sea of Marmara.
Kartal's tradesmen's restaurants serve traditional Turkish home cooking at affordable prices.
Restaurants around Küçükçekmece Lake serve fresh fish and seafood. This dish has an important place on local tables and is prepared using traditional recipes.
Fish restaurants on the Maltepe shore serve fresh fish with views of the Sea of Marmara and the Princes' Islands.
Çiğ köfte dürüm stalls on the lively streets of Maltepe offer one of Istanbul's most popular street foods.
Pendik's traditional ayran, made with yoghurt and salt and served cold. It is preferred in the summer months alongside meat dishes.
Fish restaurants on the Pendik shore serve fresh fish with views of the Sea of Marmara.
The tradesmen's restaurants of Sancaktepe serve traditional Turkish home cooking. This dish has an important place on local tables and is prepared using traditional recipes.
The most famous delicacy of Sarıyer, börek is baked in the oven with cheese or minced meat layered between sheets of yufka pastry. With its crispy texture and generous amount of butter, it is one of Istanbul's best-known börek varieties.
Fresh Bosphorus fish is served in the fishing villages of Sarıyer. In the lüfer, palamut and hamsi seasons, the shore restaurants are packed.
Silivri's geographically indicated yoghurt is made from sheep's milk by traditional methods. With its thick consistency and slightly sour taste, it is one of the most famous yoghurts in Türkiye.
Fresh fish caught in the Sea of Marmara is served in Silivri's seaside restaurants.
Thanks to Sultanbeyli's multicultural character, dishes from different regions of Anatolia can be found in the district.
Sultangazi's tradesmen's restaurants serve traditional Turkish home cooking at affordable prices.
Şile Kestane Balı was registered as a protected designation of origin on 3 September 2021 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 879). Product group: honey.
Pide holds an important place in the Black Sea-influenced cuisine of Şile. It is baked in a stone oven in minced meat, cheese and egg varieties.
Anchovy, horse mackerel and whiting caught in the Black Sea are served fresh in Şile's shore restaurants.
The stylish cafés of Nişantaşı, with their weekend brunch menus, are an important part of Istanbul's gastronomic scene.
The historic döner shops in the Osmanbey neighbourhood are known for the traditional döner kebab made from lamb.
Fish restaurants on the Tuzla waterfront serve fresh seafood with views of the marina.
Pide served in Tuzla's tradesmen's restaurants is popular in minced meat and cheese varieties.
Ümraniye's tradesmen's restaurants serve traditional Turkish home cooking at affordable prices. Kuru fasulye, pilav and meat dishes are the most popular menu items.
Üsküdar's historic tripe soup shops stay open late into the night, serving tripe soup with garlic and vinegar. It is an indispensable flavour of Istanbul's night-time culture.
Serving since 1933, Kanaat Lokantası offers traditional Turkish home cooking. Beğendili kebap, hünkar beğendi and sütlaç are the most popular menu items.
Many fish restaurants are found in the neighbourhoods along the Bosphorus shore.
Zeytinburnu's tradesmen's restaurants are known for affordable and tasty home cooking. Kuru fasulye, pilav and meat dishes are the most popular menu items.
The ferry culture that joins the two shores and is bound up with simit and tea.
The festival that fills the city's parks, above all Emirgan, with tulips in April.
The biennial and the film, music, jazz and theatre festivals organised by İKSV (the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts).
Long evenings at the table over meze, fish and fasıl music.
The illuminated mahya messages strung between the minarets of the imperial mosques during Ramadan.
Istanbul is known for 6 local dishes, above all Eminönü Balık Ekmek (grilled fish sandwich), İstanbul Simidi (sesame bread ring), Boğaziçi Lüferi (Bosphorus bluefish) and Sultanahmet Köftesi (Sultanahmet grilled meatballs). A street food with a registered geographical indication, made with grilled fish on the boats at the Eminönü pier.
Istanbul is known for Eminönü Balık Ekmek (grilled fish sandwich), Şile Bezi (Şile cloth) and Bosphorus ferries. Its best-known sights include Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya-i Kebir Mosque) and Topkapı Palace.
Local products and souvenirs to buy in Istanbul include Şile Bezi (Şile cloth), Şile Kestane Balı (Şile chestnut honey), Silivri Yoğurdu (Silivri yoghurt) and Çatalca Ormanlı Pirinci (Çatalca Ormanlı rice).