Istanbul Food Market Visit: A Gastronomic Journey from Europe to Asia
5.0
65 Ratings
Fatih
Embark on a gastronomic journey through Istanbul's food markets, sampling the diverse flavors of Turkey. Indulge in local delicacies, from buffalo cream breakfast to fish wraps and mouth-watering desserts. Experience the city like a true local.
Duration: 6 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Misir Carsisi (Spice Market) - Begin your day with a delightful local breakfast near the Spice Market. Relish the breakfast shopping experience with your gourmet guide at a local dairy store. Savor delectable pastrami, Kaymak (buffalo cream) with organic honey, various cheeses, sesame bread (simit), and Menemen, a dish made of tomatoes, onions, green peppers, and eggs. Enjoy the delicious pistachio and hazelnut pastes, a variety of cheeses, and Acuka paste, all accompanied by Turkish çay (tea) served in a tulip-shaped glass.
  • Mumhane Caddesi - After breakfast, take a stroll on the Galata Bridge, where you can view the historical peninsula of former Constantinople, now Istanbul, and see both the European and Asian sides simultaneously. It’s a fantastic photography opportunity. Next, taste kokoreç (lamb cooked on charcoal) with spices in a sandwich bread, followed by a tasty fish wrap in lavash bread with spices and AB’s pomegranate sauce in the former Jewish neighborhood.
  • Bosphorus - Enjoy a ferry ride with stunning views of Istanbul. Traveling from Europe to Asia has never been easier! Learn about the landmarks you see from the ferry with insights from your historian guide. Prepare to visit a unique local food market to sample some delicious local cuisine away from the tourist spots.
  • Kadikoy Carsisi - Stroll through the Kadikoy food market and feel like the only tourist around. Listen to the stories behind the food from your gourmet guide. Start with a slice of sun-dried beef pastrami and grape leaves stuffed with rice and spices. Savor a mouthwatering Lahmacun (local pizza with minced lamb & beef, onions, tomatoes, and paprika) cooked in a stone oven with wood fire. Sample unique mussels stuffed with rice and spices, unlike any mussels you’ve tried before. Enjoy tasting İskender kebap, made from finely sliced kebap on top of pita bread with tomatoes, butter, and yogurt sauce, at the place where Doner kebap was invented. Walk a bit further to taste the delicious Kunefe dessert made from angel hair noodles, cheese, pistachio, and honey, accompanied by unique Maraş dondurma (Turkish ice cream made from goat’s milk). Sip a glass of çay (black tea) or Turkish coffee before the ferry ride back to Europe.
  • Bosphorus Strait - Take another ferry ride back to the European side after filling your belly and feeling happy. The tour will end at the ferry pier in Eminonu, near where we started the tour. You also have the option to get off at Karakoy pier before Eminonu. Your guide can assist you with directions to your hotel.
What's Included
  • Indulge in a variety of authentic Turkish desserts like Knefe and Mara Dondurma.
  • Savor traditional Turkish dishes such as Iskender and Kokorec.
  • Experience the unique taste of Turkish coffee, brewed traditionally on sand or charcoal.
  • Enjoy a selection of Turkish teas, including Cy in tulip-shaped glasses.
  • Sample exotic flavors with specialties like Midye and Balk Drm.
  • Convenient ferry tickets included for travel to Uskudar neighborhood.
  • Start your day with a delightful Turkish breakfast.
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • No vegetarian and vegan food at 4 of the food stops.
Additional Information

Visit the best of the local food markets in Asian side and European side of Istanbul. Taste the food which comes from different regions of Turkey. Sample the unique flavors which your local food expert choose for you. Feel like a local at the local markets and cafes. Start with a delicious breakfast what locals eat at home made of Kaymak ( buffalo cream), with honey and sesame bread, variety of the cheese, pistachio and hazelnuts pastes with honey, Menemen ( Turkish dish made from tomatoes, green peppers, eggs, and spices ), and olives.
Taste the popular fish wrap with spices and pomegranate sauce. Taste the delicious mussels stuffed with rice and spices.
Taste mouth watering Kunefe dessert made from angels hair noodles, pistachio, cheese and honey with accompany of Maraş dondurma ( Turkish ice cream made of goats milk ). Sip a çay ( tea ) from the tulips shape glass and enjoy the ferry ride back to European side with the great view of Istanbul.

Location
İtimat Fabrika Satış Yeri
Avrupa Yakası
Our meeting point is “ Itimat Fabrika Satış Yeri/Magazasi ” it is a dairy store. Please wait in front of the shop till our guide comes to you and ask for your name. On Google map : İtimat Fabrika Satış Yeri https://maps.google.com?g_st=ic
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(65 Ratings)
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Cruiser43252002333
Jun 21, 2024
A must do, wether you are a foodie or not! - Great food, Onder is an amazingly knowledgeable guide, his enthusiasm didn't waiver all day. We were introduced to a variety of foods, their origins and why they are important to the Turkish, including some history of Istanbul. The tour included ferry rides and views of the city which were a great intro to what we were to experience. I would recommend doing this on your first day in town, it gives a good overview of the city and Onder provides great recommendations on places to vist as well as eat.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Marzanne_t
Jun 21, 2024
MUST DO IN ISTANBUL - This tour is a MUST! Many different foods and flavours. Salim was a great guide- friendly, could understand and speak english very good.
Review provided by Viator
Dennis_t
Jun 20, 2024
A full day of walking, food and information. - Trying food and drink that I couldn’t experience at home was fantastic. Salih was a knowledgeable and personable guide that engaged everyone.
Review provided by Viator
Carlos_c
Jun 14, 2024
A whirlwind food and sights experience - My family was in Istanbul for a few hours off a tour boat, and were looking for both interesting places to visit and delicious Turkish food. This tour delivered! We met our small group and Onder, our tour guide, at a spice market on the European side. To say spice market hardly does this place justice, as it’s a maze of colorful shops. We sat at a small restaurant for a traditional Turkish breakfast. What can I say but, “Yum!” We then walked through a maze of more shops and made our way to a ferry that took us to the Asian side of the city. After walking through narrow streets, we enjoyed Turkish coffee prepared over glowing charcoal. Jolted by caffein, Onder took us for doner, only this wasn’t what you’d ordinarily find in the city. The restaurant has been run by four generations of the same family and the food was very traditional. Just delicious! More walking took us to eat three varieties of mollusk. Next, traditional lahmacun. After a short stop at a pickle merchant, we took the ferry again to eat balik durum fish wraps. Stomachs full, we managed to walk to our last stop, Beyzadekunefe, for a special sweet treat. Throughout the tour, Onder was a wealth of information, happy to share his favorite food destinations, proving that food is history. Take this tour, and I bet you skip dinner like I did!
Review provided by Viator
Juliapickett
Jun 14, 2024
Food glorious food - Fabulous food, guide was delightful, ferry rides! The fish wrap and buffalo honey butter are not to be missed!
Review provided by Viator
Christine_b
Jun 12, 2024
The tour was amazing. I... - The tour was amazing. I would never have tried the foods that I experienced on my own. He was very knowledgeable and took us at our own pace. Highly recommended.
Review provided by Viator
Chrissanoelle_s
Jun 11, 2024
Loved the tour with... - Loved the tour with Onder! He took us to places we probably wouldn’t have been able to research on our own and also explained histories even outside of food
Review provided by Viator
Ndavis1913
Jun 11, 2024
Great Experience! - Onder did a great job of catering to each guest. He smiled, was warm, and knowledgeable. We ate great food and learned so much history.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Patricia_r
Jun 9, 2024
Unique Flavours with our guide Ünder - We were taken to some very nice places where the preparation and origin of the food was explained. Some of the recipes were generations old. Our tour was small (4 people) so we could hear the information Ünder was giving but could also ask questions. We liked the variety of food selections and visiting different parts of Istanbul. A wonderful experience!
Review provided by Viator
Elizabeth_k
Jun 2, 2024
Small group, great food, lovely guide - Loved our tour, such good value and we ate loads of delicious food. Our guide spoke excellent english and we had a mixed language group so he did really well. Only 6 people in our group which was great as we'd seen loads of tours with A LOT of people! Onder was so knowledgeable and he found Murder on the Orient Express for me in English! Much appreciated and would highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Viator
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up to 10 guests
1 Adult
June 2024
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