Istanbul’s street food may even outshine the city’s restaurants.

Here are the foods you should definitely try on a trip to Türkiye’s largest city. The best way to truly experience a city’s food culture is to follow the daily habits of locals — and Istanbulites are undoubtedly admirable in this respect. On Istanbul’s streets there is never a dull moment for food lovers, whether you are strolling along the Bosphorus and spot a vendor selling Turkish simit (a round, sesame-crusted bread similar to a bagel), or come across something heartier such as dürüm (flatbread filled with chicken or lamb kebab and trimmings) on any corner of the city.

  1. Islak hamburger (wet burger)
  2. Leyla tost (chocolate and banana panini)
  3. Mantı (Turkish dumplings)
  4. Çiğ köfte (“raw” meatballs)
  5. Kumpir (Turkish stuffed baked potatoes)
  6. Tavuklu nohutlu pilav (chickpea rice with chicken)
  7. Midye dolma (stuffed mussels)
  8. Gözleme (stuffed Turkish flatbread)
  9. Çorba (soup)
  10. Ekmek köfte (grilled meatball sandwich)