Ten Best Istanbul Meals to Try
Turkish food is famous for being delicious, and where better to try it than in beautiful Istanbul? Not only do you get a view, but you get a meal that will tickle your taste buds at the same time. Of course, as with any region of a country, there are dishes which are synonymous with Istanbul itself.
If you’ve never been to Turkey, you might never have tried the local cuisine, and even if you have been previously, you won’t have tried it all! So, when in the city, what should you eat? Aside from a warming glass of cay (or ten), and a caffeine-filling glass of Turkish coffee, make sure you check out these ten best Istanbul meals to try.
Kofte Ekmek
One of the cheapest ten best Istanbul meals to try, and certainly one of the most delicious, is actually a form of street food. Most commonly found in Taksim, at the Metro end of the busy Istiklal Street, Kofte ekmek has to be tried. This is basically a burger, which is served with a tomato paste on the baguette bread, with salad, and chilli salt. At around 5 or 6TL, you will certainly be full! If you want to opt for a wrap, instead of the full bread option, you can do that too.
Balik Ekmek
Head to historic Eminonu to try fresh balik ekmek, aka fish in bread. This is one of the most iconic Istanbul meals to try, and again, it is a form of street food. For around 8 to 10TL you can enjoy a fresh fish sandwich – literally just caught a few hours beforehand from the waters of the Bosphorus itself!
Kahvalti
Kahvalti is breakfast, and this is definitely one of the top ten Best Istanbul meals to try. Breakfast is a big deal in Turkey, and you can’t go out sightseeing in Istanbul without fuelling up first! Turkish breakfast is actually very healthy, and is a huge feast of differently cooked eggs, olives, tomatoes, cucumber, bread, savoury filled pastry (Borek), different cheeses, and rocket leaves. This is all served with either a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice (Portakal Su), or more commonly, an endless supply of hot cay.
Menemen
This is another common breakfast dish, but Menemen can actually be eaten at any time of the day. You’ll find various different variations of Menemen but the most common is an omelette-style dish of eggs, tomatoes, peppers, and sometimes onions. You may find Sucuk in there, a form of Turkish pepperoni. It is all eaten with bread, and of course, cay.
Tavuk Durum
The good, old chicken doner wrap is everywhere in Istanbul, and this is a quick and cheap way to fuel up on the go. Again, go with a wrap or bread, although durum is the wrap form. Inside you will find doner chicken meat, salad, and you can go for mayonnaise, chilli sauce, and ketchup if you want it. The kebab outlet will basically make it however you want it, so if you don’t like any of the contents, just ask for it to be omitted.
Islak burger
This is a true Istanbul legend, and it is another form of street food. This is a hamburger, but not a regular one, it is a ‘wet’ hamburger, including the bread. You can find these from donor outlets and they are cheap, at around 3TL. Definitely an acquired taste, but as a local tradition, it is definitely one of the ten best Istanbul meals to try.
Tepsi Kebab
You will find Tepsi kebab in traditional Turkish restaurants, and it is a dish to share, for sure! This is a huge plate of either potato or aubergine, which is sandwiched with meat in-between, commonly a seasoned mince. From there, the mini ‘burgers’ are arranged in a circle around a huge plate, and in the middle, you will find chopped peppers, onions, tomatoes etc. A delicious and spicy tomato sauce is served over the top sparingly. Definitely filling, and you will need to sit and let it settle in your stomach for a while afterwards!
Tuzlu Balik
Head to the upmarket fish restaurants, usually in Besiktas or Bebek for this traditional Turkish dish. Tuzlu balik is basically fish in salt, but it is baked in the oven for hours, until the salt forms a hard crust. This is then removed and the fish is served with salad and bread. You may have to order the dish beforehand from smaller restaurants, but the big fish restaurants will certainly have it on offer ad hoc.
Borek
Borek is a famous Turkish savoury pastry, and you’ll find it everywhere in Istanbul, even in specialist shops in Taksim which stay open 24/7! This is a flaky pastry which is filled with various different fillings. The most common are Kiyma (savoury mince), potato, cheese, or cheese and spinach. Try with cay, or simply munch on the go!
Baklava Dondurma
Finally, we have a delicious dessert that should be tried, even if it’s cold outside! Everyone has heard of baklava, the sticky, sweet, pistachio filled pastry sweet, but when served with ice cream, its deliciousness goes stratospheric!
Feeling hungry? When in the city, definitely check out these ten best Istanbul meals to try!
