What to Eat in Istanbul: Breakfast, Street Food and Dishes You Should Not Miss
Start with a Turkish breakfast (kahvaltı) and a simit, eat a fish sandwich (balık ekmek) at Eminönü, try döner, İskender, lahmacun and pide, have köfte in Sultanahmet, and end the evening in a meyhane with meze. For late-night snacks Istanbul's favourites are midye dolma (stuffed mussels) and kokoreç.
Breakfast
- Kahvaltı: the Turkish breakfast spread: cheeses, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, honey and clotted cream (bal kaymak), eggs, jams and endless tea. Weekend breakfasts in Beşiktaş or by the Bosphorus are a local ritual.
- Simit: a sesame bread ring sold from street carts, often eaten with tea and a slice of cheese.
- Menemen: eggs scrambled with tomatoes and peppers, served in the pan.
- Börek: flaky pastry filled with cheese, minced meat or spinach.
Street food
- Balık ekmek: grilled fish in bread, sold by the Galata Bridge at Eminönü.
- Midye dolma: mussels stuffed with spiced rice, eaten with a squeeze of lemon.
- Kokoreç: grilled lamb intestines with spices, for the adventurous.
- Islak hamburger: the soft “wet burger” of Taksim Square.
- Kumpir: a baked potato loaded with toppings, famous in Ortaköy.
Main dishes
- Döner: lamb, beef or chicken from the rotating spit, in bread or on a plate.
- İskender kebab: döner on pide bread with tomato sauce, yoghurt and melted butter; the dish comes from Bursa.
- Lahmacun and pide: thin flatbread with spiced minced meat, and the boat-shaped Turkish pizza.
- Köfte: grilled meatballs; Sultanahmet's köfte restaurants are a classic lunch stop.
- Mantı: small dumplings with yoghurt and chilli butter.
- Ev yemekleri: “home food” restaurants (lokanta) serve stews, beans and vegetables in olive oil from a counter. Point at what you want.
Dinner in a meyhane
A meyhane is a tavern where dinner lasts for hours: cold meze (ezme, haydari, stuffed vine leaves, fava), then warm starters and grilled fish, usually with rakı, the anise spirit drunk with water and ice. Beyoğlu's Nevizade, Kumkapı and the Asian side's Kadıköy are good areas.
Where to eat
The Kadıköy market on the Asian side is the best food street in the city for tasting a bit of everything. Karaköy is known for its cafés and fish restaurants, the Bosphorus villages for seafood with a view. Most restaurants show prices on the menu; tipping about 5–10% is usual.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most famous food in Istanbul?
Döner and kebabs are the best known, but locals would add simit, balık ekmek at Eminönü, köfte and a long Turkish breakfast.
Where can I try balık ekmek?
At Eminönü, by the Galata Bridge, where fish sandwiches are grilled on boats and stalls along the waterfront.
What is a meyhane?
A Turkish tavern where dinner is a long meal of cold and warm meze and fish, traditionally with rakı.