Things to Eat & Drink in Istanbul

Turkish cuisine is a cuisine with unique Ottoman cuisine and unique tastes from the mix of Asia and Europe. Its main flavors are kebab, lahmacun, doner, meatballs, stuffed baklava and grains.

During the time you stay in Istanbul you should definitely taste the following delicacies and drinks.

Kebaps

Kebab is a common name for a dish where meat is coated around a bottle and cooked on a charcoal fire. Spicy peppered Adana Kebab, called the normal Urfa Kebab.

Doner

The meat is beef pieces that are cooked with local herbs and spices, poked and vertically grilled. The finely cut doner is a great flavor.

Kofte

The kofte basics are ground meat (usually lamb or mutton) mixed with crumbled bread, minced onions and spices. The most common dish is Izgara Köfte, where the meat mixture is grilled and served with grilled green peppers, chopped parsley, crumbled dried red peppers and rice on the side.

Manti

You can think of Mantı as a kind of meatball. This excellent Turkish dish has two main components: dough and filling, grounded beef or lamb, onion, salt and pepper. Kayseri is famous with the province.

Lahmacun

A pizza like dish with a topping of finely minced meat and onions with spices on flaky thin dough. It is served with tomatoes, lettuce, parsley or rocket and most people prefer to squeeze lemon on it and roll to eat easier like tacos.

Kurufasulye

Beans, Turks just love it. It can be cooked with or without meat or even with dried spiced thin slices of beef called pastırma. Served with sade pilav (plain rice) and turşu (pickles and sauerkraut). The restaurants across Süleymaniye Mosque are the masters of this dish.

Grains

Grilled Aubergine with garlic sauce, Grilled Red Paper in olive oli, Artichoke in olive oil, Purslane with strained youghurth and garlic, Fried Zuccihini and Aubergine, Spice Chilli Papper, Mashed Chick peas, Stuffed grape Leaves in olive oil

Cağ Kebab

Cag kebab is a kebab Erzurum species originating in Turkey. A unique flavor is achieved by cooking the marinated meats horizontally and by being cooked in wood fire.

Baklava

You must taste baklava during your stay in Istanbul. The recipe may sound too easy to be true: chopped nuts are spread in between the phyllo (yufka) layers, dressed with butter, baked and sweetened with syrup or honey. But the excellence depends on the quality of the flour, the thinness of the dough and the proportion of the syrup.

Black Tea

Asian tea which is grown in the Black Sea region of Turkey. You should definitely try the tea, which is an untouchable ice cream in the morning. When going to your country you should definitely take a package and try.

Apple Tea

In Istanbul, especially in the cafes of Sultanahmet, you can see very often. Sweet and very nice flavored apple tea you should definitely try. Do not forget to take it to your country.

Turkish Coffee

Turkish coffee is an excellent taste and flavor that should definitely be tried. You must take and bring to your country
Mehmet Efendi is the most famous turkish coffee seller which is behind the Spice Baazar.

Ayran

This is liquid yoghurt made by whopping yoghurt and adding water and salt. It should be served cold and fresh, so don’t keep it for later. It’s sold freshly made in café’s and restaurants or in plastic cups in grocery shops and supermarkets.

Raki

Is clear brandy made from grapes and raisins, flavored with pungent anise. Most is quite potent and thus usually diluted with water and sipped with snacks or meals.