Istanbul Food Tour

Turkish cuisine is one of the world's three great culinary traditions alongside French and Chinese, and Istanbul is its most spectacular showcase. Our food tour takes you on a 4-hour journey through the city's most authentic flavors, away from tourist traps and directly to the places where Istanbulites themselves eat. This is not just a tasting tour: it's a deep immersion into Turkish culinary culture guided by a local expert who speaks Spanish.

The tour begins in the Kadıköy neighborhood, on Istanbul's Asian side, where the food market is one of the city's most vibrant and authentic. Here you'll taste your first bite: a freshly baked simit — the iconic circular bread covered in sesame seeds that Istanbulites eat at all hours — accompanied by a glass of black Turkish tea served in the characteristic tulip-shaped glass. Then you'll venture into the market stalls to discover the infinite varieties of Turkish cheese, Gemlik olives, Black Sea region cured meats, and spices that perfume the air.

The next stop is a family-run kebab restaurant where the grill master prepares Adana kebab — spiced minced lamb grilled over charcoal — exactly as it's done in southeastern Turkey. You'll pair the kebab with shepherd's salad (çoban salatası), freshly baked lavash bread, and ayran, the salted yogurt drink that is the perfect complement. Then come the börek, phyllo pastries filled with cheese, spinach, or meat; lahmacun, the crispy "Turkish pizza"; and pide, boat-shaped bread filled with melted cheese.

Dessert is, in Turkey, a serious affair. You'll visit a historic pastry shop to taste authentic baklava — layers of phyllo dough, pistachios, and syrup — and künefe, a warm cheese dessert with kadayıf pastry threads that is an explosion of textures and flavors.