Best restaurants and what to eat
Turkey
Istanbul is a crossroads kitchen where Ottoman, Balkan, Black Sea, Aegean, and Middle Eastern influences meet. The city is especially known for fish from the Bosphorus, refined pastries and sweets, meze culture, and a street-food scene that ranges from simit to roasted chestnuts and stuffed mussels.
A sesame-crusted ring bread with a crackling exterior and a soft, lightly chewy crumb. In Istanbul it is an everyday icon, sold warm from carts and bakeries, and best enjoyed with tea, cheese, olives, or jam.
A soft, oven-baked flatbread with a golden crust, often shaped into oblong boats. Istanbul versions are prized for their versatility, serving as a base for savory toppings or as a simple accompaniment to meze and grilled dishes.
A thin, crisp flatbread spread with a spiced minced meat topping that bakes into a fragrant, savory wafer. In Istanbul it is commonly finished with herbs, onion, and lemon, then rolled and eaten fresh.
Flaky pastry layered with phyllo and filled with cheese, minced meat, spinach, or potato. Istanbul’s bakery style börek is prized for its delicate shatter and buttery richness, making it a beloved breakfast or tea-time staple.
A soft, enriched savory bun that is tender, slightly buttery, and often filled with cheese, olives, or potatoes. It is a classic Istanbul bakery item, perfect with tea and sold throughout the city from morning to evening.
A soft, twisted yeast bread with a rich, pillowy texture and a faintly sweet aroma. Istanbul bakeries make it as a breakfast bread, often brushed with egg wash for a glossy crust and paired with cheese or chocolate spread.
Turkey’s emblematic anise-flavored spirit, long associated with Istanbul’s meyhane culture. It is typically served chilled with water and ice, turning milky white, and paired with meze, fish, and long conversation.
Istanbul is not a major wine-growing region itself, but the city is a historic center for trade, cellaring, and serving Turkish wines from nearby regions. White and red styles are commonly enjoyed in fish restaurants and meyhanes throughout the city.
Local beer culture in Istanbul is centered on widely consumed Turkish lagers and pilsners, served cold in casual taverns and seaside cafés. It is a modern companion to grilled food, snacks, and relaxed socializing.
A lightly fermented grape drink that bridges the line between juice and low-alcohol beverage, valued for its fresh, sweet-tart character. In Istanbul it appears in traditional settings and is often associated with Ottoman-era refreshment culture.
A thick, mildly fermented millet-based drink with a creamy body and a gentle tang, usually topped with cinnamon and roasted chickpeas. Istanbul’s winter boza culture is especially famous, with historic shops serving it late into the evening.
A fermented grape drink flavored with mustard seeds and sometimes sour cherry leaves, delivering bright acidity and a spicy, aromatic edge. It is consumed chilled and has a distinctive regional character in Turkish drink culture available in Istanbul.
Istanbul’s famous fish sandwich, typically made with grilled or fried fish tucked into bread with onion, greens, and lemon. It captures the city’s Bosphorus identity in a simple, salty, freshly prepared handheld meal.
Stuffed mussels filled with herbed rice, pine nuts, and spices, served at room temperature with lemon. They are one of Istanbul’s most iconic street foods, eaten one by one in lively waterfront settings.
A richly seasoned offal dish made from lamb intestines chopped and grilled, then tucked into bread or served on a plate. In Istanbul it is famous for its bold, spicy flavor and late-night appeal.
Eggplant stuffed with onions, tomatoes, and olive oil, slowly cooked until lush and silky. This Istanbul classic is beloved for its mellow sweetness and luxurious texture, especially as part of a meze spread.
A royal Ottoman dish of lamb stew served over smoked eggplant puree enriched with butter and cheese. It is one of Istanbul’s most elegant legacy dishes, balancing deep savoriness with velvety texture.
Cured bonito slices with a firm, glossy texture and clean marine flavor, traditionally served with onion and olive oil. Istanbul has long prized it as a refined meze that showcases the city’s fish culture.