5 Food Tours in Türkiye to Build a Day Around

1.Guided Food Tour with Ferry Ride and Tastings

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 600 reviews · from $131Our pick

Spend six hours eating across Istanbul with guides such as Binnur, Önder, Burak, and Salih. Start near the Egyptian Spice Bazaar, cross by ferry to Kadıköy, sample simit, menemen, İskender kebap, mussels, balik ekmek, künefe, and Turkish coffee, then return through Karaköy.

“food tour in Istanbul with my daughter, it was an amazing experience! Our guide was genuinely nice and very professional, making the whole tour enjoyable. We had a great time, and the vibe was fantastic, especially with the other two couples who joined us. One of my favorite dishes was the fish wrap, which was beautifully wrapped with pomegranate absolutely delicious! Overall, it was a perfect experience that I highly recommend to anyone looking to explore the culinary delights of Istanbul.”

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2.The Award-Winning PRIVATE Food Tour of Istanbul: The 10 Tastings

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 462 reviews · from $192Top rated

Walk from Cihangir toward Karaköy with a private local foodie guide and sample 10 Turkish foods and drinks in about three hours. Expect classics such as Turkish delight and dürüm, plus possible bites of kebab, fish, cheese, pickles, mussels, Turkish coffee, and ayran. Guides including Tolga, Dilek, Erol, and Gulce have led this route.

“Super nice experience we had the opportunity to test a lot of different food and Tolga was an amazing guide”

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3.Istanbul Food Tour – History and Culture of Turkish Culinary

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 265 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $127

Walk from Galata Bridge through Beyoğlu, İstiklal Caddesi, Çiçek Pasajı, and Taksim Square while tasting Turkish street food, mezze, mussels, tantuni, baklava, coffee, and more. Guides such as Erol, Gamze, Tolga, and Kim explain the food and culture in a small English-speaking group.

“The food tour was generally good, the guide, Erol, was very good, he was interesting and engaging and provided excellent information on the history and culture in relation to the delicious food we tasted. However, we should not have chosen Saturday evening for this tour as the area was very intimidating with a high police presence and we felt extremely vulnerable. Also we started the tour in Karakoy but it ended a long way away, in the dangerous area of Taksim, so we had to make our way back on our own which was a bit scary and we regretted having booked this tour as a result. 2 older ladies…”

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4.Istanbul Kadikoy Food Tour with 12+ Local Delicacies Tastings

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 247 reviews · 3 hours to 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $100Best value

Spend about three hours walking Kadikoy with a guide such as Melis or Jeremy, tasting Turkish breakfast, pide, lahmacun, coffee, wine, ayran, baklava, and a secret dish. The route crosses markets, backstreets, street art, and local gathering spots on Istanbul’s Asian side. Groups are limited to 12 people.

“This is a must-do experience for travellers to Istanbul. Melis is an incredible guide and easily balanced the needs of the group with the stops she needed us to make. A truly unforgettable experience! The food is served in generous portions and always accompanied by a little explanation or story to bring it fully to life. When I return to Istanbul I will be sure to seek out this guide and book another tour with her. Fantastic.”

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5.Istanbul Traditional Food Tour with Dinner on Off-Touristy-Path

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 230 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $139

Spend about five hours eating your way from Karaköy to Kadıköy and back, with ferry rides between Istanbul’s European and Asian sides. A licensed English-speaking guide such as Burak or Salih leads up to 10 people through markets, lokantas, and back streets. Expect a full meal, dessert, tea, coffee, and several unfamiliar flavors.

“A great way to eat like a local! 9 stops to try a wide variety of food and drinks, with a great guide - Burak - who gave us the history of Istanbul as well as the origins of the food we ate. Don’t eat much during the day as you will want to leave room for all of the food!”

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