Istanbul Culinary Tour: Local Hotspots and Gourmet Street Foods
Recommended by 95% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Istanbul, Turkey
- 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Get to know the complex food culture of Istanbul on this guided street food walking tour. Explore the Pera neighborhood and visit some of the hidden passages and streets including the Flower Passage, Hazzopulo, and Asmali Mescit. Stop at traditional meyhanes and food markets and sample a wide range of cuisine, including snacks, desserts, and drinks.
- Get an insider's view of Istanbul when you explore with a guide
- Small group sizes ensure a more intimate experience
- Sample traditional snacks, desserts, and drinks, included in the cost of the tour
- Get the chance to ride on a funicular
Sample Menu
Starter
Turkish Mezes
As the waiter approaches with the biggest tray full of small plates filled with delicious meze possible, a sheer excitement starts at the table.
What's Included
- Professional guide
- Transport by funicular
- Food tasting - Samples & Snacks
- Coffee and/or Tea
- Small Group
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Nordstern Hotel GalataArap Cami, Tersane Cd. No: 5, 34421 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye
Meet your guide in front (outside) of NORDSTERN HOTEL GALATA which is located next to the Galata Bridge. It is about a 2-minute walk from (T1) Karaköy tram stop. Your guide will wear a tour guide badge and will be easy to spot.
End point
- Taksim Square, Kocatepe, 34435 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye
Our food journey will conclude at Taksim Square. Our guide can point you in the right direction or or give you a recommendation of what to see next nearby
Itinerary
1
Galata Koprusu
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Cicek Pasaji
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
3
Istiklal Caddesi
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
4
Taksim Square
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Miriam_W
Let me start by saying that Erol, our guide was AMAZING. He spent 4.5 hours with us showing us EVERYTHING that Istanbul has to offer in terms of food. We walked and ate and ate and walked and learned so much along the way. He is very personable and showed us everything we needed to know about the local food in Turkey, as well as the hidden gems that we wouldn't have even known existed in this amazing city. What a fantastic food tour. HIGHLY recommend.
Reviews
4.8
based on 66 reviews
kkmaxwell, Nov 2025
Would highly recommend this food tour that allows you to see the local side of the city. Our guide was Kimet, and she showed us some great hidden gems and delicious food. Come hungry!
Richard_E, Oct 2025
The tour was great, and we enjoyed all of the food choices. Our tour guide Kim fantastic and knowledgeable but soft spoken. It would have been nice to have the earpieces.
christine_h, Jun 2024
Our guide was amazing. So friendly and informative of life in Turkey and the food eaten. We had an amazing time.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for sharing your experience! We're so glad you had an amazing time and that your guide was so friendly and informative. It sounds like they did a wonderful job of giving you a glimpse into life and food in **Turkey**.
RachaelWeathers, Jun 2024
We had a great guide, Tolga, that was very nice and taught us about the history and food of turkey. We would have never found these places otherwise. We got to try many different delicious foods that we hadn’t experienced yet.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for your wonderful review! We are so glad to hear that you had a great experience with **Tolga** and that he was able to share the history and food of **Turkey** with you.
It's fantastic that you got to try so many delicious new foods and that Tolga showed you some authentic places you would have never found on your own. We'll be sure to pass along your kind words to him!
Ryan_H, May 2024
This was fun,
We got off the beatin path, to experience some of Turkish culture and food. Erol was awesome, sometimes too much info...like bro, I'm feeding my face, I don't want to be rude....lol. It was all good,. I would highly recommend erol was like a friend showing us the best of his hometown.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for sharing your experience! We're thrilled to hear that you had such a fun time getting off the beaten path to experience the best of **Turkish culture and food**.
It sounds like **Erol**'s passion and deep knowledge were a big part of what made your tour so great, and we appreciate your honest, good-humored feedback about his enthusiasm! We're glad it felt like a friend showing you around his hometown.
We'll be sure to pass along your high recommendation to him. We hope to see you again for another delicious adventure in **Istanbul**!
Noel_D, May 2024
We went on the Istanbul Culinary Tour with Erol on 30th April and had a wonderful experience. Not only was the variety of food superb,amazing and delicious but Erol's knowledge of the Turkish history and culture was excellent. It was an intimate and engaging food tour and we would highly recommend it to visitors to Istanbul.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience! We're thrilled to hear that you had such a fantastic time on your **Istanbul Culinary Tour** with **Erol**.
It sounds like the combination of superb food and Erol's extensive knowledge of Turkish history and culture made the tour truly special. We're so glad you found it to be an intimate and engaging experience. Your high recommendation for other visitors means a lot to us!
Anonymous, Sep 2023
An amazing food tour covering a variety of local specialties. It was also a great introduction to Istanbul. Erol, our guide, was knowledgeable and told interesting stories.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you so much for your kind review! 🥘🌟 We’re delighted that our Istanbul Culinary Tour: Local Tavern and Gourmet Street Foods provided a great introduction to Istanbul. Erol will be thrilled to hear that his knowledge and storytelling made your food tour both enjoyable and memorable.
Exploring Istanbul’s local specialties with a passionate guide is one of the best ways to experience the city’s rich culinary culture and history. Your recommendation will help future travelers find our authentic food tours in Istanbul.
We hope to welcome you again soon — perhaps on our 10 Tastings of Istanbul tour, a Hidden Streets Walking Tour, or a Bosphorus evening cruise.
Jeffrey_R, Aug 2023
I feel this tour missed on many levels. First off, the tour guide barely let our group interact. He consistently interrupted our conversation while trying to leverage information that was unnecessary. Secondly, the good is not that good. Lastly, I feel the guide needed to read the group better and let the tour progress a little more organically. Lastly, there is only raki at the first stop and then not another offer of beer or wines. Making the title of tour, " local taverns" misleading.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for sharing this honest and detailed feedback. I am so sorry to hear that your experience with our tour did not meet your expectations and that you feel it missed the mark on so many levels.
The issues you've raised about the guide's approach and the tour's content are very serious, and we are addressing them immediately. Our guides are trained to facilitate a comfortable and engaging experience, not to interrupt or dominate conversations. Your point about letting the tour progress more organically is a valuable insight, and we will be using it for future guide training. We also apologize if the food and drink selections were not up to standard and that the tour title felt misleading. We are reviewing the itinerary to ensure it accurately reflects what guests can expect.
We truly appreciate you taking the time to provide this feedback. It is crucial for us to understand where we are failing so we can make the necessary improvements. We would like to make this right. Please email our support team at info@tematique.com so we can personally address your concerns.
Jennifer_G, Jul 2023
Highlight of our trip to Istanbul. Highly recommend it. You will learn so much about not just Turkish food, but also about Turkish culture. I agree with all other reviewers that Erol is amazing! He has a great personality and speaks very good English. If you have limited time in Istanbul and want to try many types of foods, this is the way to do it.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you so much for your fantastic review! 🥘✨ We’re thrilled that our Istanbul Culinary Tour: Local Tavern and Gourmet Street Foods was a highlight of your trip. Erol will be delighted to hear that his personality, knowledge, and English fluency made your experience enjoyable and informative.
Exploring Istanbul’s authentic cuisine while learning about Turkish culture is one of the best ways to experience the city. Your recommendation will help future travelers discover our culinary tours and enjoy a delicious and cultural journey through Istanbul.
Victoria_L, Jun 2023
My wife and I did the Istanbul street food tour on our honeymoon with our exceptional guide, Erol Ütgün. Erol was incredibly informative, funny, personable, and had such a wonderful way of blending culture, history, and food! He was knowledgeable about all things Istanbul history, and did a great job blending the broader history of the European section under the Ottomans with the more recent cultural changes since the Republic. During the tour ebbed back and forth around Istiklal street into smaller and lesser known areas. It was an absolute blast and we would recommend Erol and his tours to anyone looking to have an informative and fun adventure in Istanbul!
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for choosing our Istanbul Culinary Tour for such a special occasion as your honeymoon. We are thrilled to hear that Erol Ütgün made your experience both informative and fun, blending culture, history, and food so beautifully. His deep knowledge of Istanbul’s Ottoman heritage and modern cultural shifts brings a unique perspective to every tour.
Exploring the vibrant food scene around Istiklal Street, including lesser-known areas and local delicacies, is indeed a highlight, and we’re glad you enjoyed this culinary adventure. Your recommendation means a lot to us, and we look forward to welcoming you again for more authentic tasting experiences in Istanbul!
Thomas_K, Nov 2022
We had been to Istanbul before, even in the area of Istikal Caddesi. He took us to places we had never seen, food we've never had, and we had the best time. Erol was the best, not only as a guide, but as a friend. He explained what and why the area had grown so much since our last visit. This was one of our best tours ever with Viator.
Response from Host, Feb 2023
Thank you for sharing your experience with Erol as your guide! It sounds like you had a wonderful time exploring Istanbul with him. It's great to hear that he was able to show you new places and introduce you to new foods, even in an area you had visited before. And it's always a bonus when a guide can not only share their knowledge but also become a friend during the tour. We hope you have more great experiences with Viator in the future!
Dodson_S, Sep 2022
Our guide Erol was excelkent, as was the food, local authentic spots, and luckily the weather was greatvtoo. Highly recommend.
Sara_P, Aug 2022
Food was fantastic and we had an amazing time! I would recommend this to anyone! Our guide was lovely.
ojbrown81, Jul 2022
Erol was the best guide, so much knowledge and insight into Istanbul and Turkey’s food culture! A great evening - loads of food, have a light lunch! Cheers Erol top guy. Oliver & Faz
Mark_H, Jun 2022
This tour was outstanding. Erol did a great job of introducing us to great Turkish food. Highly recommended for foodies or people looking to avoid the typical tourist eateries.
Melanie_N, Apr 2022
Our tour guide was so engaged and excited to share history and delicious food! What a variety of taste sensation!
Zachary_G, Dec 2021
None time was 6:30 pm
On the website and 5:00 pm on tickets. So we were charged after they cancelled for us being late. We never went in the tour due to difference between website and ticket time. I would not recommend no communication no ownership of their error and we lost 160 dollars.
Response from Host, Dec 2022
Dear Zachary G,
We apologize for the confusion and frustration caused by the discrepancy in the tour time listed on our website and on your tickets. We take full responsibility for the error and are truly sorry that it resulted in you being charged and not being able to participate in the tour. We want to assure you that we have addressed this issue and have updated all of our information to prevent this from happening again.
We understand that you were disappointed and we would like to offer you a complimentary tour on us as a gesture of goodwill. Please contact us at your earliest convenience to schedule a tour at a time that is convenient for you. We hope that this will allow you to experience the tour and see for yourself the unique and interesting sights that we offer.
Once again, we apologize for any inconvenience caused and look forward to welcoming you on a future tour.
Sincerely,
T.K.
Guest Relations Manager
William_C, Nov 2021
What a great tour! Our guide, Errol Utgun, was full of knowledge about food, customs and the area that he happily shared. We had lots of food, walked all over Pera neighborhood and visited many local spots. He made us feel very comfortable in Istanbul. Do this!
Response from Host, Sep 2025
What a fantastic review! We are so thrilled to hear that you had such a great experience on our Istanbul Food Tour with Erol Utgun.
It's wonderful to know that Erol’s knowledge of local food, customs, and the Pera neighborhood made you feel so comfortable. Our goal is to make every guest feel like a local, and it sounds like he did just that. We will definitely pass along your kind words to him.
Thank you for your enthusiastic recommendation! We hope to welcome you back to Istanbul for another adventure soon.
Audrey_N, Sep 2021
Great tour from start to finish. Come for the food, stay for the history and insight into local culture. Erol was great.
Elsabie_W, Feb 2020
What a fantastic experience. erol showed us places and food we would never have tried as we would not have known about it. A tour every tourist should do
Response from Host, Feb 2020
Thank you for taking your time to leave such a positive review for us. Our job feels like pleasure when our clients are happy. Our guide Errol has a great passion to introduce his guests to Turkish Cuisine, local foods and drinks and it is great to know that his service is so appreciated. We hope to see you again soon in our lovely city and wish you and your family our best.
Markwjqueree, Nov 2019
We had an excellent evening with our guide, Erol. We visited a number of restaurants, bars and shops in Beyoglu, and the tour included a lot of historical information. The food we tasted was excellent, and ranged from mezze platters to confectionery. The tour felt very well thought out, our guide was a local expert, and we felt we gained a great insight into the food culture of Istanbul.
Sumitha_M, Sep 2019
My tour guide was excellent, attentive and had a lot of knowledge on Turkish food and history. Me and my partner happened to be the only 2 on this tour and our tour guide still spent a full 4 hours (and bit more). I tasted food I would have never tried and enjoyed immensely. Would recommend this tour to anyone!
Miriam_W, Jul 2019
Let me start by saying that Erol, our guide was AMAZING. He spent 4.5 hours with us showing us EVERYTHING that Istanbul has to offer in terms of food. We walked and ate and ate and walked and learned so much along the way. He is very personable and showed us everything we needed to know about the local food in Turkey, as well as the hidden gems that we wouldn't have even known existed in this amazing city. What a fantastic food tour. HIGHLY recommend.
Magicrancher, May 2019
Our guide met us promptly at the identified location and immediately made us feel at home. He provided insight into the food and the eating and shopping habits of the Turkish people which really helped us to better understand the culture. He would consistently fill in gaps on the food, the region or the history of both Istanbul and Turkey and the culture influencing the food. It was a great introduction and we felt like we were having dinner with an old family friend.
Vandana V, Dec 2018
We were on a holiday as a family and this trip with our guide Erol was great fun and a healthy way to bond over some delicious hideout restaurant where the food was yummy for a cold winter evening. Thank you Erol for giving us ur time and sharing a out of the box experience.. we went back to the “Passage” area again 🙏🏼🙏🏼
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for sharing such a wonderful review of your family trip with Erol! We are so happy to hear that your experience was great fun and a healthy way for your family to bond.
Our goal is to create unique and memorable experiences, and it sounds like Erol delivered by taking you to those delicious hideout restaurants. It's fantastic to know that you enjoyed the food and even went back to the "Passage" area.
Erol truly is a great guide, and we will be sure to pass along your kind words to him. We hope to see you and your family on another tour soon!
Naushine K, Apr 2018
My tour guide was amazingly informative and very nice. He added in a lot of historical references and made the tour very enjoyable. All the places he took us to were very good. The only very minor change i would recommend is to maybe add in some kebab or meat dishes to the food portion as Turkey is known for that. Other than that, great experience and would definitely recommend!
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear that your tour guide was so informative and that you had such an enjoyable and memorable experience in Istanbul.
Your feedback about adding more meat dishes like kebab is fantastic and very helpful. We always want to showcase the best of Turkish cuisine, and your suggestion is a great way for us to improve our food tours. We'll definitely take this into consideration for future menu planning.
Thank you again for your recommendation! We hope to see you on another tour soon.
Denise K, Mar 2018
Great food tour. Out of the way spots you’d never find on your own and fabulous food.
Benoit_M, Apr 2025
Erik est un guide extraordinaire il nous a fait une visite complète et variée de tous les bons endroits à connaître en 2h30. Les streets foods , les tavernes ou on ne rencontre que des locaux, l entrée typique turc mezze, suivi de plats originaux et tous très bons. Il s adapte en fonction de vos goûts et vous explique tout en détail. On finit sur le vrai café turc et les desserts à base de pistache (excellents) et parce que ma fille adore le chocolat a une boutique de rue datant de plus de 100 ans ou nous allons retourner !!! Un grand merci Erol pour toutes ses découvertes. À faire en début de séjour.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Merci beaucoup pour ce commentaire exceptionnel ! Nous sommes ravis d'apprendre que votre tour a été une expérience si complète et variée grâce à Erol.
C'est exactement notre objectif de vous faire découvrir les adresses cachées et les endroits authentiques fréquentés par les locaux, loin des circuits touristiques. Nous sommes très fiers de la capacité d'Erol à s'adapter à vos goûts et à partager ses connaissances avec passion.
C'est merveilleux que vous ayez pu savourer des plats originaux, des mezzes délicieux, et que vous ayez même découvert une chocolaterie centenaire pour le plus grand plaisir de votre fille ! Nous serons sûrs de transmettre vos chaleureux remerciements à Erol.
Comme vous le recommandez, c'est l'introduction parfaite pour un séjour à Istanbul !
Ernesto_L, Aug 2021
Excelente experiencia con Erol. Mi esposa y yo disfrutamos mucho este tour. Además de visitar lugares que difícilmente podría uno encontrar, y probar platillo muy locales, Erol nos proporcionó bastante información histórica y de la vida cotidiana en Turquía por lo que este tour es un 2 en 1. Gastronomía e Historia. Lo recomendamos ampliamente. Ernesto Leon
From $119.93
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Istanbul Culinary Tour: Local Hotspots and Gourmet Street Foods
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3 hours 30 minutes
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