Private Istanbul Street Food Tour | Flavors of Istanbul
Istanbul is one of the world’s great food cities — and the best way to experience it is not in a restaurant, but on the street. On this private Istanbul street food tour, your local expert guide will lead you through the vibrant neighborhoods of Karaköy (European side) and Kadıköy (Asian side), stopping at the vendors, stalls, and hole-in-the-wall spots that locals actually eat at.
Over 3–4 hours, you’ll sample up to 10 authentic Turkish street foods — from crispy kokoreç and freshly stuffed midye to sizzling lahmacun, warm pide, and the legendary wet burger. Furthermore, unlike tourist food walks, this private Istanbul street food tour takes you to the real Istanbul, one bite at a time.
In short, this private tour is perfect for food lovers, curious travelers, and anyone who wants to understand Istanbul through its cuisine. As a result, you’ll leave with a full stomach and a deeper connection to this city than any museum could offer.
Looking for more ways to explore Istanbul? Check out our Istanbul Classical Tour, our Istanbul Magnificent Tour, or browse all of our Istanbul private tours.
About this activity
- Free cancellationCancel up to 48 hours in advance for a full refund minus the payment processing fee (up to 5%)
- Duration3–4 hours
- Live tour guideEnglish
- Pickup includedIf your hotel is centrally located, your guide meets you at your hotel
Where you’ll visit
- Karaköy (European Side) — a historic waterfront district packed with local vendors and centuries-old street food culture.
- Kadıköy (Asian Side) — Istanbul’s most vibrant food neighborhood, beloved by locals for its markets, fish stalls, street food, and authentic atmosphere.
What’s included
- Professional licensed tour guide
- Public ferry ticket between European and Asian side (approx. 2 USD per person)
- Up to 10 authentic Turkish street food tastings, such as:
- Kokoreç — spiced offal in crusty bread, a true Istanbul classic
- Midye — stuffed mussels with spiced rice, eaten straight from the shell
- Lahmacun — thin Turkish flatbread topped with minced meat and herbs
- Çiğ köfte — spiced bulgur rolls, a popular vegetarian street snack
- Pide — Turkish flatbread baked fresh in a stone oven
- Simit — sesame-crusted bread ring, the iconic Istanbul street breakfast
- Baklava — layers of crispy pastry filled with pistachios and sweet syrup
- Turkish ice cream (dondurma) — famous for its stretchy, theatrical style
- Pickle juice (turşu suyu) — the beloved local digestif
- Ayran — cold salted yogurt drink, the perfect companion to Turkish street food
- Wet burger (ıslak burger) — steamed in a garlicky tomato sauce, a Taksim legend
- Turkish soup (çorba) — a warming bowl of traditional lentil or tripe soup
- Fish wrap (balık ekmek) — fresh grilled fish in bread, a Bosphorus staple
- ⚠️ Food selection may vary depending on vendor availability and season. Items can be adjusted upon request — just let us know in advance if you have dietary preferences or restrictions.
- Drinks
- Tips for your guide — not mandatory, but recommended if you are happy with the tour
Good to know
- Walking level: easy. 3–4 hours at a relaxed pace between food stops in Karaköy and Kadıköy, crossing the Bosphorus by public ferry (ticket included) — wear comfortable shoes.
- Come hungry: up to 10 tastings make a full meal, so there's no need for lunch before. Tell us about any food allergies when booking.
- Start times: every hour from 11:00 to 17:00.
- Drinks: not included — you can buy them along the way.
Prices
| Group size | Per person |
|---|---|
| 1 person | $200 |
| 2–3 people | $150 |
| 4–8 people | $140 |
Private tour: the price is for your group only, no strangers join. Your exact total is shown in the booking form before you pay.
Groups of more than 8 people: please contact us
Guest reviews
Guides our guests mention on this tour: Bery, Kaan, Zeynel
- Hugh & AmraAugust 2025
My wife and I booked a range of activities through Reminder Tours after enjoying Bery’s Istanbul videos on YouTube for the last few years. Our amazing guide Zeynel met us at our hotel in Fatih and then we set off on our gastronomic adventure starting with a tram ride then an informative walk around Karaköy neighbourhood while enjoying delicious foods from places we would never have found on our own. Many highlights starting with çiğ köfte in a wrap, an array of soups and then a stop for fresh simit with çay before we had an outstanding fish wrap followed by a selection of freshly made baklava. Next we enjoyed a beautiful ferry ride over the Bosphorus to Kadiköy and another informative stroll through a bustling street neighbourhood where we sampled pickle juice, pide, lahmacun and then finished with turkish coffee. On our return ferry ride to the European side Zeynel went the extra mile to help us get to an earlier derviş show in Hodjapasha, personally escorting us to the venue and sorting out the ticket exchange with the booking team. Great experience and special thanks to Zeynel for bringing this wonderful itinerary to life. Hugh and Amra, New Zealand.
- RossJanuary 2025
At first I booked an airport transfer to our hotel via Reminder, which I learned about via Bery Istanbul Tips. We then decided to book a private street food tour, which was led by Kaan. Kaan was a great guy to hang out with for the afternoon, who first met us at our hotel in Pera, and then started us on a walking tour first through the very cool neighbourhood of Karaköy, trying some delicious Turkish street food along the way (the fish sandwich (balık ekmek) – do not skip!) then onto a ferry across the Bosphorus to Kadıköy, on the Asian side to try even more amazing food. Kaan told us many great facts, history and fun stories about Istanbul and Turkey through our several hours together. We went on this tour on one of our first days in Istanbul really helped give us our bearings for the next few days we spent there. Reminder were super easy to contact via WhatsApp, and we ended up booking a return transfer with them to the airport, which was the way to go. Don’t hesitate to book with Reminder – thank you all!
- Agha SJanuary 2025
This food tour in Istanbul was excellent. Our guide Kaan was awesome. He picked us up from our hotel and dropped us off at the end of the tour. He was very friendly and knowledgeable. The food we had on the tour was delicious. We started at restaurants in the Karakoy area on the European side and then crossed over on the ferry with amazing views of the Bosphorus. We then had food in the Kadikoy area on the Asian side. Kaan took us to restaurants that he himself frequents so the quality of the food was excellent. We sampled some unusual and tasty local dishes like lahmacun, yogurt soup, white beans, meatless kofte, fish sandwich, cold baklava and pickle juice. We would recommend this exceptional tour to anyone who wants to experience the local cuisine. Thanks to Kaan and Reminder Tours!!!
Show all 5 reviews
- Richard L.December 2023
A very special tour. Thank you, Bery!
- KatieDecember 2023
We ate a lot of food in this tour. My favorite is Muhlama and çiğ köfte. Totally recommend it. 🙂
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