Turkish cuisine is one of the most famous and preferred cuisines in the world, and many visit Turkey to try its famous dishes. The diversity and richness of Turkish culture are on their food. You will be surprised by the similarities found between Turkish cuisine and other Middle Eastern, European, and Mediterranean food. However, Turkish people managed to leave their signature on every single dish and drink to make them unique.
Every city in Turkey is famous for a traditional dish. For example, Bursa is well known for Iskender Kebab, Adana for Borek, Gaziantep for its baklava, the Black Sea region for Kuymak, and so on.
However, it is unnecessary to travel to each region to taste its special dish, as you can experience it all in one place, Istanbul.
In Istanbul, the food experience is different from any other place because of its diversity. You will be able to enjoy international cuisine as well but with the Istanbul charm. There, you will enjoy a tasty breakfast over the Bosphorus alongside the seagulls roaming around. You will indulge yourself with a delicious lunch while sipping the fresh smell of the Aegean Sea and overlooking the outstanding views of the magical city of Istanbul. Istanbul will add its touch to produce charming food as unique as the city itself. Enjoying food while in Istanbul is, for sure, an experience not to miss.
Below are, what I consider, the best dishes that guarantee an unforgettable trip to Istanbul.
The Turkish Breakfast
Turkey is famous for its breakfast. It is very rich, and it contains different types of fresh vegetables such as tomatoes and lettuce, different types of fresh cheese that differ in shapes, colours, and tastes. Eggs are strongly presented in Turkish breakfast not only as boiled versus fried, but as different tasty dishes such as Menemen (Turkish Omelet) and sausage with eggs.
As for the sweets, homemade jam is essential in every breakfast as well as butter, fruit molasses, and Tahini.
Above all is Turkish tea. What takes your breath away is not only the taste but also the way Turkish people prepare the tea. They use two tea kettles. The smaller one is placed above the other larger pot. Inside the small teapot is the strong tea, and inside the larger pot is the boiled water. It depends on how strong you like your tea, or in other words, what your perfect tea colour is; you can add more or less water.
Another special Turkish breakfast dish is Börek, a Turkish pastry stuffed with cheese, meat, or potato. There are different types, such as Su Böreği, Sigara Böreği, and Çiğ Börek.
P.S: To enjoy your tea, you need to drink it inside the transparent small Turkish tea glasses, as the taste will be great, and you will enjoy the colour as well.
The best places to enjoy your breakfast in Istanbul are the cafes in Sariyer next to the European side fortress that overlooks the Bosphorus.
Gözleme
It is a shame to visit Istanbul and never try Gözleme. It can be found almost everywhere in Istanbul. In almost all restaurants and cafés in the Sultan Ahmet & Sirkici areas, you can enjoy Gözleme.
It is more like a stuffed folded flatbread grilled over an open griller. These Gozleme are stuffed with cheese, minced meat, spinach, and other things according to your choice, and it is brushed with oil to give them a crispy taste. It is served for breakfast as well, but it can be a good option for snacks.
What is special about Gözleme is being prepared by Turkish women wearing their traditional clothes.
Pide (Turkish Pizza)
Pide is similar to Pizza with few differences, especially, their shape, and how they are served. These Pides are cooked in clay or stone ovens, and usually cut up and served with Lemon.
Pide is oval-shaped bread with a centre filled with toppings such as Cheese, Meat, Potatoes, tomatoes, parsley, egg, mushroom, pastrami, sausage, etc...
Pide restaurants are spread over the streets of Sirkeci and Sultan Ahmet and are served on street carts as well.
Of course, you can find Pide in every neighbourhood in Istanbul, but my favourite ones are in the old town of Sultan Ahmet.
Manti (Turkish Ravioli)
Manti is another version of the Italian Ravioli and the Middle Eastern Joshpara, or as the Arabic people say, Shishbarak.
Manti is similar to Ravioli in terms of its dough and to Shishbarak in terms of its filling. It is filled with minced meat and onion and served along with a special garlic sauce, usually spicy, and fresh yoghurt.
It was a bit weird when I first saw it, pasta with fresh yoghurt, but when I tried it, the first expression was: Wow. Now, if I need to describe the taste, I would say: you can not describe it, you only have to try it!
My favourite restaurants that serve the best Manti are Esmer Chef café in Istiklal Street, Beyoglu and Kadikoy, Bodrum Manti & Café (it has several branches in Istanbul), and Mado café.
Doner Kebab
Doner is a type of Kebab that is cooked in a vertical rotisserie, and it goes back to the Ottoman era. It is seasoned meat or chicken shaped like a cone and turned slowly on the rotisserie.
This Ottoman invention has spread all over the world. For example, in the Arabic world, it is called Shawarma, in Greece gyros, and in Mexico al pastor.
Doner is usually served as wraps/sandwiches that contain vegetables as well.
There are many good options for Doner wraps in Istanbul to mention a few:
Sedef Iskender in the old town Sultan Ahmet area, Meydan Ciftlik Doner Besiktas, and Munhasir restaurant in Taksim.
Iskender Kebab
Iskender Kebab is another version of Doner, but it is served on a plate with hot tomato sauce, fresh yoghurt, and pide bread underneath it. The name Iskender refers to its inventor, Iskender effendi, who lived in Bursa during the late 1800s.
The most famous restaurant for Iskender Kebab is Kebapçı İskender in Kadikoy.
Balik Ekmek (fish Sandwich)
It is a loss to be in Istanbul and not to try Balik Ekmek while walking around its coasts in the evenings or sitting on Istanbul's seashores.
Balik Ekmek is one of the most famous street foods in Istanbul. It means fish in bread (Balik is fish), and Ekmek is bread.
It has grilled, sometimes fried, fish with fresh vegetables, and it is served immediately from the fishing boats, especially on the Eminönü coast.
Alongside Karaköy, you can find these fresh fish sandwiches (Balik Ekmek) as well.
It is a unique experience, served with love.
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