Fantastic Food Tours of Istanbul to Book Immediately

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If there’s one thing about me it’s that I love to discover a place through their food. Cuisine is truly telling of a culture because food tells the story of people – their history and creativity. Turkish food is some of the most flavorful I’ve ever had. In fact, I’ve known quite a few people who had never been to Turkey, but after having their food now claim it’s their favorite type of cuisine.

One of the best food tours I’ve ever been on was in Istanbul, so I know that this collection of incredible food tours of Istanbul won’t let you down. I’ll share which one I went on and some other fantastic ones that you won’t regret booking immediately!

A Tip for Booking Food Tours

As a tip, I recommend booking your food tour on your first full day in Istanbul. It will help you get acquainted with the city and learn which foods you love so you can sample more during your trip.

I’ve been on so many food tours over the years that I know what makes a good one – variety, authenticity, quantity, quality, and duration. If any of these falter, you start to question if the food tour was worth the price.

Best Food Tours of Istanbul

Taste of Two Continents Food Tour

If you didn’t know (no hard feelings), Istanbul lies on two continents – Europe and Asia. While the food has similar themes throughout the city, sampling food across both continents gives you access to a wider variety of dishes and specialties.

This was the tour that I did and I have nothing but fantastic things to say! You’ll start in the Fatih district on the European side with a large Turkish breakfast.

Breakfasts in Turkey are so important so having a local’s help to figure out what breakfast staples you love will make all future Turkish breakfasts on your trip a delight! We tried olives, cheeses, breads, meats, tea, and my new favorite: hazelnut paste.

This tour soon takes you to the Spice Bazaar to try the most delicious lamp soup (we went back for seconds later on our trip!).

Eventually, your guide will take you on a ferry to Kadikoy, the Asian side of Istanbul. Let me just say doing this for the first time with a local is so helpful as navigating a new city can be intimidating.

In Kadikoy, you’ll try pickles, baklava, cookies, lokma (street food that is donut adjacent), and a full lunch by a famous Turkish chef from Chef’s Table.

I can’t say enough positive things about this tour, but it was by far the most memorable part of our trip. Not only did we find our new favorite foods and restaurants, but we learned a bit about Istanbul, how to navigate the city, and insight into Turkish food culture.

The only reason not to book this tour is because you are short on time or budget as this tour lasts 6 hours and costs $125 per person (a steal imo).

Guided Food Tour of Street Food and Markets

Similar to the previous tour, this guided tour also spans both the European and Asian side of Istanbul. You’ll try balik ekmek (a fish sandwich made on the water), iskender kebap (a shaved meat on bread), simit (a type of sesame bagel) with cheese and honey.

Unlike the previous tour, you’ll definitely try mussels, balik ekmek, kunefe (a cheese dessert), and Turkish coffee.

Overall, the two tours seem similar, but feature slightly different foods.

With 200+ reviews, they have 4.9/5 stars, so you can’t go wrong with this choice.

Related read >> 3 day itinerary for Istanbul

Guided Food and Culture Tour

Another popular tour with over 200+ reviews and rated 4.9/5 stars, this Guided Food and Culture Tour is a great option for those looking for a shorter experience.

Ringing in at only 5 hours, this is a more manageable option if you’re short on time when visiting Istanbul. If you only have a day, you want to maximize your time, so this tour can help!

You’ll still visit the Asian and European sides of Istanbul by ferry and still try iconic foods, but on a quicker timeline.

Enjoy stuffed mussels, Kurdish food, tea, and more on this tour, plus learn about Turkish culture from your local guide.

Istanbul Food on Foot Tour

This food tour claims to be the “most generous” food tour of Istanbul, so that piques my interest immediately!

They have 4.9/5 stars in their ratings.

This tour covers the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar, pastry shops, Turkish pizza restaurants, and more local favorites.

The tastes look similar to other tours with simit, beyran, breakfast, and tea highlighted.

It’s unclear how long this tour is as it’s listed as 4-5.5 hours, but it does span more area than some other tours on this list. Reviewers have said it takes you through Taksim, the Spice Bazaar, and Kadikoy (the Asian side).

Evening Food Tour with Rooftop Views

If you want a unique take on your food tour, opt for an evening tour. It lasts 3 hours, so its another great option if you’re short on time.

This tour is special in that you’ll get sunset views of Istanbul because it takes place in the evening.

You’ll dine at a 130 year old restaurant and try over 10 dishes! Plus, you’ll spend time at a rooftop bar and sample food from a market in passing on the way to the restaurant.

The amount of food is perfect for a dinner, so you’ll end your day nice and full.

Other food experiences

Coffee making

If you’re a coffee connoisseur, you’ll love this coffee making experience and fortune telling workshop.

You’ll learn what makes Turkish coffee so special while grinding beans and learning to brew coffee in a traditional pot. Taste two different kinds of coffee to learn the difference and appreciate the significance to Turkish culture.

After the tour, you’ll take home a Turkish cezve coffee pot, coffee, and a mug as a souvenir! Such a fantastic value for the price!

While I didn’t participate in this tour, I did bring home Turkish coffee (literally drinking it as I type), so if I could go back, I would make this a top priority tour to add to my itinerary. It has over 150+ reviews at 4.9/5 stars.

Turkish Cooking Classes

Learn from a Turkish mom

Okay this is so cute. You can learn to cook Turkish cuisine from a local mom. I especially love this option for my college students missing home.

You’ll quickly learn how wonderful Turkish hospitality is while learning to cook Turkish dishes.

This experience has 5 out of 5 stars from all reviews, so you just know it’s a good one!

When you book, you’ll choose a time to dictate what meal you’ll cook together. If you book before 11 am, it’ll be breakfast, so choose wisely.

Home Cooking Course

For a longer home cooking experience, book this cooking class instead! It lasts 4 hours and includes a trip around local food shops to purchase the ingredients for your meal.

After shopping with your host, you’ll learn to cook Turkish dishes together!

I absolutely love this option as a well-rounded local experience. If you have more time, this longer cooking class option has 5 out of 5 stars!

Guided pub crawls in Istanbul

I am not a party person, but I’m happy to share some guided pub crawls if that’s your thing you’re looking to experience. It can certainly be a wonderful way to meet fellow travelers and discover favorite local spots to grab a drink!

I’ve only been on a pub crawl in Dublin and it really was so fun to meet locals and fellow travelers. In fact, because of that pub crawl, I discovered my favorite restaurant in Dublin as a local recommended mid-night-out stop.

Another perk of a guided pub crawl is that you’ll avoid common scams that happen at tourist bars including theft!

Anyway, here are some options in Istanbul!

Related read >> Where to stay in Istanbul for first timers

Party Bus Pub Crawl

This pub crawl is a great option for those looking for more of a party because you’ll visit the clubs via party bus!

They host ice breaker drinking games and the tour comes with VIP entrance to three rooftop bars, welcome cocktail shot at each venue, and professional party photos.

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• Get Your Guide – Check out Get Your Guide for a one-stop-shop for booking travel activities.
• Booking.com – This is my favorite hotel search aggregator, specifically for reading reviews. On Booking.com, the reviews can be searched for keywords like WiFi, breakfast, pool, amenities, etc.! So helpful!
• Anti-pickpocket bag – Worried about having your valuables swiped? PacSafe makes the best travel bags with zippers and straps that lock and with mesh steel enforced fabric.
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