Street Foods in Turkey You Must Try At Least Once
Culture, landscape, history, and food - Turkey has all to attract international travelers. In case you are a traveler with a love for food, this country would be a heaven for you. Every corner of the Turkish street has something for you to delight your taste buds.
Among many other things in Turkey, the Turkish food will keep you coming for more. What is more fascinating about the country is that the major city, Istanbul, straddles two continents - Europe and Asia. So, the foods in the city and, to some extent, other parts of the country have the influence of European and Asian cuisine.
When you explore the Turkish street food, you not only taste mouth-watering dishes, but you also take a bite at the Turkish culture. You get to taste food that has been made perfect by centuries of experimentation and the culinary brilliance of local people.
So, let’s see what street foods you can explore when you visit Turkey.
Turkish Street Foods to Explore
In this section, you will get to know about Turkish street foods, starting from simple roasted chestnuts to traditional Turkish Kebabs. So, let’s begin the discussion without further ado.
1. Kestane or Roasted Chestnuts
It is nothing but simple roasted chestnuts that you can get at any popular corner of the Turkish street. It is an oil-free and healthy snack, and keeps you busy munching on the crunchy roasted chestnuts.
Look for freshly roasted chestnuts in the corner of any popular tourist spots, like Hagia Sophia or others. While you are walking down the Turkish footpath, this simple snack will make your walk enjoyable.
2. Simit
This one is another great Turkish street food, and you must try it, especially if you are on a budget trip to Turkey. Simit is a traditional ring-shaped Turkish bread that is sold on almost every street corner. The chewy and crunchy bread looks more beautiful with sesame, poppy, and sunflower seeds all over it. These seeds are sprinkled on it after making a ring out of the dough and then baked in the oven.
The simple yet traditional Turkish street food - Simit can be enjoyed with Turkish tea, fruit jelly, or Turkish cheese. Thi traditional Turkish bread can be a good breakfast for you to try.
3. Börek
What seems to be a simple pastry has more to offer to enrich your journey to explore the Turkish street foods. The food belongs to a family of baked or fried pastries, prepared with thin, flaky dough.
Across Turkey, you will find different types of Börek, which might have different fillings - meat, potato, cheese, or vegetables. It is available in different shapes on the streets of Turkey, such as potato Börek, spiral or arm Börek.
4. Midye Dolma
If you try this dish, you will fall in love with it and want to keep coming back to Turkey. Midye Dolma is made with aromatic herb rice stuffed in mussels. It also consists of nuts and spices to increase the taste. When you ask for a midye dolma, the vendor will prepare the mussel and spritz lemon juice on it to prepare it for a tasty bite. You can either enjoy its unique taste one by one or order a dozen at a time and take your time to eat them.
You can either get it from seafood sellers on the street or in a restaurant. Better to purchase them from a street vendor, as you have a better chance of getting fresh mussels from the vendors.
5. Kokoreç
It is a traditional Turkish food made with grilled lamb intestines and wrapped with organ meat like kidney, heart, lung, etc. To roast the meat, a rotisserie is used, and after the roasting is done, the meat is cut into small pieces. Now it is ready to be eaten as-is, or you can enjoy it with two slices of bread sandwiching the roasted meat.
If you are looking for healthy Turkish street foods, Kokoreç might not qualify. But if you are up for meat with smoky flavour with some added spices - then kokorec is the perfect Turkish street food option. It is better to eat kokorec with bread because the lamb intestine has a strong flavour, which is balanced when you eat it with bread.
6. Dürüm
In the Turkish language, Dürüm means meat, which is what it actually serves. No doubt it is the most favourite street food in Istanbul and other parts of Turkey. Lavash or yufka bread is used to wrap different types of grilled meat like doner kebab, chicken, urfa kebab, and adana kebab.
Not only kebabs and thin bread to wrap it around, but it also includes tomato, onions, peppers, and fresh cucumber. Dürüm is not only a tasty but also a fulfilling street food of Turkey.
7. Pide
The next street food item on the list is Pide. It is a type of Turkish flatbread that comes with toppings of meat, cheese, egg, and vegetables. It is baked in a stone or brick oven.
Sometimes, the Turkish flatbread, Pide, is referred to as 'Turkish Pizza'. The food is both sold on the street and in restaurants as a starter.
8. Balik Ekmek
After talking about different street foods with meat as a main ingredient, it's time to talk about something else. Balik Ekmek is a grilled sandwich that uses fish as a filling. There is another version of the food - Balik Durum, which also uses fish as the main ingredient, and bread is used to wrap the filling.
Local Turkish people enjoy Balik Ekmek with a glass of pickle or turnip juice. When you go to the Turkish seller, he will serve balik ekem with a spritz of lemon juice. Now, enjoy the fish sandwich loaded with onion with a touch of lemon juice.
When you go to Turkey, you will be able to experience a cultural legacy by trying various street foods. Here are a few more honourable mentions that you should try when visiting Turkey - islak burger, tavuk pilav, halka tatlisi, sambali, dondurma, etc.
Things to Remember Before Visiting Turkey
Take a look at the following things to make your journey to Turkey smooth:
- Apply for a Turkish e-visa before planning a trip to Turkey, and check if your passport is valid
- Plan an itinerary to get the best out of your stay in the country
- Try street foods with your right hand, also use your right hand when you go to the house, attending their lunch/dinner invitation
- Try to learn the local language to greet Turkish people in their language and learn their culture closely
Explore Turkish Culture through Turkish Street Foods
Turkish street food not only speaks of the blend of different ingredients, spices, or herbs, but it also speaks of local culture. Each dish might have its own story to tell; listen to it. The smoky flavour of the kebab or the whiff of roasted chestnuts will keep you coming to Turkey for the coming days.
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While Turkey is known for its rich culture, the country also holds some of the best kept secrets of desserts which are sheer ambrosia to the senses. Find out more at Famous Turkish Sweets and Treats.
Check your eligibility for Turkey Visa and apply for Turkey e-Visa 72 hours in advance of your flight. South African Citizens, Mexican citizens, Cambodian citizens and Pakistani citizens can apply online for Electronic Turkey Visa.