Street Foods

Börek (Patty)

Börek (Patty)
Thought all börek was served at home or in bakeries? Think again. Particularly popular with plaza workers seeking an alternative to tost for breakfast in the morning, street börek usually comes with cheese between layers of dough. Unfortunately, most börek you’ll find on the street is rather bland in comparison to the homemade variety, but…
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Tavuk Pilav (Chicken Pilaf)

Tavuk Pilav (Chicken Pilaf)
Ever thought you’d eat chicken and rice on a street corner? Probably not, but in Istanbul, that counts as lunch for a greater number of people than you’d imagine. It’s fast, hot and filling. It’s easy to spot the men selling it in glass-covered carts around town, but locals swear that there’s something special about…
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Kumpir (Baked Potato)

Kumpir (Baked Potato)
The ultimate baked potato goes by the name kumpir in Turkey, with Ortaköy being the most popular area in the city to eat it. As soon as you see the row of kumpir sellers, each trying to beckon you to their particular display, you’ll know you found the right place. With a myriad of toppings…
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Kokoreç

Kokoreç
One of the most controversial street eats out there, kokoreç is actually spiced and skewered sheep’s intestines, served in either half or quarter of a bread loaf with plenty of grease and salt to go with. No wonder it’s everyone’s favourite post-drunk food – after all, it takes a real lack of inhibition to feast…
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Midye Dolma ( Stuffed Mussels)

Midye Dolma ( Stuffed Mussels)
More of a snack than a meal, midye dolma is none other than mussels on the half shell, mixed with spicy rice and served with a squeeze of lemon juice, served right out of a tray on every other street corner in Taksim at night. The trick with midye dolma is to keep eating as…
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Tantuni

Tantuni
A close relative of the dürüm, tantuni features beef, tomatoes, peppers and a generous sprinkling of spices wrapped in the thinnest tortilla imaginable. It usually comes in spicy and less-spicy versions, though most Mersin natives (the hometown of tantuni) believe it’s not the real thing unless it leaves a burn on your lips. One of…
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Dürüm (Roll)

Dürüm (Roll)
Dürüm is one of the most democratic Turkish culinary inventions. Why? You’re just as likely to encounter it on a street corner as you are at the fanciest of restaurants. Whether it’s the chicken, beef, cheese or veggie variety you prefer,this meal in wrap form is sure to set you free from your hunger pangs.…
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Lahmacun (Turkish Pizza)

Lahmacun (Turkish Pizza)
Often referred to by tourists as "Turkish pizza", lahmacun is a very uncomplicated meal of thin dough topped with a minced meat-onion-red pepper mixture, slid in the oven for a few minutes and served piping hot. It’s customary to top it with a handful of parsley and a squirt of lemon juice, then roll it…
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Balık-Ekmek (Fish and Bread)

Balık-Ekmek (Fish and Bread)
The number two most popular street food in the city is indisputably balık-ekmek, better known as the fish sandwiches that are impossible to ignore anytime you’re near the Karaköy or Eminönü shore. You might be tempted to sit down at any one of the restaurants below the Galata Bridge to feast on these tasty sandwiches, but…
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Simit (Bagel)

Simit (Bagel)
It’s a well-known fact that even the most elite of Istanbulites have a hard time resisting the tantalising scent of this freshly baked, molasses-dipped and sesame-crusted dough. Turkey’s answer to the American bagel, simit is a staple of breakfasts on-the-go. Even day-old simit has its use as seagull feed. [well]Source: www.timeout.com[/well]
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