8 Best Food Tours Istanbul

Enjoying the best flavours of Istanbul is a real tourist attraction, as it allows you to get to know the gastronomic side of the city and compare it with your taste history.

Appearing out of nowhere in a city unknown to you and with a different culture can be an impediment when it comes to knowing where to eat and what dishes to try; therefore, in this post I will tell you about the best gastronomic tours to do in Istanbul, all in order to enhance your experience and make the most of your trip.

On this tour you can enjoy the European and Asian flavours of Istanbul, enjoying a market breakfast in Europe and in the heart of the historic Old City, before sailing to Asia and exploring the vibrant streets of Kadıköy. During your walk you'll make 10 stops, and at each one you'll be able to sample some of Turkey's signature cuisine - enough to fill your belly with fantastic Turkish flavours!

From homemade dishes and street food to traditional kebabs and Turkish ice cream, the tour aims to introduce you to Istanbul's food scene and give you an insight into Turkish culture and daily life. Definitely one of the things to do in Istanbul, as it includes sightseeing and tasting.

Tour details

• Approximate Timetable: The "Taste of Two Continents" tours start every day at 09:00 or 09:30 am and last approximately 6-7 hours.
• Group size: Tour group size is a maximum of 8 people.
• Approximate price: From €80

Enjoy a fantastic journey back in time through Istanbul's historic Old City and the narrow streets surrounding the iconic Grand Bazaar. You will discover the best restaurants in the neighbourhood and dine where the locals do. On this tour you will be able to give your taste buds a chance to sample flavours from generations-old recipes. Plus, by focusing on the Old City, you'll also be lucky enough to see some of Istanbul's best mosques.

With this tour you will make more than 8 different stops, each accompanied by a gastronomic sample: starting with traditional Turkish breakfast and street food, to the famous Turkish kebabs and desserts cooked over a wood fire. The Tastes of the Old City tour is an opportunity to immerse yourself in Istanbul's historic gastronomic scene and get acquainted with Turkish culture and habits.

Tour details

• Approximate Time: Tastes of the Old City tours depart daily at 09:30 am and last approximately 6-7 hours.
• Group size: Tour group size is a maximum of 8 people.
• Approximate price: From €65

Join us for an unforgettable tasting adventure in the lively heart of the city, the Taksim and Beyoğlu areas. With this food tour you can join the locals to experience the city at night and savour the best of local street food, with Southeast Anatolian specialities and traditional desserts. If you want to get into the middle of the local hustle and bustle of Istanbul, this is your chance to experience the real nightlife in Istanbul. This tour is one of the best things to do at Christmas in Istanbul, as the Christmas atmosphere is spectacular in the Taksim and Beyoğlu areas.

Tour details

• Approximate tour times: The Taksim Night Food Tour departs on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 18:00. The tour lasts approximately 3 hours.
• Group size: The tour group size is a maximum of 8 people.
• **Approximate price : ** 75€.

With this tour you can sample some of Kadıköy's best restaurants, this historic neighbourhood of Istanbul is not to be missed, as well as being one of the least explored by tourists. It is also known for being a hub of local activity where you can sample some of the traditional Turkish dishes at relatively lower costs.

On this tour you can also enjoy some popular drinks, try more street food and taste authentic Anatolian dishes. Also, Kadıköy is a place with a lot of nightlife, especially if you visit Istanbul in summer, so it would be nice to spend part of the night in this area.

Tour details

• Approximate Tour Times: The Kadıköy street food tour departs on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 18:00. The tours have an approximate duration of 3 hours.
• Group size: The tour group size is a maximum of 8 people.
• **Approximate price : ** From 70€.

Private tours of Istanbul are a great way to get a relatively deep insight into the food culture of the city. Not only do you get to try the food in different places and find out where the best places to eat are and what kind of food each place has to offer, but you'll also get the chance to understand why and what role gastronomy plays in Turkish culture. An experience that you can enjoy individually or in small groups.

On private tours of Istanbul, you can savour the delicious Turkish food and taste the famous Turkish drinks, immerse yourself in the interesting daily life of Istanbul's residents and walk along the centuries-old paths that have shaped the culture of this city. Your private Istanbul tour guide will focus on introducing you to the historical food culture of Istanbul and answer all your questions.

Tour details

• Approximate Tour Schedule: Private tours in Istanbul are offered all year round, every day. Because the tour is private, you will have the flexibility to decide the start time and duration of the tour. Please note that daytime tours must end before 17:00 and evening tours can only start after 18:00.
• Group size: Private tours of Istanbul can include 2 to 5 people.
• **Approximate price: ** 220€ for 1-2 people, 400€ for 3-4 people, 100€ per person for 5 or more people.

With this tour you can sample the top 10 culinary delights of Istanbul on a private half-day food tour. Your guide will lead you through a carefully selected itinerary that includes Turkey's most typical foods including raki, durum, baklava, among others... This private tour is created to satisfy your curiosity as well as to get to know the gastronomy of Istanbul in a direct way. You will get to know some interesting and relatively new places, and others that you will want to come back to for the rest of your stay in Istanbul, even if you are in Istanbul for 1 day.

You will also learn about Turkish culinary traditions through guided commentary.

Important details

• Approximate Tour Time: This tour starts at 9am and lasts approximately 3 hours.
• Group size: This tour includes a maximum of 8 people.
• **Approximate Price: ** From 74 euros

This tour will introduce you to Istanbul's complex food culture on a guided walking tour of the areas where most of the food is on offer. You'll explore the Pera neighbourhood and visit some of the hidden passages and streets, such as the Flower Passage, Hazzopulo and Asmali Mescit. You can also stop at traditional meyhanes and food markets to sample a wide range of food including snacks, desserts and drinks. You'll also learn about Turkish food culture with a culinary guide and explore ** Istanbul's historic neighbourhoods** where people used to gather to share food and chat.

Important details

• Tour Schedule: This tour starts at 9am and lasts approximately 4 hours.
• Group size: Small group of less than 7 people.
• Price: From 80 euros

Discover Istanbul's delicious bites and the sights lit up at night on this gastronomic tour. Together with an expert guide, you'll wander through bustling Taksim Square, home to the mighty Monument to the Republic, to sample Turkish specialities from multiple restaurants. You'll also have the chance to try some Turkish dishes such as icli kofte (spiced meat and nuts), authentic Turkish kebabs, and work up an appetite with a sweet treat such as baklava, a traditional Turkish dessert.

Transport to and from the hotel is included in this small grouptour, limited to 14 food lovers. Ideal for first-time visitors and food lovers.

Important details

• Tour Schedule: This tour starts at 10am and lasts approximately 4 hours.
• Group size: Group of 8 to 10 people.
• Price: From 53 euros