Culture, Food & Lifestyle

Turkish cuisine is considered one of the three great cuisines of the world alongside French and Chinese — and Istanbul is its melting pot. Here, influences from Central Asia, the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and the Balkans come together and blend into a cuisine that is more diverse, aromatic, and delicious than most visitors expect.

Kahvaltı — The Turkish Breakfast

A Turkish breakfast is not just a breakfast — it is a feast. At least 15–20 small plates are on the table:

• Beyaz peynir (soft cheese), Kaşar (hard cheese), Tulum (goat cheese aged in goat skin)
• Olives (black and green, various varieties)
• Bal ve Kaymak (honey with clotted cream) — addictive
• Sucuk (garlic sausage) with fried egg, Menemen (scrambled eggs with tomatoes and peppers)
• Fresh bread (Simit, Pide, Ekmek), butter, jams
• Çay (black tea) — endlessly refilled

The best Kahvaltı experiences: In Kadıköy (Asian side), in Bebek (by the Bosphorus) or in a Serpme Kahvaltı hall. Price: 8–20€/person. Plan for 2 hours — breakfast in Turkey is a social event.

Street Food

• Simit: Sesame rings — Istanbul's staple food. At every corner, at any time of day. 0.30–0.50€.
• Döner Kebab: In Istanbul, Döner is an art form — from the simple street Döner (2€) to the upscale Kebab restaurant. The best Kebab variations: İskender, Adana, Beyti.
• Balık ekmek: Fish sandwich at the Eminönü pier — grilled mackerel in bread with salad. Istanbul in one bite. 2–4€.
• Kokoreç: Grilled, spiced lamb intestines in bread — sounds adventurous, tastes fantastic. The favorite food of Istanbulites after a night out. 2–3€.
• Midye dolma: Stuffed mussels (rice with spices) — sold by street vendors by the piece. 0.30€/piece.
• Kumpir: Giant baked potatoes with countless fillings — an institution in Ortaköy. 3–5€.

Baklava & Sweets

Baklava is the crown of Turkish patisserie: paper-thin layers of Yufka dough, filled with pistachios or walnuts, soaked in sugar syrup. The best Baklava comes from Gaziantep — in Istanbul, you can find it at Güllüoğlu (Karaköy, since 1871) or Karaköy Güllüoğlu. Other sweets: Lokum (Turkish Delight), Künefe (hot cheese in Kadayıf dough with syrup), Tavuk Göğsü (pudding with chicken breast — yes, really).

Çay — More than Tea

Çay (tea) is the national drink of Turkey — not coffee. The Turks drink more tea per capita than any other country in the world. Çay is served in tulip-shaped glasses, strong, black, and with sugar (no milk!). It is offered everywhere and always: in the shop, at the hairdresser, in the taxi, at the police station. Refusing an offered Çay is considered impolite — accept, drink slowly, enjoy the hospitality.

Turkish Coffee (Türk Kahvesi)

Turkish coffee has been a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2013. The finely ground coffee is boiled with water (and optionally sugar) in a Cezve (small copper pot) and poured unfiltered into small cups. The grounds remain in the cup — fortune-tellers read the future from them (Fal). Order: Sade (without sugar), Az şekerli (a little sugar), Orta (medium) or Şekerli (sweet). Price: 1–3€.

Hamam — The Turkish Bath

A visit to a Hamam is one of the most intense experiences in Istanbul. The ritual has remained unchanged for centuries:

1. Warming up: Lying and sweating on the heated marble stone (Göbektaşı) in the hot room (Sıcaklık).
2. Peeling (Kese): A bath attendant (Tellak) rubs your entire skin with a rough glove — the amount of dead skin that comes off is impressive (and slightly shocking).
3. Soap massage: You are lathered and massaged with a huge foam mountain.
4. Cooling down: In the cool room (Soğukluk) with Çay and rest.

The best historical Hamams in Istanbul:

• Çemberlitaş Hamamı: Built in 1584 by Mimar Sinan. Tourist-friendly, central (Sultanahmet), from 50€.
• Kılıç Ali Paşa Hamamı: The most beautiful Hamam in Istanbul — lavishly restored, in Karaköy. From 70€ for the complete package. Worth every cent.
• Ayasofya Hürrem Sultan Hamamı: Between Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque — the most exclusive (and expensive) Hamam in the city. From 80€.

Raki — The Lion's Milk

Raki is the national drink of Turkey: an aniseed spirit (45% Vol.) that turns milky-white when diluted with water — hence the nickname Aslan Sütü (Lion's Milk). Raki is never drunk alone and never without food: it is inextricably linked to the Meze culture, the social dinner with many small dishes. A Raki evening is not a drinking binge, but a ritual of friendship and enjoyment — you drink slowly, eat a lot, and talk even more.

Meze — The Art of Small Dishes

Meze are cold and warm appetizers served with Raki — and often make up the entire dinner:

• Cold Meze: Hummus, Babaganuş (eggplant puree), Haydari (yogurt with herbs), Atom (spicy tomato paste), Sarma (stuffed vine leaves), Çoban Salatası (shepherd's salad).
• Warm Meze: Sigara Böreği (cheese rolls), Kalamari, Arnavut Ciğeri (Albanian liver), Midye Tava (fried mussels).
• Main Courses: Often fish — grilled Levrek (sea bass), Çipura (gilt-head bream) or the seasonal specialty. Or kebab variations.

The Meyhane

A Meyhane is the Turkish tavern — the place for Raki, Meze, and music. The best Meyhanes are found in Beyoğlu (Nevizade Street, Asmalımescit) and by the Bosphorus. The procedure: You sit down, the waiter brings a selection of Meze (you choose), along with Raki with ice and water. More and more plates keep coming. At some point, a Fasıl band (classical Turkish music) might play. The evening lasts 3–4 hours. Price: 20–40€/person (plentiful).