Istanbul Night Tasting Trail

Highlights / General details

Eat delicious Turkish street food just like the locals do, tasting from the best food carts, street cafés, and other secret spots.

Visit a traditional tavern, known as a meyhane, and sample the Turkish alcoholic drink of choice, raki.

Hang out with locals in-the-know and enjoy a Turkish coffee in a backstreet café.

Stroll through hidden alleyways and learn about the unique food culture of this ancient city that borders both Europe and Asia.

Inclusion

Local English-speaking guide; Progressive dinner, tea and coffee.

Exclusion

Hotel pick-up and drop-off; Souvenirs and items of a personal nature; Gratuities for your local guide.

Hours of operation

Available Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday at 6:00pm.

Duration

Approximately 3.5 hours.

Location

Meeting Point: The Tünel (The Tunnel) entrance, IETT building in Karaköy, opposite Nordstern Hotel (Kemeralti Cd,Arap Cami Mh., Beyoglu.

Ending Point: Taksim Square, near Independent Monument and Central Metro Station.

Itinerary

A short journey from Karaköy on the world’s second oldest funicular will take you to the heart of Istanbul’s food scene on this culinary city tour, where you’ll wander through back streets and hidden laneways, feasting as you go. Your local guide will offer insight into the intricacies and traditions of Turkish food culture, and explain about the ingredients and origins of Turkey’s most popular dishes.

Start your Istanbul food tour with some borek, a delicious flaky pastry consisting of several thin layers filled with local cheeses, potato, or meat. Wash it down with a cup of ayran, a yogurt drink that’s considered by many to be the national beverage of Turkey.

Next, you’ll take part in a true local tradition; at the end of a long work day, many Istanbulites sit down for some drinks, tasty food, and good conversation with friends. We’ll pull up a seat at a traditional meyhene (tavern) and join the local scene as we sample meze served with a glass of raki, and learn about the fascinating history of these Turkish restaurants and dishes.

Filled up with snacks, you’ll get a break to let it all digest with a stop at a hidden tea house that’s also the famous meeting place of the Young Turks, a political reform movement from the early 20th century that brought multi-party democracy to Turkey.

Hungry from all that discussion? Fill yourself up again with delectable treats from locals’ favorite street food carts, including içli kofte (deep-fried meat balls) and midye dolma (mussels stuffed with rice).

Next, you’ll cleanse the palate with a sample of Turkish delight in the gorgeous, historic Cicek Passage, before grabbing some of Turkey’s famed baklava and çikolata (chocolate) or ice cream from Maras.

Of course, you can’t visit Istanbul without stopping at the famed entertainment district of Taksim Square, where late-night revelers flock for the delicious Islik Burger — guaranteed to defeat any hunger!

You’ll stroll the atmospheric backstreets and finish at an alfresco café and bar that’s a popular local haunt with awesome street art and graffiti. Order a coffee and dig into your purchases of chocolate and baklava. Linger as long as you like and soak up the nighttime vibe of Istanbul.

Additional Information

While Istanbul is quite liberal, please be aware that the standard of dress throughout much of Turkey is often conservative. To respect this and for your own comfort, we recommend modest clothing. This means clothing that covers your shoulders and knees for both women and men.

Participant restrictions

Children under 12 years of age are not permitted to join this tour.

Policies

Cancellation: 2 days prior 100% penalty. No show 100% penalty.

Complete information, including local telephone numbers at your destination, will be included on your Confirmation Voucher.

**All information requested must be supplied or booking is subject to automatic cancellation**