Istanbul Food Walking Tour of Beyoglu by Night

Meet your guide near Taksim Square in Beyoğlu — the district once known as Pera — for your tour. As you walk, listen to your guide as they share fascinating insights into the area’s street cuisine and tell you about the tastings to come.

Head to your first stop, a burger outlet famous for its islak burgers or 'wet burgers.' These soggy buns are doused liberally in tomato-garlic sauce before being left in hot glass cabinets to make them extra wet. Sink your teeth into one — they’re addictively scrumptious!

Continue along Independence Street and delve into Çiçek Pasajı or ‘Flower Passage.’ This covered arcade and its neighboring Nevizade Sokak passageway brim with noisy meyhanes (taverns). Head inside some with your guide to savor a selection of traditional small plates such as patçanga böreği (melted cheese rolls) or soslu patlıcan salatası (eggplant salad).

Next, dive into the streets around the fish market and find Dürümzade, a grill joint specializing in dürüms (kebab wraps) that was recommended by chef Anthony Bourdain in his travel TV series, No Reservations. Savor a freshly made dürüm, crunching through the outer, crispy tortilla into the succulent meat inside.

Drinking coffee is central to Turkish culture and sometimes coupled with kahve falı (fortune-telling using the dregs of the cup). Follow your guide to a coffee house and have a go; sip some typically strong local coffee, turn your cup upside down and ‘read’ the shapes left behind — a fish-shape, for instance, spells a new love.

Finish at a popular restaurant to feast on tasty meze such as stuffed vine leaves and yogurt with herbs, all accompanied by raki, the anise-flavored spirit that's a staple here.

Say goodbye to your guide at your original departure point and end your tour with a great, new understanding of Istanbul’s vibrant street cuisine.