Cosmopolitan Kurtuluş: Istanbul’s Neighborhood Of Taste

Kadir was excellent as our host and guide. Excellent English, easy to spend time with, and great food and cultural knowledge. I'm already looking forward to the next time!

Fantastic experience with Benoit. His knowledge of the history of the neighborhood and relationships with the folks who live there now made this memorable - more than just a food tour.

We had a great time with Gonca who brought us to many local stores and introduced us to the store owners. Separately, Gonca shared so much of the Turkish culture and history that made us better appreciate the local cuisines tried. Totally recommend this tour to those who crave for local food and culture!

This tour was excellent. I wish that I had done it when we first arrived in Istanbul rather than the end. It was very good value for money and covered not only the wide range of Turkish, but the social and historical context. Our guide, Gonca took us to many small, local businesses. I had the best Manti on the tour that I had tasted in Turkiye.

This tour was a wonderful experience. Benoit is an incredibly knowledgeable and delightful guide. The range of food choices accompanied by fascinating history was excellent, as was the pacing of the tour. I would highly recommend this slightly off the beaten track neighborhood tour to really understand the depth of Istanbul history

Second tour with Backstreets (first was in Porto) and again was the highlight of the trip. Remziye‘s knowledge of food and the history of the area was fascinating and the day flew by. It was like hanging out with an old friend.

This is an authentic neighborhood food tour. If you want to avoid trendy and international, this tour takes you to hyper local establishments. Small family run establishments that have existed awhile with local customers. Quality food ingredients and traditional preparation methods. Our guide was a bonus. Ibrahim is an educated architect and well read historian so we got to many diverse conversations on culture that involved good but much beyond that as well. Highly recommended

We had a great day, our guide Ibrahim was very personable and also quite knowledgeable . He took us around to try many different local foods and also talked about the neighborhoods and food inspirations. We really enjoyed our time on the tour.

Fantastic tour of an out of the way part of Istanbul (literally the backstreets !). Don't think we came across another tourist. Food was wonderful, our host was simply the best, super friendly and a wealth of information on the food we were eating and the history of where it came from and how it evolved. Highly recommended, would love to give it 6 stars

I’ve been a fan of Culinary Backstreets for about 12 years now. I wanted to start by saying how much I’ve loved following their work. Their reviews helped me discover cities across 4 continents, they’ve never really been just about food. They’ve opened up histories, cultures, neighbourhoods, and sometimes even politics in ways that have made me see and experience cities differently. I finally decided to join them in person for a walking tour, and it was up to my expectations, if not more! Benoit, our tour guide, is a wealth of information about food, its history, evolution, the communities that shared it and evolved it, and where to eat the best version of it. He is an expert in weaving layers of history, politics and personal stories into an engagin, delicious and easy to digest meal. The places he took us to were all top quality and the items he selected were very interesting and delicious. Thanks benoit and the Culinary Backstreets team. I really value your passion for your city and for the work you make. I will definetly be back :)

Duygu was very knowledgeable and helpful. Cannot recommend enough!

She was great. Was also a good history lesson of the neighborhood and country. Would recommend for those who want to know the why behind the food.

We spent a delightful afternoon roaming the streets and alleyways of Kurtulus with Dee. She introduced us to a world we would never have found by ourselves - the best bakeries, delicatessens, coffee shops, farmers market and more. Highly recommended to those with an adventurous palate and a desire to try a more authentic local experience.

This tour we excellent and so much fun and good food. Our Tour Guide, Esin, was wonderful and upbeat about the neighborhood and all the delicious food. She knew so many people and with her upbeat attitude was a joy to be around. My wife and I were the only ones on the tour that morning, so we got her undivided attention. Every stop was unique with delicious tastings. I highly recommend this tour.

This tour was away from the tourist throng and took us into what felt like authentic Istabnbul. Our Tour Guide Duygu Sınırtaş was excellent, friendly and knowledgeable amd when prompted, shared her deep historical knowldge of Istanbul as well. We went on to book her for a full day historical tour on a separate day she was so good.

5 hours on the go with Gonca and never a quiet moment. She knows everybody and where the best and most interesting places are. So many cultures and ethnic cuisines and history !! An outstanding and unique time, with an equally outstanding guide

Our Culinary Backstreets Tour was simply wonderful. From start to finish, it was such a special experience, and so much of that was thanks to our fabulous host, Duygu (Dee). We were able to experience incredible local cuisine and discover parts of Istanbul, its food, culture and community that we simply would never have found on our own. It was fabulous to have a local guide who not only has incredible knowledge, but genuinely loves what she does and is so passionate about her city and community. Duygu shared that passion with us, taking us to places we would never have discovered and introducing us to flavours, people and experiences that made the day truly memorable. If you want to experience the real Istanbul beyond the usual tourist spots, I couldn’t recommend this tour highly enough. A wonderful day, amazing food and a fantastic guide.

Esin was an incredible guide! We learned so much had a great time and the food was incredible. She also really went above and beyond to make us feel welcome and to tailor the tour to our interests. This tour was easily a major highlight of our trip. It was really cool to see this other side of Istanbul, definitely an experience we would not have gotten without this tour

An inspired experience. Our guide was wonderful and she showed us a part of Istanbul that tourists don't often visit. We loved it and got to meet people that were proud of their culinary traditions and craft. Highly recommended for visitors that want to see the real neighborhoods of Istanbul far away from the tourist route. Our guide, Tugce was kind, knowledgeable, and passionate about showing us this part of the city. Saw and experienced many things that will stay in my memory for a long time to come. And- ate many wonderful things along the way. Thank you Tugce for an outstanding experience. We loved your spirit and enthusiasm.

Absolutely loved this tour! Far away from the tourist hub, it was great walking with a local, trying food we've never heard of and being immersed into a culture that is so different from our own. Kurtulus is a neighborhood that as a tourist you wouldn't think of visiting, but it's filled with atmosphere, where the real people live. Our guide was incredible, kind, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic. I would highly recommend this tour!

I have done several CB walks in Istanbul and elsewhere. The Kurtulus walk (with the wonderful Tugçe) was truly special. Even if you’re in Istanbul for a dew days I strongly recommend taking the time to do this walk. This is the true backstreets: a walk in a residential and commercial area far from the monuments but strongly encapsulating the history of the city. You get to see the result of waves of migration and the communities that live side by side - Armenians, Sephardic Jews, descendants of the Byzantines, migrants from different regions of Turkey, including more recent waves after the 2023 earthquakes. Every stop was a discovery of unique flavors they’ve brought to the city. I hope more and more people book this tour. You won’t regret it!

Great authentic food tour. Best experience I had in Istanbul, especially because of our guide Gonca, who was amazing!

An incredible food tour with Gonca exploring the underlying cultures and traditions that make up the melting pot that is Istanbul. Fantastic food and fascinating history all delivered seamlessly and with passion and enthusiasm

Fantastic tour, led by Gonca who was knowledgeable and engaging throughout. Lots of personal touches, catered for various dietary requirements. Would highly recommend!

We had a fabulous day doing the Culinary Backstreets Kurtuluş tour with Gonca as our guide. She was warm, passionate and so knowledgeable- she wove history, culture and human stories in with the many many tastings and explanations of delicious food. We spent nearly 7 hours eating, talking and wandering the area meeting people from chefs to hairdressers. By the end I felt I had been given a glimpse of the soul of suburban Istanbul. A simply great day - do it!

We absolutely loved out tour with Anna Maria in Kurtuluş. From the moment she took us into the sports club for an intimate private experience, to the last bite of baklva and halva, the wole day was a delight. Her knowledge was exceptional and it was fun to watch her interact with the restaurant workers and owners. The neighborhood was as interesting as promised and more special than we could have imagined.

This was the highlight of my trip! Our guide Esin was absolutely the best! What a treat to have met her. She was so friendly & knowledgeable. The food was so delicious! This was such a fun neighborhood to explore & the experience is elevated when you have a guide that lived in the neighborhood & has many connections with all the shop owners & locals. No matter where I go in the world I will definitely make sure I book a culinary backstreet adventure.

We had the perfect local tour. We met our tour guide, Ana Maria and everything since then was amazing for almost 5 hours. She took us to a local sports club to start with the brunch, and from there we walked through this typical foodie neighborhood off the beaten path. We ended up trying everything and so different to the touristic restaurants. Absolutely a must!

This experience was so much more than a simple food tour, all because our guide, Esin, is a terrific ambassador for the entire neighborhood! She knows everyone along the route we walked and took us to so many amazing spots -- from small family run places and shops to a Michelin-recognized restaurant -- you certainly won't leave hungry. This was the best food tour we have ever taken and, it was a highlight of our visit to Istanbul.

As always, we had a wonderful day with Culinary Backstreets! We have been on about a dozen of their tours and they never disappoint. Our guide, Esin (I hope I'm spelling that correctly) was amazing. Her knowledge of and enthusiasm for the neighborhood was impressive. We would never have discovered the many treasures in Kurtuluş on our own and we ended the day thinking, "We could live here!" In addition to great food, we will treasure the memories of the remarkable people we met. A perfect day!

We loved walking the neighbourhood. Being greeted by friends of our guide, learning more about life in Istanbul away from the big tourist venues. And the guide was very accommodating our family including two small children.

We recently did a private tour with Katerina as our guide. Katerina was very knowledgeable as she grew up here and had many stories to tell and was friendly with many of the restaurant owners. The neighborhood was very local with not many tourists about which was certainly a change from other areas. The food we got to taste was lovely, all made on site at the different eateries, we wouldn’t have tried much of it if not for the tour. I thoroughly recommend the tour and Katerina!

We recently did the Cosmopolitan Kurtuluş: Istanbul’s Neighborhood of Taste tour with Culinary Backstreets, and it exceeded every expectation we had. Our guide Gonca was absolutely outstanding. Her knowledge of the neighborhood, the food, the history, the people who live and work there, was impressive. She brought Kurtuluş to life in a way we never could have discovered on our own, and her passion for the area came through in every stop. The food was incredible. We ate so well, and every dish came with a story that made it taste even better. By the end of the tour we felt like we truly understood this corner of Istanbul, not just as tourists passing through, but as people who had been welcomed into it.

My husband and I had a wonderful tour sampling so many different dishes. We learned so much about the cuisines of Istanbul. Duygu was a fantastic guide.

A+++++. An incredible and unforgettable experience. Esin, our tour guide, was phenomenal. A real treasure. Her deep knowledge of and passion for the area was infectious. We saw parts of the city we never otherwise would have come across - and learned so much. We felt like locals. The curated food stops and choices were impeccable. A delight of taste and smell. Cannot recommend enough. Highlight of our visit to Istanbul.

Ugur was an excellent guide; his 12 years of experience came through in his depth of knowledge, his flexibility and enthusiasm. It was a real treat to be taken around the neighborhood where he's lived for many years, where we didn't see a single tourist in six hours, and where Ugur's research helped reveal so many waves of history, migration and food culture -- all within a single neighbourhood. The variety of foods he introduced me to, in such a rich mix of settings (social clubs, markets, shopfronts, white table cloth spaces, simple bakeries) in spaces not possible to enter without an 'insider', with so much context …. an my absolute DREAM day. Thank you Ugur, and Backstreets!

We had the excellent Katarina as our guide, who made us feel at home in Kurtulus. Our tour ran over by about an hour, making it very long, but this is my only negative comment. Overall it was a brilliant tour and opened up an area of Istanbul we would have never otherwise visited with fascinating food, culture and history stories.

We had a fabulous day exploring the area of Kurtulus with our fantastic guide Katerina. Being shown this interesting neighbourhood by a local made it so interesting. I can’t recommend highly enough.

What an incredibly enjoyable experience getting to know the backstreets of a lesser known neighborhood in Istanbul! Our guide Esin was vibrant, fun and personable and knew literally everyone on the street. We got to meet vendors, see hidden gems in the area, learn about the cultural history and architecture of the area and come to understand Turkish culture all while snacking our way through the experience. 10 of 10! I highly recommend this tour during your time in Istanbul.

I took three tours with Culinary Backstreets during my two visits to Istanbul in September and October. • Culinary Backstreets of the Bazaar Quarter • Cosmopolitan Kurtuluş: Istanbul’s Neighborhood of Taste • Two Markets, Two Continents All three tours were very good, each in its own way. There was good time to leisurely walk through the different neighbourhoods taking in the local scene and learn about the city, its history and people, as well as Turkish culture and food. On each there were several stops where we had delicious samples of foods. All in all, a wonderful experience and good value for money. My favourite was the Kurtulus tour, a whole day exploring one neighbourhood, taking us to places where the locals go. Ugur, our guide on all three tours, was excellent – five stars plus - very knowledgeable and professional. His pleasant personality, patience and friendliness made the tours even more enjoyable. I look forward to visiting Istanbul for the third time and more tours with Culinary Backstreets, requesting Ugur as my guide. Sigurður

Ugur was fun, knowledgeable, informative and totally charming. The tour took us to places we would never have ventured or known about, as we would have hoped, and it was a special part of our trip. Wonderful insight and tastes of different cultures' food and life. I thoroughly recommend this tour and Ugur to others and it left us wanting to try out many more tours not just in Istanbul but in other countries too. Just so good.

Esin was a wonderful guide. She knew so many people in the Kurtulus neighborhood and also the history of the area. The time with her was fun and the food was delicious.

Remsiye was a terrific guide: knowledgeable, easy to understand, and cares deeply about both her guests and the people she introduced us to. The neighborhood was unfamiliar to us and in a part of the city we wouldn’t normally have visited. Each of the stops was interesting and the mix was balanced. The food was delicious and satisfying. We both enjoyed our day and look forward to doing another tour with Culinary Backstreets.

Wonderful tour guide Ugur was so knowledgeable about the area and food and made the experience very enjoyable. Delicious dishes and plenty to eat and drink. Would highly recommend!

This tour through the backstreets of one of the oldest multicultural neighborhoods in Istanbul was a total highlight of our trip. It had the perfect mix of delicious food, hidden history and local charm. Our guide Gonca was so friendly and knowledgeable, and knew the area inside out, sharing stories and her own history that brought the streets to life. We sampled such a wide range of food that we might never have thought to choose, but instantly loved and all with a history and story behind it. If you want to taste real flavours and see a different, more personal side of Istanbul this is the way to do it. Thank you Gonca.

Great food tour in a neightborhood you wouldn't typically visit as a tourist in Istanbul. We tried a ton of great food and learned a lot in the process.

Our guide Ugur was very knowledgeable, personable and gave us a wonderfully insightful and delicious tour of a neighbourhood we wouldn't have explored otherwise. Thank you! Can't wait to go on more Culinary Backstreets food tours.

Benoît is incredible!! He is so knowledgeable and patient and it’s wonderful to have learned so much from him as he clearly loves what he does.

Gonca was a terrific guide. She knows a LOT about food and its origins. I learned so much about Turkish culture and what influenced it. And the food was great. We had access to some amazing places