Istanbul Traditional Food Tour With Dinner On Off-touristy-path

What a night! We felt a little apprehensive about the evening but very quickly we truly were enmeshed in the local Turkish culture and cuisine. The ferry over to the Asian side gave us an opportunity to visit with Salih, our guide, who was gracious, experienced and knowledgeable.Each tasting was unique and different and we were welcomed everywhere as if we were family, which I’m sure was because of Salih’s relationships. By the end of the evening, we finished with an amazing dessert and a new friend in Istanbul. It was our first time in Istanbul, but certainly not our last.

Expect ferry rides, and dress for the weather! Borak very knowledgeable and provided interesting details about the food that we would not have learned any other way.

This was fantastic! We tried so many different and authentic Turkish dishes. Our guide, Burak, was knowledgeable about all of the Turkish cuisine we tried as well as the areas that we visited. It was the perfect combination of closely experiencing a cultures cuisine and learning about the culture and history of the area we were in. We were 2 couples in our 60s and there were 7 total people on our tour. The ferry ride was smooth and we were able to get some great night time shots on the way back. Absolutely a cool experience to travel to Asia and back to Europe and enjoy food on both sides. Do not eat dinner before this - there is plenty of food!

My mum and I had a thoroughly enjoyable food tour with Burak. As it happened, we were the only two on the tour, which made the experience feel even more personal. Burak is very knowledgeable about Istanbul and its history. What we particularly appreciated was how he took us off the beaten path to explore a neighbourhood and places that we would probably never have discovered on our own. We thoroughly enjoyed every stop, the food was delicious, and we had the opportunity to try many different things that we might otherwise have missed. It is well worth doing, and a brilliant way to get a feel for the Asian side of Istanbul. Would highly recommend it!

We had an absolutely wonderful experience on our food tour in Turkey! It was the perfect way to explore the local culture and discover the incredible flavors of Turkish cuisine. Every dish was delicious, from traditional kebabs and freshly baked bread to Turkish sweets and authentic local specialties. The food was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. Our guide Salih was friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate about Turkish food and culture, making the entire experience even more enjoyable. We also loved learning about the history behind the dishes and discovering local spots we might never have found on our own. It was more than just a food tour—it was a memorable cultural experience. Highly recommended for anyone visiting Turkey who wants to experience its amazing cuisine and warm hospitality. Definitely one of the highlights of our trip!

My mum and I had a thoroughly enjoyable food tour with Burak. As it happened, we were the only two on the tour, which made the experience feel even more personal. Burak is very knowledgeable about Istanbul and its history. What we particularly appreciated was how he took us off the beaten path to explore a neighbourhood and places that we would probably never have discovered on our own. We thoroughly enjoyed every stop, the food was delicious, and we had the opportunity to try many different things that we might otherwise have missed. It is well worth doing, and a brilliant way to get a feel for the Asian side of Istanbul. Would highly recommend it!

This experience is an absolute must! The food was great! Burak our guide is a qualified historian so we learned about the city and its history as we wandered the streets between the food-stops.

Burak provided a very personal and diverse experience in the local food scene. He is very knowledgeable in the city’s history and culture. We thoroughly enjoyed the evening.

This was a fantastic food tour that really gave us an insight into traditional Istanbul. Burak was an entertaining and informative guide who gave us an exceptional experience. The best food tour we have done.

The tour was fabulous because the guide is excellent- v friendly and informative. I would definitely recommend it.

Our guide, Burak, was very accommodating! We were running very late with delayed flights and a traffic jam. He kindly suggested we come the following night. Thankyou!!! We would have hated to miss it. We spent most of the time on the Asian side, which was fascinating. It was a truly local experience. Busy but not crowded with tourists, so not hectic. And the local food was all delicious. We were so grateful to be shown around by a local rather than tackle it on our own.

This tour is amazing!! We going to the Asia side at the ferry and enjoy all kind of delicious food. Our tour guy Burak was very good and attentive. Thanks for everything!!

Burak took us through the busy and exciting streets on the Asian side of Istanbul. The ferry rides were wonderful and scenic and he had a wealth of knowledge. He showed fantastic eateries we would have not knwon about. The food was delicious and the company excellent. One of the best food tours we have been on!

Great experience! We did it on a Friday evening and our guide was fantastic!! I think his name was Saleh …, we made so many stops and we were stuffed after the fourth stop! Definitely worth the price …includes ferry ride to Asian side and back! Loved this tour !

Burak was a great guide, insightful and fun. The tour helped us discover hidden gems and try foods we would never have known about without his help.

⭐ 1/5 — DO NOT WASTE YOUR NIGHT IN ISTANBUL This was, without question, the worst tour experience I have ever paid for. My Local Guide (booked via Viator) took our one and only evening in Istanbul and turned it into an embarrassing, money-grabbing farce. Let’s start with the “guide” — and I use that term extremely loosely. This man was completely useless. No welcome, no introduction, no passion, no knowledge shared. He literally said — multiple times — that he had seen these food selections 10,000 times and we felt he couldn’t care less about being there and he said . He spent more time wandering off to chat with his market buddies than paying any attention to the guests who paid good money for this experience. Absolutely disgraceful. Now for the real scam: the food. It was obvious this operator was deliberately choosing the cheapest, most budget options possible — standing in crowded bazaars eating forgettable street scraps — so he could pocket as much of the tour fee as possible. No local wine, beer, or spirits. The only edible moment was dessert, which is a damning indictment of everything that came before it. Viator should be ashamed for platforming this operation and misrepresenting it with inflated ratings. This is not a food tour — it’s a scheme to collect tourist money while delivering the bare minimum a human being can get away with. Who leaves a food tour with bad food and hungry. Avoid My Local Guide. Avoid this listing on Viator. Book literally anything else. Istanbul deserves so much better, and so do you.

Burak was a wonderful tour guide. He provided some really great info on the area, local scene and history of Istanbul. We were super hungry since we skipped lunch and we were very well fed by the end. We had some really great food: pickled veggies in pickle juice (who knew this would be so tasty?), deli platter with several dips, rice stuffed mussels, Lahmacun (my absolute favorite), Iskender meat with hot butter poured on (all meat should have hot butter on it), Turkish coffee & tea, and Kunefe and ice cream for dessert. It was a wonderful experience where we tasted some great food and learned some good history. Some of these things we probably never would have tried on our own. This tour gave us the opportunity to try several things and all 4 of us tried everything. I would highly recommend this food tour with Burak.

We have been doing food tours for many years and this was the worst EVER. Tour guide was on auto pilot, the My Local Guide Tour company (purchased through Viator) actually wasted our only night in Istanbul. Seems like we got the “C” 1 star food guide. - Food was not very good except for desert - Tour guide was more interested in visiting his friends in the market vs. curating a distinct experience. -No meet and greet, we’re all here, let’s go - No offering of local wine, beer or spirits - Viator misrepresents the quality of food. - The food was a cheap and budget food. Our perception was that this guide / My local guide were trying to fill everyone up on cheap food (standing in the bazaars) so they did not have to pay for really good authentic Turkish food. - He was bored, disinterested, not passionate about; he said multiple times that he’s had the food selections 10,000 times and did not want to participate.

One of the best food tours I’ve ever done. Burak was the tour guide and he truly made the experience. Every detail was accounted for and communicated. I am a pescatarian, and there were planned efforts to provide alternatives. Do not eat before this tour - you are going to be so full - absolutely worth it. As an added bonus, I loved going to the Asia side and then the European side via ferry. It was on my list of things to do in Istanbul. Also, Burak made sure I got into my cab before leaving which was a very nice thing that was meaningful. We had a great group tonight. Easy conversation and laughs!

Wow!!! What a variety of delicious foods!! Also, I am writing this days later and can say with 100% certainty that what we learned about Turkish authentic foods served us well for our entire trip!! Well, well done tour.

Burak did a great job showing us non-touristy areas of the city and some great food. Highly recommended. Come hungry.

Come hungry! Toured with Burak who was an awesome guide. Tried some foods that we would have never found on our own with some historical tidbits sprinkled in. Fun to see the Asia side via ferry trip. He was also extremely helpful with recommendations outside the tour and we found several additional places thanks to his insights. Would recommend!

Baruk was a wonderful guide through Istanbul’s food history. Much of the food offered were items we would have never found or noted on our own and they were wonderful. My food aversions were handled well (the vegetarian option was excellent). The group was large enough to be festive but small enough that it didn’t feel like we were being shuttled around. The lentil soup was a highlight for the whole group which I think surprised everyone. In addition to the discussion on the history and evolution of food in the region we also learned about the culture of turkey. I would highly recommend the tour. Particularly helpful early in your trip.

You will have an opportunity to sample a variety of Turkish foods and explore Istanbul along the way! Our guide was very knowledgeable and attentive. I would highly recommend!

We wre the only ones on the tour but it went ahead. Guide was very professional and helpful but the tour was a huge disappointment. There was very little food! Very poor value for money - I would not recommend.

Burak was a wonderful guide and the variety of food was amazing. Well worth the time and cost. Mostly on the Asian side of the city which gets you away from traditional tourist side.

Excellent tour with Burak, food was excellent with some that I never would have tried and tje best donner meat I have ever had. Burak was extremely knowledgeable giving us plenty of recommendations, I would recommend bith this tour and Burak as a guide.

What an experience! From meeting Burak at the pier early we started a whirlwind tour of the history of Istanbul, cultural influences, local insight, travel tips... And that was all before taking a bite! Burak had so much knowledge and best of all delivered it with an easy manner and a splattering of humour! The food was so different; from lamb sandwich to pickles to local goat and sheep cheese wrapped in pastrami. Served with local tips on what to drink for digestion. If you're nervous to enter a food shop for fear of not knowing what to ask for this tour is for you. Advice on what's best from the local. Thanks so much Burak, we'll be back!

We had a great time! Highly recommend. Did this tour first day and it immersed us in the culture to help us navigate the rest of our vacation.

We had a great time with Burak, absolute pleasure learning about food,culture, history. We felt right out of Anthony Bourdain’s No reservations. We did the tour the first evening to explore a bit and get advice for what to do and Burak didn’t disappoint. He gave us recommendations and suggestions for what to do and how to do it. Can’t recommend the night tour enough.

A great way to eat like a local! 9 stops to try a wide variety of food and drinks, with a great guide - Burak - who gave us the history of Istanbul as well as the origins of the food we ate. Don’t eat much during the day as you will want to leave room for all of the food!

Our guide was very thoughtful, knowledgeable and friendly. Be prepared for a wide range of new food experiences!

We had an amazing food tour in Istanbul with Salih — he was super friendly, knowledgeable, and made the whole experience fun and easy. We tried some incredible local dishes, including a delicious lamb intestine sandwich (I can’t remember the name though), Turkish coffee, and probably one of the best desserts I’ve had in knafeh. Highly recommend this tour if you’re a foodie!

Burka was an excellent guide and the food was incredible. We were out of the touristy area and got to experience a completely different part of the city than the highlights/other tours. Plenty of food, more than we could eat. And a great experience.

What an amazing night with Burak. He was a great guide and told great stories. We are at so many different places - come very hungry! We would highly recommend!

Salih was fantastic - knowledgeable and fun and a great guide to introduce us to so many different delicacies in this beautiful city. The food and all the restaurants we visited were wonderful! We will recommend this tour to all our friends!

My experience of Istanbul would not have been the same without this tour. Exceptional food and a magnificent guide made this tour very successful.

This was such a fun experience. The group is limited to 10 people and we had as much fun making new friends as eating new things. There's no way we would have found the places or tried the foods that we did otherwise. Salih was an excellent guide and made sure everyone had a great time. The value is amazing.

Istanbul Traditional Food Tour on Off-Touristy-Path. Throughout our travels, we have relied on the walking food tours offered by Viator as an introduction to a city’s culture and cuisine. Our group of 6—ably led by Burak—made for a personalized experience typically not found in large tours. Plus, the opportunity to break bread with strangers allowed us to make fast and lasting friends in the course of 4+ hours. Our evening tour included 8 stops with multiple tastings of local cuisine, ranging from savory to sweet as well as beverages. The tour commenced and concluded on the European side of Istanbul; however—as a group—we ferried across the Bosphorus to the Asian side, where most of the tastings took place. The itinerary allowed us to spend time in the wonderful—yet often-overlooked—Asian side of Istanbul. Bring your appetites as the tastings amount to a full meal. Our local guide, Burak, possessed all of the attributes deserving of a five-star rating: punctuality, knowledgeable, flexibility, sense of humor, and friendliness. Plus, his command of English was flawless. We highly recommend this tour for both first-timers and repeat visitors to Istanbul.

Had a great time on the food tour with Burak. Discovered some local hidden gems and he was really knowledgeable about both the food and the history of the region. Highly recommend Burak and team for running a fantastic service

What a wonderful way to spend an evening. We got the opportunity to visit the Asian side of Istanbul which was a great adventure. Burak was a wonderful guide and he had a wonderful grasp of both the food culture and the history of Turkey. We sampled amazing local, traditional food and each taste was better than the last. Thanks to Burak and the other participants. We had good fun.

Very enjoyable evening with a wide variety of foods, many of which were new to us. Burak, our guide, was very informative and entertaining. I particularly enjoyed the stuffed mussels and our introduction to pistachio coffee (caffeine free - brilliant as I am allergic); my husband’s favourite was dessert! We love food tours as a great way to explore a city and its culture and this one definitely delivered.

This was a fun experience learning about the culture and food on (mostly) the Asian side of Istanbul. Our guide Burek was engaging and informative and did a nice job of pointing out landmarks and explaining the history and current affairs of the city and Turkey. The variety (and amount!) of food to try was really good, and I’m a pescatarian.

It was good to see an area you wouldn’t normally explore. The guide was knowledgeable and kept the group together. The food was interesting and not something we would have tasted without our guide being there.

This was a great tour! Experienced so much food that we would never would have tried on our own. There is plenty of food and you don't walk away hungry. The ferry rides are nice at night to see all of the lights of Istanbul. The guide Salik was most enjoyable, and we all agreed we had a really good time.

We love a food tour and this was by far one of the best, most relaxed tours we have ever done. Our guide Burak was excellent, sharing interesting culture facts with an amazing selection of local dishes. It was one of the highlights of our trip and makes us want to return to Istanbul. Still thinking about the stuffed mussels.

I had a wonderful time on this food tour in Istanbul! The experience was well organised, and every stop offered something unique and delicious. A big thank you to our guide, Burak — he explained everything in a way that was both engaging and easy to understand, and he really brought the culture of Istanbul’s food scene to life. I highly recommend this tour to anyone who wants to discover authentic flavours and learn more about the city’s culinary heritage. It was definitely one of the highlights of my trip to Istanbul!

Our group consisted of 10 people which was the perfect size for walking around the market and sampling different food at every stop. Our guide Burak(sp?) was outstanding. Very informative and relaxed and adaptable to anyone’s special food requests. It was a great way to explore the Asian part of Istanbul which ironically felt more European than the side residing in Europe. You defiantly get the local vibe and a feeling for how it would be to live here. Highly recommended!

My tour was canceled only a few hours before it was supposed to start and I was unable to find a tour to do instead. I was told by the tour company I would get a full refund, but the email from TripAdvisor says I will get $0 back.