Private Istanbul Food Tour & Hidden Pearls Of The Old City

Sinan was a great tour guide on this private food tour of Istanbul. Eay communication regarding meeting at our hotel and from 1030 onwards we had over 4hrs of seeing areas of Istanbul that we would not of known. He was able to give us tips on where to go during our stay and also provide invaluable information of the surrounding area, food, places to go and the history of the markets etc. We tried everything from the "standard" breakfast in Isantbul (very tasty) to the best kebab shop on Istanbul! As well as many other treats :-) this final rooftop bar overlooking the city was a hidden gem and we went back the next day to get away from the crowds and see the beauitful city from there. This is fantastic value and would highly reccommend. Thankyou Sinan

What an amazing way to see Istanbul! The food was amazing, we experienced an authentic version of Istanbul most tourists probably miss. Highly recommend but bring your appetite!

We had a fabulous day with Ayse. The food stops were all delicious and it was great to shop for food and spices with a local. Ayse was very knowledgeable about the food and the history of Istanbul. It could not have been a better experience.

Zeynel was exceptional. He took me off the beaten path, introduced me to locals and we and we had a wonderful time tasting pastries, doner kebabs, wine, and more. His English, knowledge, and conversation are excellent. I would highly recommend Zeynel for any tour.

This tour is worth every penny. Our tour guide was Tonc, who is extremely knowledgeable and a pleasure to hang out with. We did this tour right off the plane and was a good way to get acclimated to Istanbul and it's many wonders. It really kicked off our vacation in the right way. Not only did Tonc take us to great locations, but he shared all his favorite restaurants around the city on Google Maps. This information was invaluable. He was also available on WhatsApp the remainder of our trip with any questions we had (and there were many). 5 stars all the way!

PIckup was arranged at the hotel, which was very convenient. This also gave us the opportunity to learn the public transit system in IST, which came in handy for the duration of our trip. Ahmet was very friendly, and took us past all of the highlights, let us in on some excellent food spots, amd gave good recommendations for the rest of the trip, too. 10/10, would recommend.

Come with an empty stomach. You will want to eat every bite of amazing Turkish food. Enjoy stimulating conversations about any topic Turkiye.

Our culinary tour with Siman was top-notch. It was such an amazing way to see the city on a relaxed way, eating amazing foods along the way and learning from a local. Siman brought us to unique places that were not touristy at all and we never would have experienced on our own. I highly recommend.

We booked this tour based on reviews and it certainly delivered the experience we were after. Our guide, Sinan was not just extremely knowledgeable about everything we discussed but his passion for all things Turkish shone through and made the day one we will always remember. Everything worked like clock work. We booked the private tour direct and it lasted over 5 hours, which was excellent value for money. The day before we received a confirming email, which was reassuring, then on the day Sinan WhatsApp’d me 20 minutes before meeting us in our lobby. It didn’t take long for the conversation and questions and answers to flow. We walked everywhere and were given the history of so many places and the food stops were so much fun and varied. So glad that Sinan was with us in the Grand Bazaar, as it is a labyrinth of shops. Every part of the day was exceptional including our beautiful glass of wine with the most exceptional views and we were even dropped off at the Hammam for our next experience. Thank you Sinan for the best day!

Our guide was incredible! He really made sure we were taken care of and had a good time. He heard we weren’t going to have time for the blue mosque so he took us there before the tour. Very knowledgeable and kind.

This was ABSOLUTELY amazing! We had a private walking tour with food sampling followed by a private yacht tour down the Bosporus! Sinan was perfect for our family day! He was early and waiting for us right outside the port. He took us to delicious food options throughout the day, even adjusting to random things the kids were interested in. He took us by tram which was a great experience to the old city and taught us a lot of history, we enjoyed the Blue Mosque! It was so beautiful! We then had a wonderful shopping and exploring experience in the Bazaar. Sinan was great helping us work out deals. We enjoyed the spice market as well. We ate lots of treats along the way. Enjoyed Turkish coffee and tea. We boasted our private yacht that was pretty spectacular!! A nice yacht, captain and crew. We had more drinks and treats on there as we cruised the Bosporus and Sinan continued to explain and tell us everything about what we were viewing. We stopped off on the Asia side for a quick sunset picture and had wonderful city views on the way back all lit up. He was kind enough to walk us right back to our ship! The kids couldn’t speak highly enough about our day! They loved the balance of fun, food, history and Experience! The next day Goda met us at our ship and walked us to our Turkish bath experience herself. We enjoyed 50 minutes of traditional hamam!! Everything about this experience was 10/10. Istanbul was beautiful and we are so thankful for Sinan and Goda! Thank you!

Had an amazing tour with Ahmet. He picked four of us up from the cruise port and took us into the city by tram. Ahmed was friendly and engaging,extremely knowledgeable and entirely motivated by what we wanted to see. He took us to several out of the way Food venues which we would never have found without him. The food and drink was a taste of Istanbul and very tasty. There was so much we had to stop before we had eaten everywhere. If you have a large appetite you could have kept going. The four hour tour lasted five and a half hours. Having done numerous walking food tours around the world, this was easily the best. If you are lucky enough to have Ahmet as your guide, you will be doing very well

Had an amazing tour with Ahmet. He picked four of us up from the cruise port and took us by tram.into the city. We visited the main sites and sampled varied food and drink. Ahmet was knowledgeable and engaging. Having done many food tours around the world, this was probably the best one. The four hour tour actually lasted five and a half hours. If you are lucky enough to have Ahmet as your guide, you will be very lucky

we recently went on a private food tour with sinan. he was great, very informative, very knowledgable. he gave us a lot of information. i would def use him again , however, i was assuming since it said food tour, i would be eating quite a bit in 4 hours, i ate, but i wouldnt say alot. i think they could have gone to some more interesting places that had out of the way food items that we may not have found on our own. i guess i have very high expectations when i am paying someone $300 for a food trip . we did have some nice white beans and a lamb soup, but other than that, im not sure i wouuld say istanbul has a great food culture if i had to base it on this tour. sorry.

My friend and I took this tour with Sinan. This tour is the best combination of my favorite things, walking, learning and food. Sinan was on-time, energetic and very knowledgeable. The food stops were a great demonstration of the rich culture of Istanbul. I ate like a local, a socialite in the know and even royalty. Sinan has a mastery of the city that we saw when he had the make adjustments to the tour. If you’re reading this book the tour and skip your hotel's complimentary breakfast. Thank you Sinan!

Ahmet was a great guide. He led us through the alleys to his favorite places. We enjoyed all the local information that he shared. He was very considerate of our food likes and dislikes. Highly recommend!

The Vines and Pearls food tour we took was a journey through Istanbul in a totally unique way than I had ever experienced the city. Even knowing the dishes from previous visits had introduced them to me with a context I never had. We felt completely taken care of the entire way through.

Really friendly and engaging guide who gave us a whistle stop tour of the sights and some amazing street food stops. Would have been great to have a bit more variety in the food though.

Ahmet was very conscientious in making our walking tour informative, safe, interesting while providing a great variety of choices in street food samples. We highly recommend him.

Our tour guide showed us all there is to Turkey. We experienced everything from new foods, Turkish coffee and tea to a spectacular view from a coffee house.

Goda from Vines and Pearls was so helpful in creating a personalised tour for me when could not decide which tour I wanted to book for a weekend in Istanbul with my husband. We wanted to see some of the Old City but also experience some wine tastings in our limited time. Goda created the perfect tour for us. Our guide Suzan was knowledgeable about the history of Istanbul and Turkish wines. We enjoyed our wine tastings and learning about Turkish wines and sampling Turkish food. We also visited a beautiful mosque. We ended at the Spice Bazaar where we were able to sample and buy Turkish delights and some spices to take home. Overall, we had a great experience and I highly recommend Vines and Pearls tours.

We had an amazing day learning and tasting our way around the city! Our guide was super knowledgeable and showed us true hidden gems! We ate lots of amazing food and walked through the most incredible market. Highly recommend!

The tour was really fun, you will be eating local foods from small vendors and restaurants. I tried things I do not like and they were surprisingly so different tasting than I would get at home but the exact same items. Sinan knows his history and we had a great time learning about many interesting events that have taken place in Turkey. It is a walking and snacking tour that ends with a nice wine and treat!

Excellent tour. Guide was very informative and personable. Tour was a great combination of history culture and food. Strongly recommend.

Sinan was incredible! He showed me the lesser known, less crowded, more unique, and very interesting sites. He was professional, very knowledgeable, and provided insight I hadn't gathered previously. He was also an incredible somalier! I would highly recommend the tour, and requesting Sinan! Thank you again!

Have you ever tried CHICKEN ICECREAM?! 😳😅 I've always believed that food is a gateway to understanding a new country, so while in Istanbul I decided to embark on a culinary adventure. I got introduced to @vinesandpearls and I was immediately impressed when I heard the founder's story. She had moved to Istanbul with her remote work many moons ago and later decided to do something that she is truly passionate about ✨️ Despite all the challenges that come with running a business as an expat and general life problems living overseas, she has been successfully running this amazing company! If this is not inspiring, idk what is. I absolutely love this for her, and I thought what an amazing opportunity to support each other 🙌 I joined a private food tour with Vines and Pearls called the "Hidden Pearls Private Istanbul Food Tour." This tour promised to take me off the beaten path to discover hidden gems of Istanbul's culinary, historical and architectural scene, and it did not disappoint. As we wandered through the old city, my guide led me to discover hidden pearls tucked away in the bustling streets. She not only introduced me to the flavours of Istanbul but also gave me an appreciation for the Turkish street food culture. I had the opportunity to visit local eateries, bakeries, and restaurants, where I sampled a variety of traditional Turkish dishes. From chicken ice cream to savoury kebab, each bite was a new experience, revealing the unique flavours of Turkish cuisine. We also explored the hidden corners of the Grand Bazaar, where we found hidden gems of Turkish food and antique shops. The tour ended on a high note as we enjoyed a glass of delicious local wine on a rooftop overlooking the main monuments of the city. It was the perfect way to end tour of culinary exploration, reflecting on the flavours and experiences of Istanbul 🇹🇷 One of the most memorable parts of the tour? Read it on the blog 😊 Is Turkey safe for solo female travellers + solo travel to Turkey out on the blog.

Senem our guide was great. Friendly and available. We've visited interesting area at Istanbul and discovered turkish specialities that we didn't know. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to live this experience.

Goda is an amazing guide. We visited Istanbul for the first time. So she showed us the most famous places. Later we went to other interesting places, where you can experience Istambul as a mix of cultures and find another side of this town. Absolutely great!

We had wonderful time with our guide Goda during Private Tour of Hidden Pearls of the old city. She showed us not touristic mosques, small streets and wooden houses, told us a lot of history and facts, answered all our questions and even more. Time just flew and it was just a bit of what Istambul and Goda can offer us:) next time we will meet for sure in wine tasting and other part of this magnificent city! Wish you all the best, Goda, and highly recommend!

In the heart of Istanbul's Old City, Ahmet created a great selection of the culinary tastings, seamlessly blending cultural insights with gastronomic delights. Under Ahmet's guidance, we explored hidden gems—old traditional pide bakery, a hidden mosque, and a gallery. Our journey started with the delicate crunch of simit at a local tea garden, which was a very quiet and unexpected place in the busy part of the city. We walked through a local cemetery, where Ahmet shared different stories, connecting us with the cultural mosaic of Istanbul's past, visited Grand Bazar and learned a lot about its history. We tried different tastings along the way from traditional Kebabs to unexpected desserts. The real highlight, however, was the selection of small mezes and Ahmet's expert recommendation of a local wine pairing at the rooftop. Ahmet's refined storytelling and insightful guidance transformed the tour into a insightful exploration, seamlessly blending history, culture, and culinary aspects. Ahmet's Gastronomic walk is a five-star journey, a mix of flavors and cultural gems.

delicious and interesting tour - a perfect combination between exploring local culture and country's kitchen. i was travelling with my wife and we are a couple in our mid 60s. our guide Elvan adjusted to our wishes as we kindly asked to change few tastings due to our diets. the food was wonderfully chosen. we especially loved the hidden gallery in the old city where we bought a small souvenir made by a local artisan. great tour, thank you.

We loved this tour! We tried a wide range of different things that were all yummy. I am a vegetatian and my husband eats meat so it was great that we were both catered for. Ezel was a wonderful host! She is kind, knowledge and really made the experience great. Just don't forget to wear your walking shoes because you do walk a lot, which is a good thing when you are eating so many things 😉

Signing up for this experience took our trip up a notch! BAM! We travel a bit, mostly in Europe, and since we're both vegetarians we have difficulty figuring where to find tasty local foods and treats. This was a great tour to guide us around the city, sample from the food carts, find a quaint sit-down for some Gozleme, and of course a delicious baklava. We always forget how easy it can be when you can have a guide bring us to the best places. This was perfect!

I took this tour with Ahmet. He showed me around the market and explained to me about the food. We ended up going to this place where they served hunkar begendi, a delicious dish based on eggplant and mince meat. Make sure you tell Ahmet to take you to get one! I ate it so fast that forgot to take a picture so to compensate, here is a small sample of the colors of the market when I was on my way to the restaurant.

The tour was beyond expectations. I was trying before other tours in Istanbul and while other were ok, day with pearls was way much more fun, insightful and with access to better quality food

Everything was perfect! I’ll definately take another walking wine and food tasting tour with Goda and her experienced and beautiful team. Till next time 🥂

I loved this food tour! Not only the tastings were great but we got to see so many hidden historical and cultural places. my favourite one was a tiny gallery in the tower! our guide Ezel was super nice and knowledgable both about food, city and the history. Such a great time! i recommend

I am so happy we chose this tour - I think without it we would end up eating in tourist-busy places but here we got to visit authentic and absolutely fabulous food places where locals eat! Loved the guide Ahmet and enjoyed every bite!

For a foodie like me this tour was perfect. I especially loved the pace, taking our time to enjoy each dish and spot we visited. My favourite part which I think adds the cherry on top was the rooftop view. The wine selection is professionally done and I was quite pleasantly surprised by the quality of Turkish wine and the rich history behind it.

What a nice food tour with our guide Ahmet! super well planned and organised. The old city is so atmospheric and even if crowded i absolutely loved it. Ahmet took me to different tastings spots and it left us so full! but all was delicious! I really enjoyed the old ice-cream place, that felt very authentic and we got to try baklava (the famous Turkish dessert) with goat milk ice-cream, was so yummy! Ahmet also told us about traditions and history of the neighborhood. it was lovely!

Being a “foodie” this tour was the highlight of my trip. The guide took me places where I wouldn’t have find on my own and the food was amazing and very interesting. It’s an absolute must do for anyone that loves to experience they’re destination through food and culture ❤️

We had an amazing time on our tour. The tastings were out of this world! The spots we've visited were one of a kind, which I would never found myself. We did a private tour and the guide was very informative and was just a great person & funny guy! Can highly recommend!!!

when i travel i always look for more authentic and interesting things to see. as a foodie I tried many tours all around but this one was really special. the itinerary is a mix of food places and undiscovered heritage sights. We tried the iconic foods as Turkish Doner Kebab, traditional turkish mezes, baklava, but also i was surprised to discover new things that were unkown to me as Turkish wine! it is super good quality and i was not expecting that! We went from street shops to local restaurants to the rooftops, super nicely planned route! Recommended!

I was take on a private hidden pearls and street food tour by Vines and Pearls. I have been to Istanbul many times but was never taken off the ordinary touristic paths to explore the hidden street vendors offering local cousine. Not only was the food amazing, so was the description of the food. I feel almost equipped to do it at home :) I really highly recommend this tour as you will also explore some cultural sights off the known tracks!

Discovering Istanbul out of the ordinary turistic paths. We have been couple of times in Istanbul before, and we wanted to discover some really local and high quality place where to eat, drink nice wine (not so easy in Turkey!) and discovring hidden places. The tour has been just amazing! We did a street food tour, discovering lokanta (local restaurants) and tea gardens where we found only Turkish people. We also visited Sultanahmet, the ancient neighborhood, where we enjoyed seeing small mosques and cemeteries (honelsty, never noticed in our previous visitis) and the most appreciated spot: a wine tasting on the rooftop with a view on Hagia Sofia -that was insane! We totally recommend! Thanks for letting us appreciate the city once more with different eyes!

This is an amazing tour for foodies and people who enjoy exploring cities off the beaten path. We had a great opportunity to taste authentic Turkish food from local street vendors and visit beautiful architectural places that are less touristic. This tour is a great option for those who want to get to know more authentic local Istambul. Highly recommend!

This tour was a highlight of my stay in Istanbul! We discovered super nice local food places and experienced the entire spectrum of places locals dine from street vendors and local cafes to tea gardens. Along the way, we also visited local hidden gems, my favorite was a small mosque close to the spice market. this made the tour very special. Our guide Ahmet was very kind and helpful, we loved the experience and would recommend it!