Only in Izmir: Exploring the Seaside City’s Culinary Traditions
Description
On our Izmir food tour we’ll explore the tangled roots of this Aegean city’s cuisine and culture, enjoying the friendly laid back environment of the markets near the agora and sampling a variety of dishes unique to this city.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The day will begin with a breakfast of boyoz, a Sephardic savory pastry found only here, slow-cooked eggs and local tulum cheese followed by a slice of history from a 3rd generation helva maker. We’ll visit a workshop where lokma, a donut-like sweet traditionally served to lighten the mood at funerals, is made and explore the crumbling architectural beauty of old Izmir
We’ll explore a residential neighborhood inhabited by migrant families from the East of Turkey before eating our way through another market filled with local culinary institutions including a fine fish restaurant, a Bosnian-Turkish gastro-café, a pide bakery and one of the best lokantas in the country.
Izmir takes its offal seriously, so we’ll give its famous sögüs, poached sheep’s head, a try before finishing the day with a local traditional semolina dessert call sambali and a cup of Turkish coffee made from beans freshly ground the old-fashioned way, in a stone mortar.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(17)
We absolutely loved this tour and our guide Asli. She is a native of Izmir and so proud of her culture. The tour was primarily focused around the market and the vendors and chefs at each location obviously know Asli well and greeted her and us with enthusiam. We tried so many wonderful foods and also made a few culture stops. She was also so patient with our many questions about Turkish culture. We had a lot of laughs ans even exchanged recipes. We are highly recommending this tour to anyone we meet who is heading to Izmir.
Thank you for the wonderful review and for taking the time to share your experience. We are thrilled that you enjoyed exploring the daily life of Izmir's markets with us. Thank you for supporting these unsung culinary heroes and helping us preserve such invaluable local traditions.
This experience was fantastic!! Nuket was a knowledgeable and engaging guide who took us to so many shops, cafes and stalls where we sampled the highest quality foods and interacted with such friendly owners. We came away will full stomachs and full hearts!
Thank you for sharing your experience! It’s wonderful to hear that your day in Izmir left you both well-fed and inspired. Nuket will be thrilled to know that her knowledge and enthusiasm made such a positive impression. We take pride in working with guides who not only know the city deeply but also connect guests with local people, traditions, and flavors — that combination is exactly what makes these tours special. Don’t forget to check your Culinary Backstreets Passport on our website to see the new Izmir stamp you’ve collected!
Nuket was fantastic! Other folks ended up not showing up, so it was just Nuket and I -- I was so grateful to have experienced the tour in depth with local insights, history of the neighborhoods, delicious food not only rich on the taste buds but the culinary backstory and cultural influence. She even read my Turkish coffee grounds as a fortune! While the tour spanned several hours with 5+ stops, it was well worth the investment for such a special tour to learn about Izmir and Turkiye.
What a wonderful review — thank you for sharing such a special experience! We're so glad you had the chance to explore Izmir’s rich culinary heritage one-on-one with Nuket. She brings such warmth, knowledge, and connection to her tours, and we take great pride in working with guides who are not only deeply informed, but also passionate locals eager to share their cities in a meaningful way. It’s especially lovely to hear that the tour went beyond delicious tastes to include cultural context — and even a coffee fortune reading! That’s exactly what we hope for: an immersive and memorable dive into food, place, and tradition. Don’t forget to check out your Culinary Backstreets Passport on our website to see your new Izmir stamp — and we hope to welcome you again in another city (or another fortune-telling café!) soon.
I booked and paid for this tour twice for two people - which is exactly the stated minimum number of participants. Both times it was cancelled without any explanation. On TripAdvisor, the dates were clearly shown as available, yet after booking everything was cancelled. Only after repeatedly asking did I receive a vague reply, still without a clear reason. Extremely unprofessional and disappointing.
It was burning hot, still, our guide gave it all. Great food, great stories, great people. We loved it as always! The best culinary tours in the world.
Thank you so much for your kind words, Domingos — and for braving the heat with us in Izmir! We’re thrilled to hear that the stories, the people, and, of course, the food made it all worth it. We take pride in working with guides who give it their all, no matter the weather, and who are deeply connected to the cities they share. And seeing “as always” in your review truly means a lot — it’s always an honor to welcome back familiar faces! Your loyalty and enthusiasm keep us going. Don’t forget to check your Culinary Backstreets Passport on our website to see the new Izmir stamp you’ve earned!
Excellent day exploring the sights of Izmir. Well organised and a great variety of traditional food. We had 14 stops and each was well coordinated and our guide seemed to know everyone! Good insight into local customs and traditions and an excellent way to spend a day. You certainly don’t need breakfast or lunch if you take this tour.
Thank you for the great review! We're so happy to hear that your day in Izmir was both delicious and insightful. It sounds like you really embraced the full experience — 14 stops is no small feat, and we’re glad you came hungry! We take pride in working with guides who have deep roots in their cities and strong relationships with the people and places they introduce to our guests — it’s wonderful to know that came through in your tour. And yes, skipping breakfast and lunch is absolutely the right call! Don’t forget to check out your Culinary Backstreets Passport on our website to see your new Izmir stamp — and hopefully, we’ll see you again in another city soon! Warm wishes, The Culinary Backstreets Team
Our guide Nuket Franco was terrific. She educated us on food and culture. We experienced the real Izmir - away from tourists and ate lots of delicious food. We loved Izmir because of her and miss her!
Thank you so much for your lovely words! We’re thrilled to hear that Nuket made your Izmir experience so authentic and memorable. We take great pride in working with guides who not only share their deep knowledge of food but also the rich culture and heart of their city. It’s wonderful to know you felt the real Izmir through her passion and expertise — and that you miss her already! That is exactly what we strive for—connecting guests to the genuine spirit behind every dish and street. Don’t forget to check your Culinary Backstreets Passport on our website to see the stamp you earned exploring Izmir’s culinary traditions!
Great way to get to know the city, if you want to see more than images on touristic posters and taste more than food on touristic menus. You will hear stories, learn some history, meet loveliest local people, have a wonderful walk, and, of course, taste some fantastic food. I was priveleged to have Nuket as my guide, a very knowledgeable and super friendly lady, who walked me through unique places and answered my countless questions. I was very happy with the experience and would highly recommend it.
Thank you so much for your fantastic review! We’re so happy to hear that you had such an enriching experience on the Only in Izmir tour. It’s wonderful that the combination of local stories, history, and the chance to meet some of Izmir’s loveliest people made the tour truly special for you. We’re also thrilled that Nuket was able to guide you through the unique spots and provide insightful answers to all your questions. She’s a true gem, and we’re so glad her knowledge and friendly nature made your experience even more memorable! And don’t forget to check out your Culinary Backstreets Passport on our website to see all the stamps you’ve collected! We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back for another culinary adventure soon!
The operator tried to scam us, saying we didn't pay the full amount. We reported them to Viator (including a screen shot of the email requesting the additional funds) and requested a refund because we now could not trust this operator. Viator assured us we would get a full refund, but it hasn't arrived yet, and we may have to go through the hassle of reporting them to our credit card company and get the refund that way. Suggest you stay far away from this company. We have used Trip Advisor tours many, many times during the last 10 years and this is the first and only time this has ever happened!
I believe there is some mistake. Nobody requested anything from you from Culinary Backstreets. This is an issue with Viator. We do not take payment for Viator bookings.
Nuket was wonderful. She took us to so many places we lost count. She gave us options to try offal and fish(we declined) due to being so full of so many wonderful foods. We wandered the local market like a native and she made us feel like we were just visiting with a family friend. Can't recommend her enough but come very hungry!
Thank you for sharing your experience with us! We’re so glad to hear that you had such a great time with Nuket on the tour. It’s always our goal to make our guests feel like they’re exploring with a local friend, and it sounds like Nuket really nailed that! The local market is definitely a treasure trove of culinary delights, and we’re happy you got to experience it firsthand. We also appreciate your advice to come hungry—there's so much to taste, it’s easy to get full before reaching the end! Thank you for recommending this experience. We look forward to welcoming you on more Culinary Backstreets tours in the future! Don't forget to check out your Culinary Backstreets Passport on our website to see all the stamps you’ve collected!
