Istanbul Evening Food Tour • Small Group • 10+ Tastings
Description
Spend an evening eating your way from Taksim through the backstreets of Beyoğlu to Karaköy, stopping for more than 10 tastings along the way. Try Istanbul favourites including tantuni, Turkish delight, stuffed mussels, kokoreç, kebap dürüm, fish dürüm and freshly made baklava. Along the route, discover İstiklal Avenue, historic Hacı Bekir, Çiçek Pasajı, lively Nevizade and the old meyhane quarter of Asmalımescit before finishing in Karaköy. Come hungry: the tastings add up to a full dinner. With a maximum of 10 guests, you’ll experience Istanbul’s evening food scene with plenty of time for stories, questions and local insight from your guide.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Meet your guide at Taksim Square and begin your evening food adventure through Istanbul’s European side. From here, head towards İstiklal Avenue and the lively streets of Beyoğlu.
Walk along Istanbul’s famous pedestrian avenue and start the night with tantuni, a hot Turkish wrap filled with finely chopped meat, tomatoes, herbs and spices. Then leave the main avenue behind for Beyoğlu’s food-filled backstreets.
Stop at historic Hacı Bekir, which has been making lokum since 1777. Taste freshly cut Turkish delight in flavours such as rose and pistachio while discovering the story behind one of Istanbul’s best-known traditional sweets.
Explore historic Çiçek Pasajı and the neighbouring Fish Market, one of Beyoğlu’s most atmospheric food areas. See the market stalls and eateries that have long been part of Istanbul’s evening food culture.
Continue into lively Nevizade, where restaurant tables spill into the narrow streets at night. Taste local favourites such as midye dolma, fried mussels and kokoreç, surrounded by the neighbourhood’s unmistakable evening atmosphere.
Walk through Asmalımescit, Beyoğlu’s historic meyhane quarter, and stop for kebap dürüm — freshly grilled kebab wrapped in thin lavash bread. Experience another side of Istanbul’s after-dark dining culture.
Continue downhill towards Karaköy, one of Istanbul’s oldest neighbourhoods. Taste fish dürüm, grilled fish wrapped with fresh greens and lemon, as you explore the streets beneath Galata.
Finish the evening with freshly made baklava at Karaköy Güllüoğlu. From here, the tour ends near Şişhane Metro Station and the historic Tünel funicular, with Galata Tower a short walk away.
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
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Maximum group size is 10
- Tour runs rain or shine
- This tour is not suitable for vegetarian or vegan travelers.
- Not recommended for travelers with severe nut or dairy allergies.
- Please advise us of any dietary requirements or food allergies at the time of booking.
Reviews(36)
10/10 highly recommend. I went on this Taksim evening food tour 8 years ago and I did it again last month. The restaurants and route are very slightly different, but still equally awesome. I do miss the old “chicken breast ice cream” from 8 years ago - that was memorable. Overall I highly recommend this as a great alternative to an evening meal in Istanbul. Also a reminder: it’s virtually impossible to end this tour and still be hungry!
We had a lovely time seeing the backstreets of Istanbul where the locals eat and hang out, and our guide was amazing - answering any questions we had and trying to make sure we had the best experience possible. We did however, find the food a bit underwhelming and while we understood that no wine or beer was provided, it wasn’t even available to purchase at any restaurant we went to which was unclear when we booked the tour.
Thanks, Deeann! We're glad you enjoyed exploring the backstreets where locals actually eat and that your guide took such good care of you. On the drinks, that's fair feedback. Many of the traditional, family-run spots we visit don't serve alcohol, and we'll look at making that clearer at booking. Our menu focuses on authentic local flavours, and we appreciate you sharing your honest experience. We hope you enjoyed the rest of your time in Istanbul.
Very knowledgeable guide and interesting travelers in our group. Be prepared for local food, some of which is not particularly mainstream, but quite interesting. Also be ready for a bit of a walk.
Thanks, Wayne! We're so glad you had a great day with us. Helpful tips for future bookers on the walking and the more local bites. We hope you'll be back in Istanbul someday. :)
Fantastic experience. Bhari introduced our group to variety of street foods and local gems interweaving stories, history and so many tips. And we all left with a list of restaurants to explore in the neighborhoods we're staying in. It was so hard to say which tastes were the best. Without doubt this tour was a highlight. Start your time in Istanbul with Bhari and a food tour.
Thank you! We're so glad you had a great day with Bahri and walked away with a list of new spots to try around where you're staying. We hope to see you back in Istanbul one day. :)
We were hesitant to do a food tour because of a previous experience in another city. This was a terrific tour and khan was a great guide. There is a substantial amount of food involved so show up very hungry. It was largely meat based and I would’ve enjoyed some vegetable dishes that they have been difficult to find in Istanbul ex Mezze. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Istanbul.
Bahri was a fantastic guide. We could tell that he loves Istanbul and food. He not only gave us information about the foods we tried, he also told us so much about the city and gave us recommendations of places to eat during our stay. Every stop was excellent and fun. We saw so many fun neighborhoods and places to go.
It was a great experience with Bahri for the evening tour and we learned so much about the food history and also the history of the city and locations we walked through. Great variety of food and drinks and options to have more or less if you are hungry. But it was a great experience and I high recommend to everyone. Very worth the money.
Tunç went above and beyond to give us a great tour. Lots of interesting cuisine with great historical context. Delicious, fun and informative all in one! Won’t be eating again for 24 hours!!!
Amazing experience with a wonderful guide. My only regret is that I didn’t do this the first or second day so that I could have eaten the amazing and reasonably priced food on offer in Istanbul instead of only eating at “tourist” restaurants which were on the whole not great food. The tour took us to the places where the locals eat and the food was fantastic. Go hungry and if you are like me - maybe only eat half the food at the first couple of places because the food got better and better. I was stuffed and could only take 1-2 bites of some really delicious food by the end. The money you spend on this tour will be more than made up by the amount of money you save eating around Istanbul the rest of your holiday if you do this trip early in your stay! Would recommend 100%!
Go hungry! Lots of diverse food and drink. Knowledge guide. Helped us catch up to the tour when we got stuck in traffic crossing bridge from Old Town.
