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The 10 Famous Street Foods in Turkey

January 9, 2023

Mısır

Misir, which is Turkish, meaning corn, has gained popularity throughout time and is a delicious street snack that is perfect for enjoying while exploring the city. Despite being offered all year long, it is a year-round staple that corresponds with the region’s harvest season in the summer.

Misir is a street food that may be purchased in 2 types: köz misir, which is roasted corn on the cob, and süt misir, which is salted boiling corn kernels. A third variety that has recently gained popularity serves corn kernels in cups and tops them with your choice of sauce, including ketchup, mayonnaise, red pepper flakes, and others.

Vendors generally wrap the corn in heavy paper or in husks made of green maize. Some vendors even travel to Turkey’s beaches in the summer to sell this dish to tourists. Be sure to give some a try!

Kestane Kebap

The roasted chestnuts (kestane kebap) that Turkish street vendors start selling in the fall and winter will warm your hands and appease your hunger. You will be drawn to the carts where the chestnuts are being roasted over the flames by the aroma of the cooking nuts. In Türkiye, you may find a chestnut seller on nearly every corner of the country’s well-travelled streets and streets.

Depending on how many you wish to purchase, the chestnuts are divided into little paper bags; if you don’t feel starving but still want to taste some kestane kebap, even the most minor pieces are available. You won’t regret it if you try kestane kebap warm, straight from the grill!

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Turşu Suyu

Pickle juice, or turşu suyu, is the ideal garnish for your fish sandwich. It’s a by-product of the pickle-making process, has a strong flavour, is offered in plastic glasses, and contains small pickle pieces. There are two types of it; one uses vinegar as a base, and the other uses lemon. It can be purchased from shopkeepers that specialize in turşu suyu or from fish booths and markets close to the beaches of Eminönü or Karaköy.

Although restaurants also sell balik ekmek and turşu suyu, it is recommended to purchase it from a street seller and eat it outside!

Balık Ekmek

Turkish cuisine has a tradition of serving freshly caught, sea-cooked fish from the Marmara Sea.

The “fish sandwich,” or Balık Ekmek, is best enjoyed in Istanbul’s coastal areas of Karaköy and Eminönü, where it is offered directly from boats. Just approach the vendors calling out “Balık Ekmek!” near the Galata Bridge. You will be enticed by the inviting scent of warm, freshly baked bread with fish!

Simit

Simit is a round, molasses-dipped, sesame-crusted bread that is undoubtedly Turkey’s most well-liked snack. It has established itself as a standard for breakfasts on the go over time. It goes well with a chocolate or cream cheese spread. The numerous seagulls in Istanbul are always eager to eat some of your simit, so be sure to leave some for them.

Simit is sold on large trays balanced atop travelling salespeople’s heads and in stunning glass-covered carts around Türkiye.

Tavuklu Pilav

Turkish rice pilaf, known as tavuklu pilav, is eaten with shredded, boiled chicken breast on top. Try this dynamic combination out on the streets of Turkey, and you’ll be charmed for life! It is quick, hot, and filling—so fast that the sellers save lives regarding last-minute dinners. In Türkiye, you may quickly identify merchants by seeing their glass-covered carts as they go through the streets. Locals in Istanbul testify that the tavuklu pilav sold in the Unkapani neighbourhood is the greatest in the city!

Some sellers also offer Tavuklu pilav variants with chickpeas or live as a topping. Any variation is delicious with a cool ayran, Turkey’s traditional salted yoghurt beverage.

Dondurma

The ultimate tourist favourite is dondurma or Turkish ice cream. The primary milk and sugar mixture is strengthened with two thickening agents, mastic resin and salep (flour obtained from the roots of wild orchids), to give it a dense and chewy consistency. It’s beautiful, chilled treat best savoured during the sweltering summer months to soothe your sweet craving!

Serving Turkish ice cream between kağıt helva (wafer halva), a wafer-like treat filled with hot milk, is a fun and delicious way to try it. From Istanbul ferries to the streets of Türkiye’s other major cities, wafer halva sellers with or without stalls can be seen carrying packs of wafer halva everywhere.

Midye Dolma

Midye dolma is filled with mussels that are more of a snack than a meal. On the half shell, rice is presented after being cooked with various spices. Before eating this common street snack in Turkey, a little lemon juice is poured over each packed mussel. Be cautious: since each mussel is consumed all at once, it’s easy to forget how many you’ve eaten.

Kokoreç

The dish known as kokoreç, typically eaten around midnight, is described as skewered offal served with chopped and spiced sheep or goat intestines. Although many people are hesitant to use this dish, the sellers ensure that every element is well-cleaned, so you need not worry. Like döner, kokoreç is usually roasted over charcoal and seasoned with oregano, cumin, and chilli flakes.

Börek

One way to describe borek is as a phyllo-based baked pastry. The most popular fillings are minced beef, cheese, potatoes, and leafy greens (like spinach). While handmade börek or börek sold in bakeries offer a more comprehensive range, street börek is frequently covered with cheese. If you ever find yourself in Turkey, eat some borek, a wonderful and satisfying street dish!

Another treat you may find on the streets of Türkiye is a savoury pastry called Sokak pogaçasi. These pastries come in both filled and plain varieties, and their various names represent this variation:

  • Sade (plain)
  • Peynirli (filled with cheese)
  • Kiymali (served with minced meat)
  • Zeytinli (filled with olives or olive paste)

To decide which one is your personal favourite, try them all and apply for a turkey e visa online.