Late-Night Snack · Steamed Slider

Islak Hamburger (Wet Burger)

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The bun is deliberately steamed soggy in tomato sauce rather than toasted — the opposite of how most of the world likes its burgers.

Small garlicky beef patties are steamed together with their buns in a heated glass display case, then doused in a tomato-garlic sauce that soaks the bread through — "wet" is the literal translation and the entire point. Taksim's burger stands stack them dozens high, ready to be plucked out with tongs.

Why it's made this way: The format took hold around Taksim in the mid-20th century as an affordable late-night bite for cinema-goers and nightlife crowds, and the soft, saucy bun made it easy to eat fast on the street.