Turkey Street Food

Where Europe and Asia meet, literally, on a sesame-crusted bread ring.

🥯 Istanbul's favorite street snack is sold from red carts stationed on nearly every corner.

5 street food dishes from Turkey — what each one is, why it's made that way, and what to expect when you order it.

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Signature street foods of Turkey

Kebab's Best Friend · Salted Yogurt Drink Ayran It's whisked with cold water and salt, not sugar — the savory tang is the entire point, and Turks drink it alongside meat rather than dessert. Ayran is a simple mix of yogurt, cold water, and a pinch of salt, whipped until frothy and served ice-cold in a glass or a squat metal cup. It's sold everywhere from kebab stands to…

Breakfast · Baked Simit Called the "Turkish bagel" — but it predates the bagel's popularity by centuries. A crisp, sesame-crusted bread ring dipped in grape molasses before baking, sold from glass-topped red carts across Istanbul, usually with tea.

Balık Ekmek (Fish Sandwich)

Main · Dockside Balık Ekmek (Fish Sandwich) Grilled straight off boats docked at the bridge. Grilled mackerel served in fresh bread with onion, lettuce, and a squeeze of lemon, traditionally sold from boats rocking at the Galata Bridge in Istanbul.

Late-Night Grill · Istanbul Classic Kokoreç It's seasoned, spit-grilled lamb intestines — and it's one of the most fiercely loved late-night foods in Istanbul. Seasoned lamb or goat intestines are wound around themselves, slow-grilled on a spit until crisp, then chopped fine with tomato, pepper, and oregano and stuffed into bread. Sold from…

Midye Dolma (Stuffed Mussels)

Seafood Stand · Istanbul Waterfront Midye Dolma (Stuffed Mussels) A single skilled vendor can stuff and stack hundreds of mussels a night without a single one popping open in the pot. Large black-shelled mussels are pried open, packed with a fragrant mixture of spiced rice, pine nuts, and currants, then pressed shut and steamed tightly stacked in a wide pot so they hold…

More street food in Europe

Part of World of Street Food — 690 dishes from 118 countries. Photo credits.