A Gastronomic Journey On-the-Go Besides having a vibrant history and stunning scenery, Turkey is often associated with several mouthwatering dishes.
Turkish street food is arguably one of the best things about visiting Turkey. Road dishes in Turkey are entertainingly spicy and melodious, churning out a delicious treat for everyone.
Some of the best food can be enjoyed on the streets of Turkey without stepping into a restaurant that has fine dining!
Cake to go along with savouries or kalaadi in curry, exquisite kebab rings or rolls stuffed with shawarma, and much, much more. Let us look at some easy but quick fun food from the famous Turkish foods.
1. Simit: The Iconic Turkish Sesame Bagel.
Simit is one of the most-eaten Turkish street foods. One Ben’s learned through time is that simit is almost like a bagel, which is also dipped in sesame seeds.
It has a crunchy exterior and a soft and chewy inner core. In Turkey, simit is mostly eaten outside for breakfast or tea snack rusks.
The favorite fast food for Turks is very simple but very satisfying, and you will find it everywhere in Turkey.
People sell simit from the carts lined up on the streets, making it convenient to grab one anytime in case anyone gets hungry. Even better, a lot of locals go as far as saying with cheese or jam on top of the simit.
Simit is best enjoyed at the following places:
- Simit Sarayı: A famous franchise present in every part of Turkey.
- Istanbul’s Eminonu Square: Look for simit stalls at the waterfront.
- Besiktas Neighborhood: Famous for the available simit stores in that vicinity.
- Taksim Square, Istanbul: a busy place with lots of simit vendors around.
- Kordon, Izmir: Enjoy the simit by the beach.
2. Kebab Doner: A Classic Must -Try.
Doner Kebab is a very popular Turkish dish that is loved by both tourists and residents. Chunks of meat (lamb, beef, or chicken) are formed in a stack on a wide cone-shaped vertical rotisserie. The skewer is then rotated to cook the meat.
After the outer part gets cooked, it’s shaved off and usually served inside a flatbread or in a roll with fresh vegetables and sauces.
Kebab was one of the best-kept secrets of Turkish cuisine until that is, visitors had the opportunity to try this culinary creation. It is scrumptious; it’s filling yet quick.
Where to Eat Döner kebab:
- Karaköy Lokantas in Istanbul: famous for serving quality döner
meat.
- Bayramoğlu in Istanbul: Another city robust with döner after Karaköy.
- Dönerci şahin Usta in Istanbul: Every döner enthusiast must visit this place.
- Şiya Kebab Istanbul – offers both döner and kebap Varieties.。
3. Lahmacun:The Turkish Pizza.
Even though it is sometimes dubbed ‘pizza turca,’ the Turkish Pizza Lahmacun is rather different. It is a very thin rooster or beef meat, spread on a very chopped chapati, roti, or tortilla, dressed with spices and various vegetables like tomatoes and onions.
It is served scalding hot and generally complete with sprigs of parsley and wedges of lemon, squeezed before consuming the dish. It is attained through pressing to the mouth and unrolling. Such a dish comes out quick, tasty, and filling all in one.
That is why it is one of the most favorite fast foods in Turkey. The reason is that it is simple to prepare and tastes wonderful.
Places to Eat in Lahmacun:
Borsam Taşfırın, Istanbul :– Renowned for chicken and seafood lahmacun
- Halil Lahmacun, Istanbul:- A recommended place by the residents
- Gaziantep Lahmacun Salonu, Istanbul: Delivers classic tastes
- Fıstıkzade Lahmacun, Gaziantep:Famed for genuine flavor
- Fiko Lahmacun, Ankara:- A crazy hunt location for lahmacun lovers
4. Börek: Savory Pastries with a Twist.
Fun pastries with savory Burek is a great-appetizing stuffed pastry. The stuffing can include any of these cheeses, spinach, or minced meat.
When talking about the dish, it consists of thin layers of dough. There are many forms of Arabic derivatives of Turkish in English, such as twisted rashin, rolled and layered, or cake.
Raw and half-cooked, it comprises a thin, crisp layer on the outside and a soft, buttery filling within.
Whether for this reason or not, because there appears to be no restriction, it is possible to find action buns, if not nostalchic, in all bakeries and bread stalls in Turkey.
And this is the real fun, because every lippie is different, which is essentially why there are numerous lippies to choose from.
Where to Eat Boh-rek:
- Çengelköy Börekçisi, Istanbul:- famous for its cheese variant of börek
- Saray Muhallebicisi, Istanbul:- famous for its meat version of börek
- Meşhur Sarıyer Börekçisi, Istanbul:- a place where “börek” is cooked with attractive variations of fillings.
- Galata Börekçisi, Istanbul:- serves “börek” varieties that have different fillings. Karaköy G Dolma Midye:- Stuffed mussel for the dauntless.
5. Midye Dolma :- Stuffed Mussels For the Adventurous.
In Turkey, midyear dolma is a quite common seafood snack. This comprises the meat of mussels with insides filled with seasoned rice, seasoning, and sometimes currants or pine nuts. The twist to the dish is added where each mussel is squeezed with lemon juice.
Local people also partake in activities like eating midye dolma, especially in the late hours. In most cases, they are sold by street hawkers who ply their goods in busy areas, especially by the seaside.
This seasoning-stuffed cabbage roll delight should not be bypassed as street food in Turkey, especially if one loves seafood and wishes to try something different.
Midye Dolma Restaurants:
- Midyeci Ahmet, Istanbul :-is famous for its stuffed mussels.
- Karaköy, Istanbul:- is teeming with midye vendors.
- Alsancak Zone, Zmir:- is the best place for midye dolma.
- Kadköy, Istanbul:- has a number of midye dolma stands.
- Beşiktaş, Istanbul:- Then, try something lighter: a crispy bean bag called simit or thick slices of savory döner kebab.
Also Read: Istanbul In Autumn 2024: Places To See & Things To Do!
Conclusion
There is more to eating out streetwise in Turkey than indulging your hunger; there are cooked delights fully representing the erudite and profound Turkish culture.
And to enhance the experience of a vacation, it would be prudent to include these culinary adventures, especially street foods, in Turkey tour packages! These packages offer a perfect way to explore both the historical richness and the delicious gastronomy of Turkey.
Every piece will be enjoyable, whether it is the well-established companies such as Lindt and Toblerone or the small business Aeschbach, which operates out of the house.
Hence, if you happen to be in Switzerland, make sure to have a chocolate-filled activity planned in your schedule—you shall not regret it!
