Food Routes in Istanbul

One of the great walks I like doing is to visit the old neighborhoods and remember the taste of food as it was when I was growing up in the city.

Everything You Can Ask From A Food Destination

We start around  Eminonu near the Spice Market which is a bustling market brimming with fresh fish, fruits and vegetables, stellar pastry shops, baklava, helva, kebaps on fire, dried fruits, nuts, herbal teas, Coffee Arabica, Iranian Caviar, exotic oils, simple restaurants (lokanta, we say): you have to feed the crowds.

It’s everything that you can ask from a food destination and it is a delight walking around just observing people’s everyday heyday as we eat our way through it.

The four hour walk covers:

Rustem Pasa Mosque with Turkish Delight

Tahtakale, Eminonu with Borek/tea breakfast ( You might like to skip hotel’s breakfast for today)

Vefa with Boza: an ancient Turkish drink served in a shop dated from 1876.

Suleymaniye Mosque and its neighborhood with white beans in casserole

Roman Aqueduct with Kebap and yogurt served in Fatih.

Turkish Coffee and Baklava to finish!

Famous "simit" and black tea served in thin belly glasses

Boza is an ancient drink Turks have invented back when they were nomads

Street vendors by Suleymaniye