Istanbul Food Tour

Hidden Beyoğlu, By Night

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On this afternoon-into-evening food tour in the Beyoğlu neighborhood, we will take a deep dive into Istanbul's historic European Quarter, with its cosmopolitan history now playing backdrop to its vibrant contemporary nightlife. From home cooking to street food, viewpoints to grill joints, we will eat and drink our way toward a better understanding of this singular neighborhood.

ABOUT

Though the old cosmopolitans who populated the belle époque apartment buildings of Istanbul’s “European Quarter” have largely been replaced by a vibrant blend of rural Anatolians and global bohemians, hidden traces of their unique cultures remain, creating a singular dining culture – at once rough and refined. And as the neighborhood continues changing at a rapid pace, its importance as a center of culture and nightlife – read eating and drinking – remains unchanged since Ottoman times. On this tour, we aim to unravel the delicious mysteries that make Beyoğlu one of Istanbul's most enchanting neighborhoods.

We’ll begin like so many nights out do, by fortifying ourselves at small neighborhood spots with a couple courses of classic homestyle cooking – vegetables stewed in olive oil, hand-folded manti dumplings – as if we were at mom’s table. Then we hit the streets and begin a long snacking stroll through some of Beyoğlu’s greatest informal eateries, from a one-pot master serving Black Sea-style buttery rice and the creamy white beans to a hole-in-the-wall serving şalgam, a one-of-a-kind drink made out of fermented purple carrots. Winding our way through the district’s atmospheric side streets, we’ll see the range of nightlife in Beyoğlu, passing rock bars, meyhanes and nargile salons. We will settle in at a neighborhood ocakbaşı, a taverna specializing in grilled meats, for a taste of lamb kebab fresh off the skewer and a sip of raki, the aniseed-scented Turkish tipple of choice. Onward toward the neighborhood’s fish market, where traditional food shops are at night joined by small restaurants filled with diners and sometimes musicians. Our destination is a fourth-generation sweets shop where, when in season, people line up for a taste of their famous ayva tatlisi, candied quince topped with heavenly kaymak. Our evening will end (or is it just beginning?) at a viewpoint overlooking the neighborhood below with a final toast to our evening together and the raucous spirit of Beyoğlu.

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DETAILS

  • Group Size: 2-7
  • 5 hours
  • Daily 5pm
  • Beyoğlu
  • Culinary Backstreets
    Price: Adults x $135

Dietary

Best route for vegetarians. Can accommodate gluten-free diets. Pork is not served on this tour. Alcohol is served.

Mobility

Mostly easy, flat terrain suitable for strollers, although with two steep hills to climb. Includes market visits and residential neighborhoods. Children welcome.
REVIEWS
I cannot recommend Culinary Backstreets tours highly enough.... Read more Read less
I would recommend this tour and company to anyone who would listen!... Read more Read less
We chose this tour because we were staying in Beyoğlu and we were so glad we did!... Read more Read less
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is included in the fee? In addition to your Culinary Backstreets guide, all food consumed on the walk – almost a dozen different edible specialties – are included in the price. Alcoholic beverages are not included.
Why is the Culinary Backstreets tour more expensive than some other walking tours? Our approach is different than most tour companies. Each of our culinary walks is the outcome of considerable research. We work with academics in the field and our own team of experienced professionals – both guides and local journalists. Our ongoing publishing of articles, from restaurant reviews to features about the intersection of food and culture, constantly feeds new material into the culinary walks, so they evolve and constantly improve. Though costly, we believe that this is how to create the quality experiences we strive for. We practice honest tourism and would never accept a free lunch or any sort of commission. On the contrary, we are proud to know that the money spent during the culinary walk goes to support businesses that we believe in, helping to preserve the social and cultural fabric of the cities we love so dearly.
How does the payment process work? Once you have made a reservation, we require the full fee to be paid in order to complete the online booking. Our online booking system uses Stripe to process secure payments. Your card is only charged if the walk is confirmed.
What is your cancellation policy? 90% will be refunded if given 1 week notice prior to walk and 50% will be refunded if given 72 hours notice or more. Less than 72 hours is non-refundable.
Are your walks public or private? How many people are on them? Our walks are 2-7 people and are open to the public. If you would like to do a private walk, you can book it for a supplement by selecting book entire excursion. If it is not available on booking, we may be able to arrange one for an additional fee. Please contact us at walks@culinarybackstreets.com for more information.
Can I get a discount if I join more than one walk? Yes, we offer a 10% discount to those who join more than one walk. Please email us at walks@culinarybackstreets.comif you’d like to join multiple walks.
Are your walks suitable for people with food allergies? This can vary based on a number of factors, including the food item in question. Please email us at walks@culinarybackstreets.com to discuss your situation before booking.
Are your walks suitable for vegetarians and pescetarians? We recommend this walk for vegeterians , as it gives us the most flexibility in terms of substitutions.
Are your walks gluten-free? Gluten free is difficult in Turkey as many of the dishes are wheat based. We can accommodate a gluten free diet on our Hidden Beyoglu walk, but there are a few stops that gluten free participants may need to opt out of.
Is alcohol served on the walks? Not in the morning walk. In the afternoon walk, we have some alcohol sampling.
Is the food offered on the walks halal? This is difficult to answer. In Turkey the halal certification process is relatively new, so though many butchers are halal they may not be certified and though many restaurants use halal products they may not advertise or even recognize it. Because of this, we cannot confidently say that all of the food is halal.
How physically demanding is the walk? The walks are all about 2KM (1.25 miles) of fairly flat terrain. The streets and sidewalks of Istanbul can be a bit unpredictable so we recommend good walking shoes. Our walks include numerous breaks along the way. We recommend this walk for those with some mobility issues.
Can children join the walks? Of course! We offer a 50% discount to children ages 12 and under, and we charge $25 for children 6 and younger.
Do you offer walks during Ramazan? We do offer this walk during Ramazan and many local holidays.
How will I return, once the tour is over? Our tour prices don’t include transportation. If you book a tour, you’re responsible for arriving to the pre-arranged meeting spot on your own. Once the tour is over, we will help you get an authorized, safe taxi to your hotel, or provide directions on public transportation, if you’re interested in that.
How much food will I get to try? This is really up to you. We generally make between 9 and 12 eating stops on our walk and try to include some breaks from eating along the way. The price includes as much food as you’re open to trying. We offer a suggested portion size at each stop and you can take our recommendation if you’d like. Our walks often involve street food and sharing food.
How different are the morning and afternoon Hidden Beyoğlu walks? In our evening Hidden Beyoğlu walk, we have some alcohol sampling which we do not in the morning walk. We do not visit a home in the evening, but instead may encounter live music. Otherwise, the route and samples are largely the same.
How are you dealing with COVID-19 risk on your walks? We have reinforced our commitment to safety with new guidelines to assure maximum safety of our guests on our walks in terms of social distancing and hygiene while maintaining the quality of the experience. For more details on our precautions, read here. Our routes have been altered during this period of time to ensure the safety of our guests, guides and community. Our cancellation policy is extremely flexible to deal with changes in travel plans.
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