This Foodie Tour is available the day before each Rick Steves Best of Turkey.
It was designed to complement the Rick Steves Best of Turkey itinerary and to provide an insight into everyday life beyond touristic Istanbul. The tour avoids overlap with the main itinerary and focuses on local neighborhoods, markets, transportation, and food traditions on the Asian side of the city.
Details
- When: The day before your Rick Steves Best of Turkey tour begins
- Meeting point: The Rick Steves tour hotel in Istanbul
- Start time: 10:00 AM
- Duration: Up to 6 hours
- Price: EUR 150 per person (or equivalent in USD or TL with daily conversion rate)
- Payment: Paid in cash to your guide on the day of the tour
- Included: SRM guide, public transportation for the tour, all food tastings, lunch, non-alcoholic beverages, and tips at included food stops
Plan
The day begins at the Rick Steves tour hotel. From there, your SRM guide takes you across the Bosphorus to Istanbul’s Asian side, using public transportation such as Marmaray, ferry, or dolmuş depending on the day’s route and conditions.
In Üsküdar, you will learn about the neighborhood and enjoy views of the historic peninsula while tasting local breakfast staples such as simit, tea, and other seasonal bites. The tour then continues toward Kadıköy, known for its busy market streets, food shops, cafes, and everyday neighborhood life.
In Kadıköy’s market area, the group stops at different shops, delis, and casual food venues to taste local specialties. The experience includes a family-style lunch featuring flavors inspired by Asia Minor, the Black Sea, and Mesopotamian cuisines. The return is usually by ferry across the Bosphorus, with the tour ending around 4:00 PM depending on pace, traffic, ferry timing, and group needs.
Foods and drinks you may try
The list is representative and may change by season and availability, but the quantity and quality of the tastings remain consistent.
- Simit — Turkish sesame bagels
- Tea — The staple beverage for breakfast
- Muhlama — Black sea style fondue with cheese and cornmeal
- Sunday eggs — With spicy Turkish sausages called sucuk
- Tahini and grape molasses — Turkish version of peanut butter and jam
- Stuffed mussels — Turks stuff anything that we can physically stuff, this is a delicacy
- Kokoreç — Turkish style chopped sausage sandwich
- Fried mussels — Yes, calamari is delicious, but fried mussels are as popular
- İçli Kofte — Mesopotamian style bulgur burger poaches kneaded minced meat, and stuffed with minced meat and herbs
- Stuffed Aubergines — Dried aubergines stuffed with spices, rice, cooked in a lamb bone & brisket broth
- Garlic and lamb stew — Stew of fresh garlic and lamb shoulder with garbanzo beans, served with yoghurt
- Cherry Kebab — Fresh sour cherry kebab with lamb brisket, shallots, ginger, cinnamon and pine nuts
- Fruit sherbets — Religion said not to wine, so Turks have been enjoying fruit drinks, made by simmering but not fermenting
- Turkish Coffee — Sip the best and learn why word for breakfast in Turkish translates to "pre-coffee" in Turkish
Vegetarian options are available. Please mention dietary needs when signing up.
How to sign up
Please email tour@srmtravel.com with the subject line below:
Rick Steves Foodie Tour - [Foodie Tour Date] - [Number of People]
In the body of your email, please include:
- The Foodie Tour date you would like to join
- Full names of all participants
- Mobile phone numbers you will have with you in Turkey
- WhatsApp availability, if any
- Your pre-tour hotel in Istanbul
- Any dietary needs
