One of Turkey’s most exciting culinary draws is its street food!

Popular for centuries, the exact origins of Turkish street foods and culture remain unclear. However, like much of the country, its flavors incorporate a variety of cultural influences. Street food here draws from all the ethnicities and religions that have come through the country.

Below are some of Turkey’s most iconic street foods to try during your visit.

Döner

Nothing is more synonymous with Turkey as the döner. So wide-spread and varied, it almost deserves its own category. Meat stacked in an inverted cone shape turns in front of a heat source, slowly roasting and sending its mouthwatering scent wafting all around. This popular food takes its name from the way it cooks; döner from the Turkish verb dönmek, to turn.

Possibly most well-known is the meat (et) döner but chicken (tavuk) is also quite prevalent. Regardless of the protein you choose, döner usually come with tomatoes, french fries, onions, pickles, and sometimes cheese.

You have your choice of getting your döner as a dürüm, a wrap, or yarım ekmek, “half bread” which essentially is half a loaf of Turkish bread!

Balık ekmek and dürüm

In cities near water, you will also find places selling balık (fish) sandwiches and wraps. A fried or grilled filet of mackerel topped with arugula and onions, these are especially common in Istanbul’s Eminönü neighborhood.

Kokoreç

Not for the faint of heart is kokoreç. Literally. Lamb intestines wrapped around seasoned offal, including sweetbreads, hearts, lungs, or kidneys, are spit-roasted over hot coals. The crispy meat is then finely chopped and usually served on bread as a sandwich.

Islak hamburger

Rounding out the sandwich versions of popular street food are ıslak hamburger. Literally “wet” hamburger, these aren’t gourmet burgers piled high with toppings and sauces.

A humble, often spicy patty sits between the bun halves with no adornments. What makes these “wet hamburgers” both different and wet is that they rest in a shallow pool of liquid, soaking up the juices from the meat.

İçli köfte

While the name means “stuffed meatballs”, içli köfte are actually breaded meatballs. Dough made with bulgur, tomato paste, and spices is formed into oval cones and filled with mince meat sauteed with onions, walnuts, and herbs.

The whole concoction can then be boiled, naked, or fried (the latter being the most common) and gobbled down in a few bites!

Midye dolma

Midye dolma sellers, with their large trays of mussels and lemons, are a common sight on the streets of Turkey. Fresh mussels are boiled, stuffed with uncooked rice mixed with cinnamon, allspice, black pepper, and onions, then steamed until the rice inside is cooked.

Don’t forget to avail yourself of one of the lemons the vendors have on hand for a generous squeeze of lemon juice.

Simit

Almost as famous as the döner is the simit. Often erroneously referred to as a ‘Turkish bagel”, this famous bread ring is so much more than that. While sold everywhere bread is available, there’s nothing like the sight of a simitci (a simit seller) balancing a tray on his head piled high with simit.

“Classic” simit are studded all over with sesame seeds, but you can also get these chewy rings çekirdekli, coated with a variety of seeds like pumpkin and sunflower.

Kestane

Many will feel right at home munching on kestane, chestnuts, in Turkey. Sellers cook them over coals right on their can’t-be-missed red carts. Although available throughout the year, kestane somehow taste best during the cold winter months when the hot nuts warm up both your hands and your insides!

Misir

Misir, or corn, in this case, field corn on the cob, is seasoned and cooked over coals. It can often be found on the same carts as the kestane. While best in the summer months when corn is in season, it’s not unusual to see people walking around munching ears of corn all year long.

Juice

Okay, so not technically a food! But street juice vendors are very common. Most popular are orange and pomegranate (which often get mixed together), but you can find an array of fruits, including apples, pineapple, kiwi, strawberries, and more on offer.

Hungry yet? Book a culinary tour with Root Adventure Travel and get ready to taste the array of flavors Turkey offers.