Frequently asked questions

We highly recommend taking our food tours at the beginning of your visit to Istanbul; this will allow you plenty of time to revisit the vibrant neighborhoods off-the-beaten-path and also enjoy returning to your favorite food tasting locations. We’ll have lots of recommendations for you to keep you out of the path of “tourist traps”.

It depends on the day you want. Our Taste of Two Continents tour is the full Istanbul story: the Spice Market and a Turkish breakfast on the European side, the ferry across the Bosphorus, then lunch and street food in Kadıköy on the Asian side. It is our most popular tour and the one we recommend for a first visit.

The Kadıköy Street Food Tour goes deep on the Asian side’s street food in 3 hours, and the Taksim Evening Food Tour eats through Beyoğlu’s backstreets in the evening. If you are traveling as your own group, private tours run any route at your pace.

If you have dietary requirements, see the dietary section below before choosing.

The Taste of Two Continents runs daily, with departures at 09:30, 10:30 and 11:30, and lasts about 5.5 hours. The Kadıköy Street Food Tour and the Taksim Evening Food Tour run on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 18:00 and last about 3 hours each.

The Taste of Two Continents is US$135 per person. The Kadıköy Street Food Tour and the Taksim Evening Food Tour are US$89 per person. Every food and drink tasting is included in the price, with no booking fees when you book direct. Private tours start from US$490.

Our food tours include all food and drink tastings on tour, as well as water and public transportation, and your licensed English-speaking guide.

Absolutely, we also offer private tours. If you have a larger group, or just want a more intimate tour for your private group, please reach out to us so we can plan your private tour together.

More info on our private tours, here.

In short, no. Out of respect to the other guests who have already booked that tour, we don’t exceed our advertised maximum group size limits. Our maximum group size on all tours is 10, and we are strict about sticking to this. We hope you’ll be able to find another date which fits in with your Istanbul plans.

The tour cost can be only paid online with a credit card, or a debit card. Cash or card payment on the day of the tour is not possible.

Bring your appetite for fantastic food. Bring a camera (or phone) for beautiful pics and memories. Bring your questions; we love sharing stories and recommendations about Istanbul and Turkey.

We work closely with all our providers, and they expect us daily; however, as small independent businesses, our partners will be busy juggling their local customers, too, so we may face a short wait at some stops. This ‘waiting our turn’ is part of our commitment to supporting local businesses and showcasing the best eats in the neighborhood.

All our tours operate rain, snow or shine; so, please dress for the weather and consider bringing an umbrella, if necessary.

We provide the exact meeting point and finishing locations at the time of ticket purchase. They will be somewhere in the specific area that you’re visiting (i.e. the meeting point for our Taksim Evening Food Tour will be at a central Taksim location).

Our walking food tours do not finish at the same place as the meeting point; however, our ending site is usually a short walk or a comfortable ferry/metro ride from the start.

Yes, all of our tours operate rain, snow or shine. In the event of inclement weather, we will be able to enter inside most of the establishments we visit. You should still dress appropriately for the day’s weather conditions as walking outside is unavoidable.

Feel comfortable to dress as you usually would. Make sure you wear comfortable walking shoes and weather-appropriate clothing.

No, the guide will meet all tour participants together at a central, easy-to-reach meeting point to begin the tour. We will provide detailed instructions about how to reach this meeting point once you book your tour.

There is nowhere to store your luggage during the tour and it is not a good idea to bring luggage to the tour.

Yes. The most suitable tour for our Vegetarian guests is the Taste of Two Continents tour, where we can offer vegetarian options at most of our stops. Please do note that a few specialty stops have no meat-free alternative dish, and at the stops where we sample multiple dishes, some are vegetarian-friendly while others may not be.

Due to the nature of Turkish street food, the Kadıköy Street Food Tour has fewer meat-free options, with several stops where we cannot offer a vegetarian alternative.

We do not recommend the Taksim Evening Food Tour for vegetarian guests. The area’s specialty dishes are primarily meat-based, and we’re sorry that you will not find sufficient vegetarian options on that tour.

We can offer the most options to our Vegan guests on the Taste of Two Continents tour. Even so, please be aware that Turkish dishes, by nature, are prepared using animal by-products such as butter, cheese and honey, so there will be several stops where we cannot offer any Vegan-friendly dishes.

We do not recommend the Kadıköy Street Food Tour or the Taksim Evening Food Tour for Vegan guests.

If you follow a Pescatarian diet or prefer not to eat red meat, we recommend you join either the Taste of Two Continents or the Kadıköy Street Food Tour. On these tours there are only a couple of stops where the specialty dish is red meat-based; unfortunately, at those stops there is no alternative dish.

We do not recommend the Taksim Evening Food Tour if you avoid red meat. The area’s specialty dishes are primarily red meat-based, and we’re sorry that you will not find sufficient alternatives on that tour.

While Halal food preparation is dominant in Turkish kitchens, please note that most restaurants we visit do not carry a Halal food certificate, as this certificate is not expected in Turkey. Some of the restaurants visited on the tours are alcohol-serving restaurants.

No problem – we can handle Nut Allergies on all our tours. There are 1-2 stops (depending on the tour) where the dish that we taste contains nuts, and we may not be able to find an alternative food for you at these stops.

Note: Nuts are a common ingredient used in the Turkish kitchen, and there may be traces of nuts in the preparation spaces at all stops we visit. If your Nut Allergy is severe, then our tours are not suitable for you.

For our foodies who are intolerant to Gluten, we recommend the Taste of Two Continents tour. Even on this tour, there are several stops where we are unable to offer a Gluten-free alternative, due to the nature of traditional Turkish dishes. At the stops where meals are traditionally served inside a wrap or bread, we will offer just the ‘inside’ tasting on a plate, rather than served as Turks would typically eat it.

Turkish street food is primarily served ‘to go’ inside wraps or bread, so we don’t recommend the Kadıköy Street Food Tour for our Gluten Intolerant guests. Likewise, the Taksim Evening Food Tour samples dishes which generally contain flour, bulgur (cracked wheat) and other gluten-containing ingredients, and is unsuitable for guests with Gluten Allergies.

While we don’t list our stops in advance, you’ll be able to get a great sense of the adventure you’re about to enjoy from our tour pages (on this website) and social media channels. Plus, we believe that the magic of taking a food tour is the element of surprise!

As local food champions and lovers of Turkish food, we take our guests to where we eat. Our local hang-outs, our special spots and places that have delicious stories to share. We pay full price to our partners; we don’t have kick-backs or promo deals like some other operators.

We run food tours, not the snack “tasting” tours that you might have joined previously. You can eat as much as you like!

On the Taste of Two Continents you eat at 8 stops with more than 20 individual tastings along the way. Our 3-hour tours pack in fewer stops, but you will still leave full. We provide a standard portion size, and it’s up to you if you choose to eat less. While you won’t roll away uncomfortable, you’ll have plenty to eat and drink and certainly leave satisfied.

PRO TIP: Skip or have a very light breakfast for our daytime tour, and come hungry!

Food is provided by local restaurants and eateries, street food vendors and specialty food shops. The type of food depends on the tour you join and the neighborhood(s) that the tour is held in.

Yes! Our daytime Taste of Two Continents tour has more beverage servings – around 4 exciting and local non-alcoholic drinks. On our 3-hour tours you will try 2 different local non-alcoholic drinks. We do not serve alcoholic beverages on the tours.

Of course there are! Your tour guide will let you know when the next restroom opportunity is approaching throughout the day.

Yes and no. We never visit a food shop for shopping purposes. However, we do walk some individual neighborhoods, local backstreets and food shops and find their prices for some food items (e.g. saffron, Turkish delight, spices, molasses and other local food products) to be significantly more reasonable compared to touristic areas. We don’t frown upon our guests making quick purchases. But, we kindly remind you to consider your fellow foodies and be mindful of making them wait for you. We will be more than happy to give you directions to help you find your way back to any of the places we visit on our tours, by yourself following the tour. We do not receive any discounts, commissions or kickbacks from any of the establishments we visit on our tours.

Not more than you can handle! The pace is generally comfortable for everyone. The walking distance of our tours is around 2-3km over mostly flat terrain.

If you have any mobility concerns, please advise us during the booking process so we can consider options with you. While at most of our food stops and restaurants we sit down at tables and chairs to enjoy our food, there are usually just 1-2 stops where we will eat standing up.

Absolutely not! Your Yummy Istanbul guide will combine historical facts, local culture and culinary insight into a unique Istanbul experience. Imagine walking through Istanbul, eating our local artisans’ most delicious foods while exploring the backstreets with real locals.

Gratuities are greatly appreciated, although not mandatory. If you enjoyed your tour and feel like you received exemplary service from your guide, it is customary to leave a tip at the end of the tour. In Istanbul, the standard gratuity in the service industry is 10-20%.

Most possibly, no. At the end of the tour, most people are stuffed and dinner afterward is not necessary.

No, our food tours do not finish at the same location as the meeting point. You will receive detailed instructions regarding the starting point after ticket purchase. At the end of the tour, we will ensure that you know where you are going.

Unfortunately, tours are offered only in English at this time.

Children are more than welcome to join our tours. We love introducing children to new neighborhoods and foods and offer discounted pricing for 6-12 years old. For teenagers, adult tickets and portions are applicable.

If you are joining our tour with your small child or infant (aged 5 or under), you do not need to purchase a ticket for them.

Yes, you are very welcome to bring a stroller with you. Please be aware that some of our food tours visit tiny shops and busy neighborhoods, so a small collapsible stroller that can be quickly folded is best. If you have an infant, a carrier may be more practical and comfortable for you.

We’re a family business … we understand that “life happens”. Our cancellation policy is quite relaxed.

For group tours:

• Cancellations received greater than 24 hours prior to tour commencement are fully refundable.
• Cancellations received within 24 hours of tour commencement are nonrefundable.
• Amendment requests are subject to availability.

For private tours and activities:

• Cancellations received greater than 5 days prior to tour commencement are fully refundable.
• Cancellations received within 5 days of tour commencement are nonrefundable.
• Amendment requests are subject to availability.

Late arrivals and no shows are nonrefundable. This is applicable to any tour participant that fails to arrive, or arrives after tour departure.