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Istanbul Evening Food Tour: The Best Bites of Taksim & Karaköy
An evening walk through Istanbul's liveliest streets
2013 Operating since
50,000+ Guests fed
An evening through Beyoğlu's backstreets
Taksim and Beyoğlu are where Istanbul comes out to eat in the evening. As the evening picks up, we follow İstiklâl into the backstreets where locals eat. Tantuni starts the night, followed by stuffed mussels and kokoreç in Nevizade, kebap dürüm, and baklava from Güllüoğlu to finish. More than 10 tastings, guided by a local who knows where the city actually eats.
- 10+ tastings
- 3 hours
- 10 guests max
- Beyoğlu by night
The evening's flow
Taksim Square to Karaköy · İstiklâl after dark
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Meet your guide at Taksim as the evening gets going. We send the exact meeting point in your confirmation.
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A stop at Hacı Bekir, making lokum since 1777, for Turkish delight the way it's meant to be. Rose, pistachio, and more, all cut fresh at the counter.
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Through the historic Çiçek Pasajı, the Flower Passage off İstiklâl, and the Fish Market into Nevizade, the narrow lane where the tables spill out at night. Midye dolma stuffed with spiced rice, midye tava fried on skewers, and kokoreç chopped hot off the grill.
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On to Asmalımescit, Beyoğlu's old meyhane quarter, for kebap dürüm. Kebab sliced and wrapped in thin lavash bread.
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Down to Karaköy for fish dürüm. Grilled fish rolled with greens and a squeeze of lemon. One of Istanbul's oldest neighborhoods, where cobbled streets climb to Galata Tower.
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Finish at Güllüoğlu, some of the best baklava in town. You end by the Galata Bridge, with ferries, the tram and the historic Tünel funicular right there if you want to keep the night going.
What the evening looks like.
What's included
Everything in one ticket
Food & Drinks
- More than 10 tastings across Taksim, Beyoğlu and the backstreets
- Local, non-alcoholic drinks, plus water
Tour Guide
- An experienced English-speaking Istanbul food guide
- Food stories, local history and the insider view
Not included: Guide gratuities
Meeting point
Where we'll meet
Hafız Mustafa 1864
Gümüşsuyu, Sıraselviler Cd. No:7/B, 34433 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye
Tour ends at
The Istanbul Evening Food Tour finishes in Karaköy, on the Golden Horn by the Galata Bridge. Ferries, the T1 tram and the historic Tünel funicular are all right there, and Galata Tower is about a 10-minute walk uphill.
Practical details
Things to know
Dietary needs
- This evening tour is not suitable for vegetarians.
- For vegetarian options, see the Kadıköy Street Food Tour.
- Not ideal for severe nut and dairy allergies.
Tour details
- Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 18:00.
- About 3 hours. Max 10 people per group. Private groups available.
- Meeting point details sent in your confirmation email.
- Infants (0–5) join free. Children 6–12 are US$49.
What to bring
- An empty stomach and your appetite.
- Casual, comfortable shoes. A jacket for cooler evenings.
- An umbrella if rain is forecast. We run rain or shine.
FAQs
What kind of food will we try?
Taksim and Beyoğlu street food the way locals eat it: tantuni to start, stuffed mussels (midye dolma) and kokoreç in Nevizade, kebap dürüm and fish dürüm, and baklava from Güllüoğlu to finish, with local drinks along the way. More than 10 tastings across the evening.
Will I be full, or should I plan dinner after?
Come hungry, this is your dinner. More than 10 tastings over about 3 hours, from tantuni and stuffed mussels to kebap dürüm and Güllüoğlu baklava, add up to a full meal, so there's no need to book a restaurant afterward.
Is alcohol included, or is it a pub crawl?
No alcohol. The drinks included are local and non-alcoholic, plus water. This is a food tour, not a pub crawl: you walk through the famous meyhane streets of Nevizade and Asmalımescit, but the focus stays on the food.
Is this a night tour, and will it be dark?
It's an evening tour, not a late-night one, running from 18:00 to about 21:00. In summer the sun sets around 19:30, so you start in daylight and watch Beyoğlu light up as the evening goes on. In the winter months the sun is already down by 18:00, so it's dark from the first stop, with İstiklâl and the backstreets lit up.
Is it safe to walk around Taksim and Beyoğlu in the evening?
Yes. İstiklâl and the Beyoğlu backstreets stay busy through the evening, and you're with an experienced local guide and a group of no more than 10 the whole way. The tour runs from 18:00 to about 21:00 and finishes in Karaköy, right by the tram, ferries and Tünel funicular.
Should I tip the guide?
Gratuities aren't included, and a tip is never expected. If you had a great evening, tipping your guide is always appreciated and is customary in Istanbul.
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More Istanbul tours
Other Istanbul food tours
If it's your first time in Istanbul
Taste of Two Continents
Spice Market, Turkish breakfast, the Bosphorus ferry, then Kadıköy. Europe to Asia in half a day.
US$135
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For the Asian side
Istanbul Street Food Tour
The Asian side as locals eat it: stuffed mussels, lahmacun and goat's-milk dondurma. Ferry to Europe included.
US$89
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