50 Turkish Street Food Dishes You Have To Try Before You Die

There aren’t many better ways to explore a new destination and its culture than trying some of its most popular street food. And in Turkey, street food is much more than just food. It’s a way of life. Most Turkish street food dishes consist of simple, easy-to-make but delicious recipes that will leave you craving for more. In other words, Turkey is like a giant, tasty labyrinth whose only exit is eating one’s way out.

I have been fortunate enough to spend a fair amount of time in Turkey, travel across the country, and taste hundreds of different Turkish street food dishes and in this post, I’ll share my 50 favorites. I know, it’s a long list, but making it shorter wouldn’t do justice to some of the dishes on this list (trust me, I tried).

But let’s start from the beginning…

Is Turkish Street Food Safe To Eat?

Not only is it safe but it’s highly recommended. Seriously, no trip to Turkey is complete without trying some tasty local street food. In most parts of Turkey, the municipal authorities issue certifications and permits for all street food vendors to hang their custom neon signs and start working. Additionally, street vendors are constantly being supervised by municipal inspectors who are supposed to make sure that all street food stalls satisfy all required conditions.

Street Food Prices

The best part about Turkish street food is that it’s very cheap. Most street food dishes range in the $1- $3 price range. Of course, you can find some of the dishes mentioned here in most restaurants too but the prices will be higher and the experience will be very different. That’s why we encourage all of our readers to explore and taste some of the best things the Turkish street food scene has to offer.

With that being said, let’s see which are some of the most popular street food dishes in Turkey. For ease of browsing, we have divided the snacks into a few different categories; pastries, sandwiches, rolls and pizzas, seafood, meat-based snacks, veg-based snacks, desserts, ice creams, and drinks.

Pastries 

Pastries are perhaps the most important part of Turkish street food. Pastries are one of the most common options when it comes to breakfast, especially in big cities where everyone is in a rush and looking for a quick meal before work. That’s why it should come as no surprise that the two most popular street food dishes in Turkey are pastries (simit and borek). But more about this below…

Simit

To explain it in the simplest way possible, simit is the Turkish version of bagel. It has a very similar shape but a slightly different, crunchy texture and is topped with sesame seeds. It’s one of the most popular choices for breakfast on the go. It’s frequently eaten alongside a cup of Turkish tea or a glass of ayran.

Börek

Borek or burek (and in some regions- chebureki) is a baked, pizza-shaped crunchy pastry that consists of layers and is stuffed with sautéed filling which usually consists of either ground meat or cheese. It’s a very heavy pastry that can keep you full throughout most of the working day and it’s no surprise that it’s one of the most popular breakfast choices in Turkey. It’s usually paired up with a glass of yogurt or ayran for better digestion. In addition to Turkey, borek is also very popular in most Central Asian countries like Uzbekistan and in the Balkan countries like Bosnia (for some more Bosnian desserts, check out our article), Macedonia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Albania, etc.

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Su Böreği

Su boregi is technically a variety of borek but I felt it should be mentioned separately because it’s one of the most difficult Turkish dishes to prepare and because it’s definitely worth trying. Traditionally, su boregi is filled with cheese and parsley. What makes this borek different is the fact that the dough needs to be soaked in a mixture of olive oil, milk, eggs, and water before baking. This gives the burek/byrek an extra tender and juicy texture.

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Gözleme

Gozleme is a delicious flatbread made of flour, yeast, water, olive oil and yogurt stuffed with meat, eggs, vegetables, cheese, or mushrooms, and baked on a sac griddle. The pastry was invented during Ottoman times and was initially served as an afternoon snack but today, it has gained the status of a popular fast food and a great brunch option (in addition to street food stalls, it can also be found in most restaurants, cafes, and bars).

Boyoz

Boyoz is a popular Turkish pastry originating from the city of Izmir. It consists of a mixture of flour, sunflower oil, and a small amount of tahini with a fluffy and buttery texture. The dough is divided into small balls and put in rows of small pans and marinated before baking. It’s one of the most popular choices for a breakfast in Izmir and it’s most frequently served alongside boiled or oven-baked eggs.

Sandwiches

Speaking of Turkish street food, sandwiches are another important category. In this section, we’ll show you some of the most popular Turkish sandwiches.

Balık-Ekmek

Balik Ekmek is hands down the most popular Turkish sandwich. The sandwich consists of a filet of fried fish (usually mackerel), tomatoes, peppers, and lettuce served on a piece of Turkish bread. You’ll find Balik ekmek in many restaurants but take it from the locals; the best fish sandwich you can find in Turkey is not served on a table, it’s the one you get to enjoy on your feet.

Pita Sandwich

Pita sandwich is just like a regular sandwich but on a piece of pita bread. The soft, slightly crunchy pita bread is stuffed with a mixture of olive oil, minced garlic, dried oregano, and lemon juice. It’s a simple, light, and delicious snack. There are also variations that include ground beef, cheese, or other fillings but even the basic version is so darn delicious.

Ottobun

Ottobun is a delicious sandwich that’s a version of the ultra-popular doner and closely resembles a hamburger. It consists of two flatbreads, hummus, red cabbage, red onions, pickles, tzatziki, chicken or beef, and a mix of sauces.

Kumru

Kumru is another popular Turkish sandwich that originates from the city of Izmir. The sandwich uses a special kind of local soft bread called kumru that uses added chickpea sourdough. The sandwich is usually filled with feta cheese, tomatoes, peppers, and sausages. And topped with ketchup and mayo.

Islak Hamburger

When Turkish people talk about a burger, they are likely referring to an islak burger. This is the Turkish version of sloppy joes made of juicy beef patties soaked in a special vegetable sauce served with a variety of toppings. Islak Hamburger is a relatively new addition to the Turkish street food scene but one that is quickly growing in popularity. Islak hamburger stalls can be found pretty much anywhere in big cities like Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir.

Rolls And… Pizzas? 

Now, what you’ve all been waiting for, is the section that covers doner and all the other delicious rolls. In this section, there are a few other delicious snacks that closely resemble pizza (for a lack of better comparison). Just keep reading and you’ll see what I mean.

Lahmacun

Named “Turkish pizza” by tourists, lahmacun is a delicious snack that consists of a thin dough with minced meat and a mixture of red peppers, red onions, and eggplants, topped with fresh parsley, and lemon juice. It’s served hot usually alongside a glass of ayran. It’s eaten by hand just like a pizza or rolled into a wrap. To be honest, it’s a bit unfair to call lahmacun a Turkish dish because it’s also very popular in neighboring Armenia, as well as most Middle Eastern countries.

Pide

Pide is a delicious, oval-shaped baked flatbread that can be topped with various combinations of toppings and stuffings, with the most common ones being feta cheese, spinach, and/or baked eggs. Pide is similar to gozleme but the main difference is that pide is open-faced with a crunchy crust and soft inside and the toppings are not sealed within the bread. The pide recipe originates from the city of Karadeniz but it’s popular across the country and there are many different variations of it. The most popular ones include peynir pide (cotton cheese), beef pide, kasar pide (yellow cheese), sucuk pide (sausage), pastirma pide (air-dried cured beef), etc.

Dürüm

Speaking of the most incredible inventions of the Turkish street food scene, we simply can’t forget about durum. Durum is Turkey’s most delicious wrap. It consists of a soft flatbread made from lavash or yufka stuffed with ground meat, sliced from a rotating kebab and combined with a variety of fresh vegetables, including lettuce, cabbage, red onions, tomatoes, and cucumbers.

Tantuni

Tantuni is dürüm’s closest cousin. It’s another delicious Mediterranean-style wrap that consists of a very thin tortilla-like flatbread filled with a spicy mixture that consists of julienne cut beef, chopped onions, tomato slices, parsley, and fresh green peppers, spiced up with a mix of local herbs, spices, and homemade sauces. This delicious snack originates from the city of Mersin but it’s become popular across the country and even in some of the neighboring countries as well.

Doner Kebab

Doner kebab has become synonymous with Turkish street food within the country’s borders but also outside of it. Not only is doner kebab one of the most popular street food dishes in Turkey, but it’s also one of the most popular snacks in Germany, the Netherlands, France, and a few other European countries with a strong Turkish minority. Doner is basically a wrap that consists of a thin flatbread and sliced beef/chicken that’s cut straight from a big, rotating piece of kebab, combined with a mixture of salads and sauces according to one’s preference.

It started off as a quick meal idea but today, it can also be found in many restaurants and it’s one of Turkey’s most beloved dishes.

Seafood

The next section of Turkish street food is dedicated to seafood dishes. Turkey is, after all, a Mediterranean country with more than 8,000 kilometers of coasts and there are a lot of seafood-based dishes that are worth trying.

Midye Dolma

To put it simply, midye dolma is just a mussel served on a half-shell alongside some spicy rice and freshly squeezed lemon juice. It can be found behind practically every corner that’s located near the coast. The snack is bite-sized and it usually takes a lot of eating before the rice expands in your stomach and signals to your belly that you’re actually full, so be careful with the amount of midye dolma you end up eating. The recipe was invented by Armenians in the Ottoman Empire but since Armenia is a landlocked country today, midye dolma is closely related to Ottoman cuisine.

Midye Tava

Midye Tava is another crispy seafood snack that’s popular in most seaside areas across Turkey. It consists of mussels, battered and fried in a large metal pan with hot oil in the center and served alongside tangy tarator dipping sauce made of bread crumbs, olive oil, yogurt, walnuts, garlic, and freshly squeezed lemon juice. The most popular variation of this beloved snack is bite-sized but there are also places that serve the fried mussels and tarator sauce inside a sandwich.

Kalamar Tava

Kalamar Tava is one of the most popular seafood street food snacks in Turkey. It consists of ring-shaped calamari or squid slices battered in a mixture of milk and butter and deep-fried in sizzling oil. The batter and the deep frying completely eliminate the strong sea odor of the squids and the mix of local herbs and spices give the calamari a delicious, Mediterranean flavor. It’s one of the most common items found on traditional meze platters and is usually served alongside a slice of ripe melon and a few lemon wedges.

Balık Çorbası

Balik Corbasi is a delicious fish stew that originates from the Istanbul area. Traditionally, Balik corbasi uses at least two fishes for the preparation for the stew to be hearty enough and to have a good texture. It can be made of many different types of fish or a combination of fish and seafood (something similar to brudet). Balik Corbasi is traditionally served alongside a slice of crispy bread.

Meat-Based Dishes

Meat is an important part of Turkish cuisine and Turkish culture overall. Most gourmands say that meat-based dishes are the best part of Turkish cuisine and in this sectio, we’ll cover some of the tastiest, heaviest, and heartiest meat-based Turkish snacks.

Kokoreç

Kokorec is probably one of the most controversial Turkish street food snacks. The dish is basically roasted lamb (or goat) intestines cooked on a griddle and served in a half or quarter of a bread loaf. Granted, it doesn’t sound like the most appetizing thing in the world but trust me, you should try it before judging. According to locals, this is one of the healthiest Turkish dishes (they even have a saying “healthy as kokorec”) and it’s the nation’s favorite hangover dish.

Tavuk Pilav

A dish consisting of mainly chicken and rice doesn’t really sound like a street food dish but in Turkey, it is. And a damn delicious one if I may add. Tavuk Pilav consists of cooking the rice and other vegetables (onions, garlic, peppers, etc.) in the same broth as the chicken until the water completely evaporates. It’s served in small portions with one piece of chicken (most usually a chicken leg) alongside the rice. 

Testi Kebab

Conveniently named testi (tas-ty) kebab (translates to pottery kebab or clay kebab), this delicious Cappadocian dish is all over Instagram. The dish combines cubes of lamb with butter, garlic, tomatoes, shallot, and peppers cooked in pottery or clay dishes and served on cute, authentic dishes and is one of the first things you must try in Cappadocia.

Köfte

Kofte or kofta is basically a meatball or a meatball-based dish that’s popular in Turkey, the Caucasus, the Balkan, and Central Asia. It consists of minced meat usually beef, but sometimes also chicken or mutton cooked in a delicious sauce and served alongside one of the different choices of side dishes. There are hundreds of different kofte variations across Turkey but in addition to this section, we’ll name the most popular ones.

Köfte Ekmek

Originating from Western Turkey, Kofte Ekmek is one of the most popular kofte-related snacks in Turkey. It consists of grilled meatballs served on bread alongside grilled green peppers, red onions, sliced tomatoes, and fresh parsley topped with black pepper, allspice, and ground cumin. Typically, kofte ekmek is the go-to choice for grabbing a quick meal before the match and many kofte ekmek eateries can be found in proximity to football stadiums.

Icli Köfte

Icli Kofte is a traditional Turkish appetizer and a popular street food snack. The dish’s name translates to stuffed meatballs and that describes the dish pretty well. Icli Kofte is made from dough balls mixed with potatoes, bulgur, minced lamb meat, and a mix of local herbs and spices. The meatballs are cooked by grilling or sometimes boiling and can be consumed both, hot and cold. It can be eaten at any part of the day and can be found anywhere, from street food stalls to fancy restaurants.

Tukuruk Köftesi

Tukuruk koftesi is basically freshly cooked oval meatballs that look like very tiny burger patties which consist of minced beef or lamb, diced onions, garlic, and parsley. This kind of kofte is usually served alongside a side of rice or roasted potatoes but it can also be served in a sandwich or a wrap alongside a tomato slice, cabbage, coriander, and a topping of homemade sauces.

Vegetarian Turkish Street Food 

As you can probably tell by now, Turkish people sure love their meat but if you’re a vegetarian, don’t get discouraged; there are a lot of delicious Turkish vegetarian dishes that you should add to your list. For example…

Cig Köfte

Traditionally, cig kofte used to be a delicacy of raw minced meat spiced up with local herbs and spices and rolled into meatballs. However, modern foot regulations forced street food vendors to stop preparing this dish and instead create an imitation dish that looks a lot like the original cig kofte but uses semolina, bulgur wheat, onions, tomatoes, and pepper paste. It might not include any meat but it’s still a tasty and hearty appetizer that’s one of the highlights of the Anatolian region. A popular variation of the kofte also comes in a wrap using the same ingredients.

Kumpir

Kumpir is one of the most famous vegetarian street food dishes in Istanbul with Ortakoy being the most popular area in town to try it. Kumpir is basically a baked potato topped with a range of creative toppings, fillings, or condiments The most popular toppings include one or a combination of the following options: kasar cheese, mayo salad, corn, carrots and peas, sosis, baked beans, gravy, sour cream, and corned beef.

Mısır

Corn is an essential summer staple in Turkey and there are a few variations of street food snacks that involve corn. The two most popular variations of misir are Koz misir (roasted corn on a cob wrapped in thick paper or corn husks), and Sut misir (boiled corn kernels seasoned with salt). Another creative variation of misir that’s gained popularity recently is Bardakta misir; a version of corn kernels served in a cup topped with red pepper flakes and a choice of condiments like ketchup, mayo, mustard, etc.

Kestane

Did you ever experience the smell of freshly roasted chestnuts? If you did, you’ll probably understand why they’re such a big deal in Turkey, especially during the cold winters. Kestane is just that; chestnuts roasted on tiny grills in small mobile food carts served in small paper bags. It smells great, it tastes even better, it’s healthy, nutritious, and helps one to stay warm during the chilly winter nights.

Buzlu Badem

Buzlu badem is basically a tray of peeled almonds served over ice which gives them a mild flavor and a significantly softer texture. This simple yet tasty snack can be found in many different settings from street food stalls to luxurious restaurants. It’s traditionally served alongside a glass of Turkish raki (a local fruit brandy).

Ice Creams 

Turkey is a premier summer destination and ice cream varieties are an important part of the local street food scene. You’ve probably come across videos of crafty Turkish ice cream vendors who keep tricking their customers before finally letting them enjoy their delicious ice cream. In this section, we’ll cover a few of the most popular Turkish varieties of ice cream.

Maras Dondurma

This variety of Turkish ice cream originates from the city of Maras, therefore the name maras dondurma (Maras ice cream). The ice cream is prepared by adding Arab gum or salep to the regular mixture of milk and sugar. This makes the ice cream particularly dense, chewier, and less likely to melt. That’s why street vendors can manipulate the ice cream so easily when teasing their customers. There’s even a variety of this ice cream that is served with a knife and a fork but it’s usually served in a cone.

Bici Bici

Bici bici is the Turkish version of ice pops. It’s a simple street food snack that consists of crushed ice, rose syrup, and starch. It’s super refreshing and a perfect dessert to cool down during the hot summers. The dish originates from the city of Adana in southern Turkey but it’s popular across the country because it makes the hot Turkish summers a little bit more bearable.

Macun

The best way to describe macun is as a colorful Turkish toffee paste that comes which consists of grape molasses. It comes in different colors, different flavors, and different varieties. The preparation uses a lot of local fruits and herbs and it’s served in an authentic round tray with special compartments for every individual flavor. The street food version is a bit stickier and is usually served on a stick.

Desserts 

If you have the sweet tooth, you’ll be happy to hear that the Turkish street food scene also features a lot of delicious Turkish desserts and in this section, we’ll cover some of the most popular local sweets.

Kağıt Helva

Kagit helva is a variation of halva which consists of a thin papery dough layer filled with condensed milk and a layer of caramel, chocolate, coconut powder, strawberries, or trump, according to one’s preference. It’s usually served straight up on its own but it can also be folded in the middle and combined with ice cream.

Cevizli Sucuk Küme

Cevizli sucuk, also known as küme is a delicious organic dessert made of walnuts and other dried fruits dipped in unsweetened grape juice. The sweet is left to dry in the sun for a while before being sold on street food stalls all around the country. This sweet actually originates from neighboring Georgia but it’s an important part of the local street food scene and Turkish people have really mastered the art of preparing this delicious dessert.

Sekerpare

Sekerpare is a delicious, round sweet whose name translates to a piece of sweetness’. This sticky sweet is made from semolina, flour, and powdered sugar. It’s baked until it gets a nice golden brown color and completely covered with sherbet (liquid sugar) before serving. It’s one of the most popular bite-size Turkish sweets and it’s often eaten as a snack alongside a cup of coffee.

Revani

Speaking of Turkish street food sweets, we simply can’t forget about revani. Revani is yet another semolina-based sweet soaked in sweet syrup and orange flower water sprinkled with ground pistachios on the top that just melts in your mouth. In addition to Turkey, the sweet is also very popular in most Balkan countries, as well as the Caucasus, Central Asia, and the Middle East.

Kunefe

Kunefe, Knafeh, or Kadayif is a traditional Ottoman dessert prepared by pouring liquid wheat dough onto a rotating hot plate before frying it and topping it with sherbet and a variety of other toppings. At a glance, it looks a lot like noodles and it’s also often used as a base for making a variety of Turkish puddings but it can be found in its basic form in most sweet shops, eateries, and patisseries.  

Lokum

Known as a Turkish delight in the western world, lokum is one of Turkey’s most popular and beloved sweets. It’s usually made of dates, pistachios, and hazelnuts by shredding the ingredients and binding them together by using cooking gel. Before serving, the sweet is cut into tiny cubes and topped with vanilla sugar. It’s usually served alongside a cup of Turkish coffee and it’s one of the most common gifts people bring when visiting someone’s home.

Lokma

Even though it sounds very similar to lokum, lokma is something completely different. It’s another bite-size sweet but with a very different texture, prepared in a different way, and with a different flavor. Lokma is basically a bite-size piece of deep-fried dough dipped in sherbet and topped with cinnamon and sweet lemon syrup or honey. It’s frequently eaten by people on special occasions for celebrations or when mourning the loss of a loved one.

Pismaniye

Describing pişmaniye can be tricky but the best way to describe it is to say that this sweet is the Turkish street food version of cotton candy. However, the preparation method is quite different. Pismaniye is prepared by blending butter-roasted flour and pulling it into strands (the preparation method is rather fascinating and can be observed on the spot in most sweet shops that prepare it). The sweet is most often topped with ground pistachios and there’s a popular brown version of pismaniye that uses chocolate milk instead of regular milk.   

Baklava

This list of Turkish street food wouldn’t be complete without baklava; the most popular sweet in this part of the world (not just in Turkey but also in the Middle East, Central Asia, North Africa, and the Balkan). Baklava is a sweet made of numerous layers of phyllo dressed with sherbet or honey and batter and topped with nuts or pistachios in between every layer. The preparation is difficult and time-consuming but it’s totally worth it.

Halka Tatlisi

Halka tatlisi is another popular Turkish dessert that consists of a deep-fried dough made of semolina flour and starch dipped into sweet syrup. This sweet has a nice crunchy texture, similar to Moroccan chebakia. It’s also known under the name tulumba and it’s often served for important religious festivals or celebrations.

Drinks

Last but not least, we round up this list of the most popular Turkish street food dishes with a few popular local beverages.

Chai

Today, black Turkish tea (chai) is the most popular drink in the country but before the 1950s, tea wasn’t even popular. The main reason why tea became so popular is that the price of coffee beans skyrocketed during WWII. During the 1950s, Turkish people started to drink more tea as a consequence and the entire country developed this strong tea culture that’s present even today. You can find tea shops serving tea all over Turkey and many of them come with a nice view, especially in Istanbul. Before trying Turkish tea, keep in mind that Turkish chai is a highly caffeinated drink, and the redder the color, the stronger the tea.

Turkish Coffee

Turkish people have a special style of preparing coffee. They don’t filter their coffee, instead, they just grind it and boil it in small metal pots called a cezve. Traditionally, before the invention of electricity, coffee was boiled by being placed in hot sand and to this day, many Turkish people claim this is the best way to prepare coffee. Turkish coffee is usually served alongside some of the sweets mentioned in the previous section.

Salep

Salep is a delicious winter drink made of powdered orchid roots and milk. It’s served hot and is usually topped with powdered sugar and cinnamon. Orchid roots might sound like a weird ingredient to make a drink out of but it’s actually rich in starch and when you mix starch with milk, you get a thick, creamy texture that closely resembles custard. When served warm, it’s the perfect winter drink.

Boza

Boza is a drink with a rich history that dates back to the Ottoman era. It’s made from water, fermented corn and wheat, and sugar (and often topped with cinnamon). I know it might sound gross and it doesn’t look very appetizing with its brown milky color but trust me, you should give boza a chance, it’s delicious and it goes very well with most Turkish desserts.

Tursu Suyu

As you probably noticed, pickles are an important part of Turkish cuisine. Turkish people love pickled fruits and vegetables and they even make drinks out of them. Tursu suyu is a refreshing beverage made from pickled vegetables and pickle brine. The most commonly used vegetables are beets, cucumbers, carrots, peppers, cabbage, etc. Its salty and acidy flavor does require having an acquired taste but it surely is refreshing and that can during the long, hot summers.

Muzlu Süt (Banana Milk)

Lastly, we round up this list of the best Turkish street food with muzlu sut. Muzlu Sut is a tasty, creamy beverage that originates from the city of Adana. It consists of a blend of bananas, sugar, and frozen milk. It has an incredibly creamy texture and is a real lifesaver when fighting the sizzling summer heat.

Did you enjoy this list? Are you a fan of Turkish street food? Do you think there are some other dishes that we should have mentioned on this list? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.

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