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Istanbul: An Affordable Food Lover’s
Paradise
SpecialReport
By Elaine Pasquini
stanbul, renowned for being a city both Asian and European, a melding of powerful civilizations, and home to monumental mosques
Idesigned by architects of unequaled talent, is also a gastronomical paradise for everyone, regardless of age or budget.
Elaine Pasquini is a free-lance journalist
based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
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STAFF PHOTO PHIL PASQUINI
STAFF PHOTO PHIL PASQUINI
STAFF PHOTO PHIL PASQUINI
STAFF PHOTO PHIL PASQUINI
Mouth-watering displays of salads tempt
passersby on Divanyolu Street, a busy
thoroughfare that was once the imperial road
to Rome.
In this detail of a floating fish kitchen, the
words “Bismillahirrahmanirrahim” on the front
read “In the name of Allah, most gracious,
most merciful” and are said as a blessing
before meals.
Colorful floating fish kitchens located at the
foot of the Galata Bridge on the Eminonu
waterfront serve fast food sandwiches Turkishstyle. In the background is the Yeni Cami (New
Mosque).
STAFF PHOTO PHIL PASQUINI
Watermelon (karpuz), the ultimate
refreshment for visitors out and about on a hot
summer day, is available from enterprising
young men who push their carts through the
tourist areas to keep up with the large
demand.
Tempting desserts in a display window.
The confectionery known as Turkish delight
(lokum) is the favorite candy of Turkey dating
from the Ottoman era. Created from sugar,
sugar syrup, rosewater, nuts and dried fruit, it
is frequently packaged in cubes,although at
one time the sweets were wrapped in silk
handkerchiefs and exchanged as gifts.
A cook hands a customer a balik ekmek (fish
bread)—a grilled fish fillet stuffed in a half-loaf
of bread along with salata (lettuce, tomato
and onions)—which is wildly popular with
tourists and locals alike and costs 2.5 Turkish
lira ($1.39).
THE WASHINGTON REPORT ON MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS
STAFF PHOTO E. PASQUINI
STAFF PHOTO E. PASQUINI
On the edge of Sultanahmet Square, this
delightful brass stand—with a tughra (official
signature) of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent
embossed in its roof—sells baklava, the
popular filo pastry filled with nuts and honey,
and Turkish delight (lokum), the iconic sweet
of Turkey from Ottoman times.
STAFF PHOTO PHIL PASQUINI
STAFF PHOTO PHIL PASQUINI
Savory street food abounds in every part of the city, including both sides of the Golden Horn and the Asian and European sides of
the Bosphorus. The variety of delicious offerings would fill many books, and tasting them all would require a long stay in the Jewel
of the Bosphorus, but here is a small sample of what awaits the lucky traveler to Istanbul.
Drinks on the terrace of the famed Pera Palace
hotel are a pleasant respite from the hustle
and bustle of nearby Istiklal Street.
MARCH 2013
STAFF PHOTO E. PASQUINI
STAFF PHOTO PHIL PASQUINI
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One of the friendly waiters on the rooftop terrace of the Seven Hills
Restaurant in Sultanahmet displays the “catch of the day” against the
dramatic backdrop of Hagia Sophia.
MARCH 2013
STAFF PHOTO PHIL PASQUINI
STAFF PHOTO PHIL PASQUINI
Few breads compare to fresh out-of-the-oven
“bubble” bread—sometimes called “balloon”
bread—which is simply a mixture of water,
yeast and flour baked to form the distinctive
bubble. Many establishments display the
loaves to entice customers to their cafes or
restaurants.
Corn on the cob (misir), grilled in an open cart
and sold for 1.50 Turkish lira (83 cents), is a
healthy fast food available in Istanbul’s streets
and squares. This vendor shows his artistic side
with an eye-catching sculptural arrangement
of corn on the front of his cart.
Colorful, gooey, sugary Osmanli Macunu, a
traditional Ottoman candy, is cooked in a deep
metal pot, twirled around a thin stick before
handed to an eagerly awaiting customer. This
sweet is so popular that the candy makers have
been known to run out of sticks!
This splendid array of dried fruits and nuts is a
visual delight for photographers, as well as a
healthy snack in a moment of fatigue. Fruits
and vegetables throughout the bazaars are
typically displayed in this tidy fashion.
STAFF PHOTO E. PASQUINI
STAFF PHOTO E. PASQUINI
STAFF PHOTO E. PASQUINI
STAFF PHOTO PHIL PASQUINI
This hardworking chef attracts an audience, especially around lunchtime.
Sweet, fruity apple tea (elma cay) is served
everywhere, almost always in a small tulipshaped glass, and offered to prospective carpet
buyers by hospitable shop owners.
THE WASHINGTON REPORT ON MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS
Simits, chewy, elongated bread rings crusted
with sesame seeds, are the cornerstone of
street food found in the squares of Istanbul.
Some simit salesmen carry the bread on
platters on their heads, but more often they
are sold from carts or kiosks.
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