Culinary Tours
6–7 hours
Recommended by 100% of travellers
100% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
C$198
per adult
Culinary Backstreets -Tours
Culinary Backstreets -Tours
5
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About
When it comes to exploring a city’s authentic dining scene, while the stomach should ideally serve as the best compass, the truth of the matter is that it’s hard to find your way without good local advice. That’s where Culinary Backstreets’ Culinary Walks come in. In order to help you explore the world’s gastro-capitals and get off these cities’ eaten path, CB is offering (with selected partners) guided culinary walks in some of the cities we cover, starting with Istanbul, Athens, Barcelona, and Shanghai.Our culinary walks are designed to lead visitors on an eating binge through a city’s lesser-seen historic side streets and authentic markets, taking in countless hard-to-find culinary gems and, in between bites, a select number of untouristed monuments. You can view our updated safety measures at https://culinarybackstreets.com/our-commitment/
Istanbul, Türkiye
Awards
Travellers' Choice
2024
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Improve this listingTours and Tickets by Culinary Backstreets -Tours
Culinary Tours
6–7 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 100% of travellers
100% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
C$198
per adult
Food & Drink
4–5 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 100% of travellers
100% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
C$198
per adult
Day Trips
5 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 100% of travellers
100% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
C$198
per adult
Likely To Sell Out
5–6 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 100% of travellers
100% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
C$198
per adult
Travellers talk about
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
2,561 reviews
Excellent
2,468
Very good
71
Average
16
Poor
3
Terrible
3
Daniela N
2 contributions
Sept 2024 • Friends
Esneider was an amazing tour guide of Corona/jackson Heights! He showed and shared so many special places that were absolutely delicious. We are so thankful that he brought us around and taught us about different cultures through food. He is very knowledgeable and we had great conversations!
Written September 14, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks! We are so glad to hear that you enjoyed the walk. We take pride in working with people who are very knowledgeable about and extremely fond of the cities they live in. You can check out your Culinary Backstreets Passport on our website to see the stamps you have collected. We hope to see you again soon in one of our cities.
Written September 19, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mary-Katherine F
2 contributions
Dec 2024 • Friends
These tours are incredible!!! My BFF is a serious foodie; I am decidedly not so I l err her take the lead on all reservations. We did two of the Culinary Backstreet tours, one for breakfast and one for markets at night, and both absolutely blew me away! Our host was lovely and easy to talk to, and every single dish selected was outstanding.
Written December 8, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your kind words! We're delighted to hear that both of your Culinary Backstreets tours exceeded your expectations. Whether you're a dedicated foodie or just looking for a memorable experience, we’re proud to offer tours that cater to all tastes and interests. It’s fantastic that you enjoyed the dishes and the expertise of your guide!
We truly appreciate your recommendation, and we hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure soon. Don’t forget to check out your Culinary Backstreets Passport on our website to see all the stamps you’ve collected!
Written December 10, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
gael E
1 contribution
Dec 2024 • Family
Uger was out tour guide for two different tours. He was the BEST! Very knowledgeable, patient, inclusive and helpful with recommendations within the city. We had the best two days with Uger. Thank you to Uger for making our Istanbul trip so memorable.
Written January 2, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your fantastic review! We’re thrilled to hear that your time in Istanbul with Ugur made your trip so memorable. He truly is a wonderful guide—knowledgeable, patient, and always ready with helpful recommendations. It’s great to know that he made both of your tours special and helped make your time in the city unforgettable.
We’ll be sure to pass along your kind words to Ugur, and we can’t wait to welcome you back on another Culinary Backstreets adventure in the future!
Don’t forget to check out your Culinary Backstreets Passport on our website to see all the stamps you’ve collected!
Looking forward to your next visit!
Written February 13, 2025
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hope
14 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
This tour exceeded our expectations…the tour price was higher than we would normally pop for but based on the recommendation of a friend, we popped for the tour…it ended up being our favorite memory of our week in Istanbul. Yes, Istanbul has all kinds of culinary delights that would not have been revealed to us if we had not had taken this tour…But the icing on the tour cake was drawing Benoit as our tour guide. His enthusiasm for Istanbul’s culinary, historical and cultural offerings was amazingly infectious (after having lived in Istanbul for over 20 years). He started out with an breakfast soup that knocked our socks off…we then enjoyed an introductory tea and a sampling of “the best of” food items from Benoit’s favorite Istanbul shops that were served in an atmospheric corner of a han tea shop…We were fortunate enough to bask in the warmth of the shop owners, most of whom had known Benoit for some time. He took us on detours of all kinds…as luck would have it, we even stumbled upon a impromptu regional reed instrument “concert”. I am sure your tour will have its own flavors but with Benoit you can be sure it will be a tour you won’t forget.
Written October 18, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much for taking the time to share your experience and for your wonderful feedback, it was our pleasure to have you with us! Each of our culinary walks is the outcome of considerable research. We work with academics in the field and our own team of experienced professionals – both guides and local journalists. We are proud to know that the money spent during the culinary walk goes to support businesses that we believe in, helping to preserve the social and cultural fabric of the cities we love so dearly. Most importantly, of course, we take pride in working with people who are very knowledgeable about and extremely fond of the cities they live in. You can check out your Culinary Backstreets Passport on our website to see the stamps you have collected. We hope to see you again soon in one of our cities.
Written October 18, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
lmb94070
California9 contributions
Sept 2023 • Couples
Esmi is an amazing tour guide who spent 5+ hours walking us through adorable neighborhoods in Beyoglu, sharing about her country and culture and making sure we were extremely well fed! The food was delicious, she made sure there were gluten free options (even stopping at a bakery that had almond cookies that I could eat) and we tasted things I’m sure we would not have otherwise found. We were able to return to one of the restaurants a couple days later and would’ve gone to more if we hadn’t run out of time. Highest recommendation for Esmi - she’s thoughtful, kind and, like your favorite grandmother will encourage to eat more than you think you can - come hungry and enjoy!
Written September 22, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much for taking the time to share your experience and for your feedback, it was our pleasure to have you with us! We are so glad to hear that you enjoyed our Beyoglu walk. We take pride in working with people like Esin who are very knowledgeable about and extremely fond of the cities they live in. You can check out your Culinary Backstreets Passport on our website to see the stamps you have collected. We hope to see you again soon in one of our cities.
Written September 22, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Helen S
1 contribution
Apr 2023 • Couples
What a delight our tour was with Gonca! Gonca was extremely thorough in her explanation of the food, the history of food and how food evolved throughout the history of Turkey. She led us through the backstreets of Istanbul, through the Grand Bazaar and she showed us the different types of street foods with exceptional detail. We stopped at each place sampling a good portion of each kind of foods served throughout the day beginning with a traditional breakfast to multiple lunch stops sampling various lunch offerings, dessert, coffee and more desserts! It opened our eyes to the Turkish cuisine and we came away with a deeper appreciation for the multi-faceted culture. In addition, Gonca introduced us to several artisans making their products for sale in the market while explaining the history of food and culture that came to be Istanbul. A totally delightful and fascinating experience!
Written April 26, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks so much for your thoughtful feedback! Each of our culinary walks is the outcome of considerable research. We work with academics in the field and our own team of experienced professionals – both guides and local journalists. We are proud to know that the money spent during the culinary walk goes to support businesses that we believe in, helping to preserve the social and cultural fabric of the cities we love so dearly. Most importantly, of course, we take pride in working with people who are very knowledgeable about and extremely fond of the cities they live in. You can check out your Culinary Backstreets Passport on our website to see the stamps you have collected. We hope to see you again soon in one of our cities.
Written April 27, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Vacationer779834
3 contributions
Jun 2022
The Kurtuluş tour was exceptional, one of the best experiences I had during a two-week stay in Istanbul. I loved that we explored a single neighborhood from one end of the street to the other, weaving in and out of side streets. This was a great tour for learning about the cultural diversity of a great metropolis--many of our hosts hail from other parts of Turkey, bordering countries and beyond. Despite ongoing demographic shifts, Kurtuluş still has the feel of a real community, and we were warmly greeted by everyone. I experienced this same hospitality when I returned on my own a couple of days later. Our polyglot guide Benoit is passionate about the area he has called home for years, and he seems to know every other shop owner. Perhaps the most impressive part was our breakfast at a Greek sports club. Benoit shopped in advance, culling his favorite breakfast items from diverse neighborhood shops. We enjoyed a hearty feast in a lovely courtyard before setting out to discover more of the area. I highly recommend taking a culinary backstreets tour early in your visit. You will then make more informed choices about where and what to eat and just have an all around deeper awareness of your surroundings.
Written June 19, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for the thoughtful review! We are so happy to see that you enjoyed out newest route, we are very proud to take out guests to lesser known neighborhoods while introducing them to the cultural and historical essence of the city.
We do hope to see you again soon in another one of our cites!
Please check you culinary backstreets passport on our website to see the stamps you have collected.
Written July 6, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
annmariehood
Providence, RI120 contributions
Sept 2023 • Family
This tour was a highlight of our four days in Istanbul. Our guide Ugur immediately put everyone at ease with his easygoing nature and knowledge of the city. We wove through the back streets as promised, sampling fruit from street stands, pausing to learn about unusual vegetables and fruits, even looking up into trees to find walnuts growing there. The breakfast was delicious and authentic, with Ugur explaining the culture as we ate. There was an unforgettable soup at a place i definitely would have walked right past, a visit to a candy shop, and so much more, ending with a lunch in a restaurant that serves a very special lamb dish. When the tour ended, Ugur sent us off with a list of restaurant recommendations that proved to be fabulous. Highly recommend!
Written September 22, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much for your great feedback and for leaving us a 5-star review, this is exactly what we're going for! We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed our tour with the amazing Ugur! We take pride in working with such great people who are very knowledgeable and extremely fond of the cities they live in. We hope to see you again soon in one of our cities. You can check out your Culinary Backstreets Passport on our website to see the stamps you have collected. All the best!
Written September 23, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
NYCBeachLover
New York, NY50 contributions
Oct 2023 • Solo
I went on Culinary Secrets of the Old City, and it was a fantastic tour. We truly hit many places that were off the tourist path and that highlighted different aspects of Turkish cuisine and culture. Our guide, Gonca, was amazing. She was passionate about sharing her city, culture, and food, taking us on unique walks between our stops. At each location she knew the history and people. This was a unique experience, and I’m so glad I did it instead of a shore excursion through my cruise ship.
Written October 10, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks so much for your feedback! That is exactly what we are going for. We are delighted to hear you enjoyed the walk, and hope that you will join us again soon in one of our cities. You can check out your Culinary Backstreets Passport on our website to see the stamps you have collected.
Written October 12, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
wer4navy
Blanco, TX15 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
We had a great time, and all the food was wonderful. Our guide did a GREAT job of selecting foods all day, and we even went back ourselves, two days later, to one of his restaurants.
The 6-1/2 hours was a bit too long. And it would be even a better tour if the guide talked more about the neighborhoods, the culture, and how the food got to be what it was. In other words, not just walking and eating, but also LEARNING. Last year our guide in Barcelona, on the Sants tour, did all this.
The 6-1/2 hours was a bit too long. And it would be even a better tour if the guide talked more about the neighborhoods, the culture, and how the food got to be what it was. In other words, not just walking and eating, but also LEARNING. Last year our guide in Barcelona, on the Sants tour, did all this.
Written March 28, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are glad to hear you enjoyed the walk! Please reach out to us directly if you think we can do anything better as your feedback is very important to us and we take it very seriously. We look forward to hearing from you, and having you with us again soon.
Written March 28, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Halli hallo
Do you still offer this tour and if yes for how much per Person?
Lg
Written February 24, 2024
Hello, Yes we have spanish speaking guides, When booking make sure to request one or email us.
Thank you.
Written February 6, 2020
The tour in Istanbul would easily accommodate a vegetarian diet
Written July 28, 2019
Where can we book this tour? Its not available on TripAdvisor. Anyone have a website?
Written May 22, 2019
Hi.
Yes, you can directly book on the site culinarybackstreets
You can also email walks at culinarybackstreets
We hope to have you with us!
Written May 22, 2019
We are interested in a food tour maybe in the afternoon/evenings as we arrive around 10 am into Istanbul. Is this possible?
Written May 18, 2019
You'll need to check with the Culinary Backstreets website, but I don't think so.
Written July 25, 2019
hi
first i really thanks for the advise and wonderful suggestions of this tour. i have 2 questions
1-how much was the tour price and how could we reserve it?
2-all the food that you eat during the tour was included on the tour price?
Written February 19, 2017
For the tour prices just go on their website.
All the food is included in the price you pay.
Written June 30, 2018
If choosing 2 different tours for different days..which ones are best?
I am hoping to see different parts of the city and the tours to be completely different.
Written June 15, 2016
Penny,
They have several tours covering different parts of the city during the day and night and even one cooking class in someone's house! So there's plenty to choose from in terms of area coverage and preferences, so surely you wont be disappointed. Just remember these tours are FOOD based and not for sightseeing...
Written June 24, 2016
I see a space for a promotion code, would you have information on where I could locate one?
Written April 19, 2016
My best recommendation is to google Istanbul Eats or Culinary Backstreets and look for a promo code there. I am on their email list and have not noticed a promo code offering before.
Written April 20, 2016
You can book directly on our site
culinarybackstreets
Best,
Madeleine
Written March 23, 2016
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.