Istanbul Evening Food Tour in Taksim and Beyoğlu

Meet your guide at Hafiz Mustafa Cafe in Taksim Square

Your evening begins at Hafiz Mustafa Cafe, located across from the iconic Taksim Square in the heart of Istanbul.

Taste tantuni and Turkish street food

Within minutes, you're weaving through narrow lanes to sample tantuni, a savory wrap bursting with thinly sliced meat sizzled in spices and folded into warm flatbread. This is the kind of street food locals crave after a long day, with bold flavors that hit all the right notes.

Savor pilav and kuru fasulye from a 300-year-old recipe

Next, step into a modest eatery where fluffy pilav (Turkish rice) and hearty kuru fasulye (white bean stew) are made from a recipe passed down through generations of Ottoman palace cooks. Each spoonful carries the soul of centuries-old Turkish cooking, prepared exactly as it was for sultans.

Explore İstiklâl Street and historic architecture

As you zigzag across the famous İstiklâl Street, pause to admire grand 19th-century façades and historic churches lining this bustling pedestrian avenue. Your guide shares stories of the street's past while you soak in the mix of old-world elegance and modern Istanbul energy.

Walk through lively Nevizade Street

Then you'll stroll down Nevizade, a narrow alley alive with the chatter and laughter of locals enjoying their evening. Tables spill onto cobblestones, glasses clink with Turkish tea and ayran, and the air smells of grilled meats and fresh herbs from the meyhanes (traditional taverns) packed with friends.