Standing in front of a detached building on a quiet street in Cihangir, we looked at the cats lazily stretched out on the pavement. The property’s main gate clicked opened and we were greeted by a smiling older lady who walked us through what looked like an old, decommissioned school. There were several large empty rooms on either side of the corridor, with blackboards on the walls and ceiling fans. Unusual for a school though, there were also beds in some of the rooms, cupboards, clothes laid out on the sofa, an ironing board… It looked very much lived in; this was no school.
Turns out we were inside the home of Hanni Karadaş who moved to Istanbul decades ago from rural Antakya. Her family now live in what used to be the Beyoğlu Central Greek High School, which rang its last school bell in 1999. She along with her husband Enver are the caretakers of this building.
We gathered in the large, sunlit, air-conditioned kitchen. There was an altar up on one wall under which her young grandson sat on a sofa watching TV. A rectangular shaped table on the other wall was laden with the most beautiful spread, all homemade by Hanni herself including dips, butter, four varieties of jam, cheeses, marinated olives, grape molasses, yoghurts, salads, and more. It felt like we were visiting an aunt’s house.
This was the first stop on our ‘Hidden Beyoğlu’ walking food tour with Culinary Backstreets. Just one hour in and this experience had already become one of the highlights of my trip. Benoit, our English speaking guide who is originally from Belgium but has lived in Istanbul for over twenty years acted as our translator, and he regaled us with stories of the family’s journey from the village in southern Turkey to Istanbul. As husband Enver served us countless cups of tea, we learnt about the produce, methods of cooking used by women in the village, and how Hanni has managed to carry on some of these traditions to date.
I’ve been to Istanbul only twice but its safe to say, I left a piece of my heart there. Spending two weeks in the city is not enough; it feels like I barely scratched the surface in terms of things to do, places to see, and food to eat. The city is a magical mix of the East and the West; one of the few countries in the world that fall in two continents – Asia and Europe. There are mosques everywhere and minarets pierce the skyline. The adhan (call to prayer) reminds you that it is a muslim country yet, when you see the cobblestone under your feet and walk through the inner streets lined with bars and a buzzing nightlife, the vibe is very European.
I’ve had a few friends visit Istanbul over the years and my only recommendation to everyone is to do a walking food tour with Culinary Backstreets. Razena from Tantalize my Tastebuds introduced me to it when I was planning my first holiday there in 2016 and I couldn’t be more grateful! I did the ‘Two Markets, Two Continents’ tour the first time, and ‘Hidden Beyoğlu’ the second. Both were incredible experiences and I highly recommend you do one on your first day in Istanbul. This will give you an insight into what to look out for on menus, and set you up nicely for the duration of your stay.
Here are some highlights from the ‘Two Markets, Two Continents’ tour:
This tour includes exploring eateries in local markets in Karaköy on the European side and Kadıköy on the Asian side. Our first stop was to eat the poor man’s breakfast of fresh simit, one of Istanbul’s defining foods, along with zaatar (wild thyme) preserved in olive oil from the biblical city of Antioch. This was accompanied by hot cups of tea – this we later learnt to be standard of hospitality across Istanbul. We also tried three types of borek including kol borek (crispy) and Su borek (dipped in water), and local baklava and Turkish delight.
Then my life changed. I was introduced to the food of the Gods. And breakfast has never been the same ever since. Bal Kaymak is this unbelievable clotted cream made from the milk of water buffalos. It is much thicker and smoother than regular cow’s milk, and is eaten with warm bread and honey. Another delicacy we tried was sujuk – again water buffalo meat sausage seasoned with chili, garlic and cumin. Insanely delicious! This turned out to be my breakfast everyday for the collective two weeks that I spent in Istanbul.
We took a ferry across the Bosphorus to Asia, where we walked through another farmer’s market, tasting things along the way. There was a very interesting pickle juice, kokoretsi (similar to Haggis i.e. lamb intestines wrapped around offal, cooked on a griddle), midye dolma (mussels with a herbed and spiced rice which is a late night favourite street eat), kavurmali pide (topped with dried beef and egg), kelle paça (an earthy soup), lahamacun, Aegean-style mezze and some of the best kunafa in the city. The tour lasts 6.5 hours so you really don’t need to eat anything else that day!
The second time I was in Istanbul (July 2018), I booked the ‘Hidden Beyoğlu’ tour. Our guide Benoit took us on an adventure to experience Istanbul’s historic district, exactly like a local resident would. We started off with breakfast in Hanni’s home, after which we stopped by a local deli to sample cheeses and cured meats. We visited a lokantasi (traders restaurant where local workers go to eat), tried two types of söğüş (lamb tongue and cheek) – warm and cold, and ate some more baklava. We visited an Armenian church who’s entrance is hidden inside a bustling fish market. Also ate the most delicious kebab durum (flat bread wrap) at Duramzade, made famous by the late Anthony Bourdain. It was an intimate group, just two of us and Benoit, and there was no way we could eat everything. Benoit asked us use our eyes and tastebuds to experiment, keep our mind open – and that our palettes would be grateful for it. Agree! We learnt so much on these culinary walks. We ended this food tour with the best Turkish coffee around Istiklal street. I’m not one for strong coffee but this tasted like dark chocolate, which was amazing!
What do I love most about Istanbul and why you should go? Walking around Istanbul is like a history lesson! There is an energy in the air and its both, palpable and invigorating. The city has a beautiful food culture reflecting the diversity of the people that makes up its DNA. From the small kebab shop around the corner to fancy digs like Nusr-Et (which I would avoid) – it is a flavour explosion and there is so much to be savoured – it would take a whole lifetime to try it all.
Istanbul is also a walking city that is easy to navigate. You can pick a neighbourhood a day and explore; you’re bound to find historic monuments, quirky cafes, restaurants, markets, and more. Thanks to the declining lira, it is also a haven for shopping. There are heaps of local brands and you’d be happy to know the Turkish women are quite fashionable – so you will find lots of modest clothing at a fraction of the price you’d pay anywhere else. Overall, everything is really cheap so it’ll be a holiday that wont hurt your wallet.
Have I convinced you to visit Istanbul?
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