Top 10 traditional food at Istanbul Airport

Istanbul International Airport (IST) > Guide > Top 10 traditional food

Serpme Kahvalti (fabulous Turkish breakfast) in Istanbul International Airport

A full-fledged luncheon is an energy boost for all day long. Turkish cooks know it the best. A traditional Turkish breakfast Serpme Kahvalti is a real energy bombshell which can please even the nastiest food critic. Typically it includes multiple plates with the following meals:

• Multiple one-bites which include jams, marmalade, olives, tahini paste, and spicy Acuka paste made of tomatoes, nuts, and spices.
• Kaymak (a kind of sour cream) with honey.
• Cheese plate (peynir) which includes various types of local cheese like beyaz peynir, ezine peynir, kaşar peyniri, sürk peyniri, çerkes peyniri, and van otlu peyniri.
• Pastrima and sujuk dried sausages.
• Eggs are also an indispensable part of Serpme Kahvalti and they are served in various styles like classy fried eggs (Yumurta), eggs with dried sausages (Suchkulu Yumurta), omelet-styled Menemen, etc.
• Pastry and bread also are included in the breakfast. Typically these are simits, pişi, and böreks, and also local flatbread gözleme and bazalma.

Additionally, breakfast can include vegetables and sauces, and of course, a cup of famous Turkish tea.
In Istanbul Airport, you can taste the Anatolian type of Serpme Kahvalti in the Cuisine Anatolia restaurant and a shortened version of breakfast in Simit Sarayi network cafe.
If you decide to go to Istanbul to taste Serpme Kahvalti, the best places to eat it are as follows:
1. Çeşme Bazlama Kahvaltı (Teşvikiye, Osman F. Seden Sk. No:8, Şişli).
2. Süreya Kahvaltı (Ergenekon Cad, Bilezikçi Sk. No:21-23, Şişli).
3. Van Kahvaltı Evi (Kılıçali Paşa, Defterdar Ykş. 52/A, Beyoğlu).
A curious fact: typically, Serpme Kahvalti is served per company. It’s almost impossible to eat a single portion of this multi-plated serving alone.

Döner Kebab & Dürüm in Istanbul International Airport

Döner Kebab and Dürüm are the most popular types of street food in Istanbul. Often, it is döner kebab which is the #1 meal associated with Turkish cuisine. Both these meals are meat & vegetable wraps which are made of lamb, chicken, or veal meat with special sauces and diced vegetables. There are almost countless varieties of this meal across Istanbul. If you want to start your acquaintance with Istanbul with a good tasty döner kebab, you are welcome to get it in IGA in the following food courts: – The HD Döner network is located both in the domestic airside section and landside section. -Paşa Döner which is close to F pier.

Pide in Istanbul International Airport

Pide is one more type of comfort food provided by Turkish cuisine. It is a flatbread which is often served with various toppings like cheese, vegetables, sauces, meat, etc. If you want to try an analog to Italian pizza cooked in Turkish style you’ll be delighted with pide. Besides, you can try it in the airport while visiting one of Pidem food courts which are located at the domestic airside, close to F pier, and at the landside.

Lahmacun in Istanbul International Airport

One more delicious and significant Turkish comfort food is lahmacun, a thin and crusty flatbread with minced meat and vegetables on top. Its taste is rich and its form allows picking it up and taste on the go. In Istanbul Airport, you can opt for lahmacun at Pidem cafes. If you want to try it somewhere near the airport, we can advise you to visit Halil Lahmacun and Borsam Taş Fırın in Kadıköy and Fıstık Kebap in Arnavutköy.

Börek in Istanbul International Airport

Iconic Turkish pastry Börek is also worth your attention when you want to understand the spirit of Istanbul. It is a kind of stuffed pastry with sweet or salty cheese stuffing. Böreks with cheese and spinach stuffing are the most appreciated worldwide and you can order them in almost all local tea houses and cafes in the airport.

Stuffed Mussels (Midye Dolma) in Istanbul International Airport

Being a seaside city, Istanbul is a seafood spot on the culinary map. Various fish and mussels are offered along its marine. Yet, the most specific and original food among seafood meals to try in Istanbul are stuffed mussels or Midye Dolma. While mussels are commonly considered to be a gourmet choice for fine dining, in Istanbul, they are served as street food. Although in the airport mussels are not offered everywhere, it’s the best idea to taste them in Istanbul’s bistros like as follows:

• Midyeci Eşref, Silivri is the most authentic mussel spot with its owner catching mussels himself every morning to serve them the freshest.
• Midyeci Ahmet, Beşiktaş is also called “the Lord of Mussels” and its name fully describes what is waiting for you inside.
• Midyesel, Sahrayıcedit specializes in Izmir mussels and it is a real home restaurant where locals eat.

Çiğ köfte in Istanbul International Airport

Çiğ köfte is a vegan meal which refers to wraps which are commonly served in Istanbul. Unlike doner, çiğ köfte contains no meat. It is a ball made of bulgar wheat, walnut paste, tomatoes, and spices. In Istanbul Airport, çiğ köfte is served in multiple dining zones including as follows:

• Cuisine Anatolia (Tadinda Anadolu) in the International Airside A-B Pier
• Simit Sarayi food courts (allocated both in airside and landside parts of the airport)
• Star Çiğköfte, a restaurant that specializes in this meal, is a couple of minutes from IGA at Tayakadın, 34277 Arnavutköy/İstanbul.

Pilav in Istanbul International Airport

Pilav is among the most iconic Middle East, Central Asia, and South-Eastern Asia meals. It’s a rice dish which varies in its recipes yet provides an oozing umami taste. In Istanbul, pilav is cooked typically with chicken or lamb meat, chickpeas, and lots of spices. Multiple types of pilav you can try at the Cuisine Anatolia restaurant near A-B Pierce in Istanbul Airport. So, try it at its best right after you arrive in Istanbul.

Kokoreç in Istanbul International Airport

Kokoreç is a fabulous street food offered in Istanbul. It’s lamb or veal meat (typically intestines) cooked on a skewer and then chopped and served on a bread loaf with pickles, Ayran, and other additives. In the Istanbul Airport area, there are no kokoreç spots. Yet, you can taste it in Arnavutkoy. Over five cafes serve this meal. Their list includes Göbel Kokoreç, Dursunköy Durak Kokoreç, and others.

Meze in Istanbul International Airport

If you want to start your gastronomic journey and taste Istanbul from the very first bite, we strictly advise you to try Meze. It is a common name for numerous appetizers served in addition to Turkish hard liquor, raki. Meze is a course of plates which typically consists of:

• Haydary (strained yogurt with mint and spices);
• White cheese (some kind of cheese similar to feta cheese);
• Diced melon;
• Muhammara (tomato deep with walnuts and spices);
• Shakshuka (scrumble eggs with sauteed vegetables);
• Humus (chickpea paste with garlic, spices, and tahini paste).

Meze is typically served with pide bread. Most of its parts are dips you can eat by dipping pide. At Istanbul Airport, you can taste Meze in the Anatolian style at Tadinda Anadolu (Cuisine Anatolia), a restaurant focused on Anatolian cuisine. It is also served in multiple Meychanes in Istanbul with the leading-rated Karaköy Lokantası recommended by the Michelin guide.
Let’s wrap it all up! Enjoying true Turkish hospitality and real local flavours doesn’t require you to go to the center of Istanbul. You can start your exploration of traditional Turkish meals right at the airport! Taste the best local meals and enclose the generosity and cultural peculiarities of Turkey through them.