• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

Ready to taste the best food in Istanbul? Satisfy your cravings for local food and culture with highlights along the way, together with a foodie host. Enjoy 10 delicious and typical tastings that range from sweet to savory as well as drinks on a tasty food tour in Istanbul.

Destination

Istanbul, Turkey

Category

Food Tours

Duration

3 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

English, Español, Deutsch, Türkçe, 中文, Italiano, Português

Included

• Private Guide
• 10 Local Food & Drink Tastings
• Vegetarian Options Available
• All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral

Excluded

• Entrance to attractions

What you can expect

Choose your local

Get to know these 15 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.

1. Meeting point

   Meet at in front of the Espresso Lab Cihangir - Istanbul to start your journey

   View on Maps

2. Itinerary

   This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

3. 10 Tastings

   This tour includes 10 food and drink tastings. Your local host has hand-picked each one of the tastings based on their love for food, and knowledge of the city. Enjoy only the most authentic bites the city has to offer!

4. The Classics

   A food tour in Istanbul would not be complete without the most typical and beloved dishes in town. Enjoy a bite of the ultimate classics, Turkish delight and dürüm and taste them in their true local flavor!

5. Locals’ Favorites

   Discover more of the local cuisine by trying some of the ultimate locals’ favorites food treats. Try unique food, typical of Istanbul picked by your local host and hear why they love it so much!

6. Typical Drinks

   With drinks included as part of the tastings this real experience comes with a real local spirit! Your local host will quench your thirst with a selection of drinks like coffee, unique beverages, and alcoholic (or non-alcoholic) cocktails, wine and beer

7. City Highlights

   This tour is more than just food, it’s a cultural experience! In between food stops, discover city highlights for a well-rounded experience that will satisfy your appetite for Istanbul. From food, drinks, must-sees and local hot spots; this tour has everything on the menu!

8. Vegetarian Alternative

   Looking for a vegetarian alternative? It’s possible! The tour has been created with alternative tastings to fit your preferences. Just let your host know!

9. Special Diet or Allergies?

   If you follow a special diet or have an allergy to a specific food, let your host know! They’ll make sure to take that into consideration so you can have an enjoyable and safe experience

10. Make it yours

    Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

    Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

    Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.

Flexible cancellation policy

• Feel confident booking

  Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

• Change of plans?

  Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

• Loved by travelers worldwide

  Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

Unknown

(About local Emre)

23 April 2025

We had a 3+ hour food tour with Emre on our last day in Istanbul. He met us at the tram station closest to our starting point, and we first visited a cheese shop. From there, we went on to taste Turkish Delights, stuffed mussels, kabob wraps, Turkish coffee, Turkish pizza (pida), rice pudding, Baklava, fruit preserves and nougat (Helva). With each he gave us the story behind the food, and during our walk from place to place, shared the history of points of interest along the way. He was very pleasant and extremely knowledgeable and his English was very good. He said he normally recommended doing the food tour on your first day so that you’d know what to order, but this worked for us as it gave us time to pack up before leaving early the next morning. We had a truly enjoyable experience with Emre. Fabulous Istanbul Food Tour!

Tom

(About local Emre)

23 April 2025

Emre was absolutely fabulous. He was very knowledgeable, told us many historical facts during the tour. He took us to some local shops where we got some excellent food. One of the best foodie tours I’ve ever been on. I would highly recommend him as a guide.Excellent Foodie Tour

hayleycward

(About local Lorena)

22 April 2025

Second visit to istanbul and we hadn’t realised how much was still to explore! Met in an area we hadn’t been before and was gorgeous - went to places we never would have discovered which were lovely and ate some incredible foods. Would def recommend:)Great food tour!

Rix

(About local Emre)

21 April 2025

I had an incredible experience on a walking food tour through Istanbul with Emre, and I can’t recommend it enough! From start to finish, Emre was an excellent guide—so knowledgeable not only about the food, but also about the history of the city and the buildings we passed along the way. We got to taste some of the most authentic and delicious dishes in Istanbul, all from local restaurants that I never would’ve found on my own. Every stop felt like a hidden gem, from savory kebabs to sweet Turkish delights, and Emre took the time to explain the significance of each dish and its place in Turkish culture. It was a great mix of food, history, and local insights. If you're visiting Istanbul, this tour is a must! Emre made the experience truly memorable, and I’m already planning my next visit to explore more of this beautiful city with him. Highly recommend!Amazing Food Tour with Emre in Istanbul!

Mara

(About local Ugur)

20 April 2025

Wir hatten eine wunderbare Food Tour mit Ugur! Er hat uns durch die kulinarische Welt Istanbuls geführt. Obwohl wir die Stadt schon gut kennen, hat er uns an rund 10 Stationen viele neue Gerichte und Geschmäcker nähergebracht. Die Tour war abwechslungsreich, lecker und von einem Bewohner Istanbuls – genau das, was wir uns erhofft hatten. Vielen Dank, Ugur!Absolute Empfehlung!

Jesse🇺🇸 United States

(About local Emre)

20 April 2025

All in all, we had an amazing tour in Turkey with Emre! We’ve been telling everyone it was the highlight of our trip, an unforgettable mix of history and incredible food. We learned so much about the culture of Istanbul and Turkey. We’d highly recommend this tour, and we can’t wait to come back and do another one with Emre!Delayed Review!

Denise🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Emre)

19 April 2025

Die „10 Kostproben-Tour“ mit Emre hat genau unseren Geschmack getroffen. Danke dafür! Emre hat uns an Orte geführt, die keine klassischen Touristenlokale sind, sondern alteingesessene Restaurants und Cafés, die zum Teil seit mehreren Generationen mit einer guten Küche und traditionellem Handwerk überzeugen. Wir sind dankbar, dass Emre uns in „sein“ Cihangir und „sein“ Beyoglu mitgenommen hat und dass wir so viele interessante Infos von ihm bekommen haben. Bei unserer nächsten Istanbul-Reise buchen wir Emre auf jeden Fall wieder. 👍🏻10 Kostproben = 10 Köstlichkeiten

Mathias

(About local Emre)

19 April 2025

Danke für die tolle Tour. Alles war super. Jederzeit wieder. Lecker Istanbul

Matthew🇺🇸 United States

(About local Lorena)

19 April 2025

This was our first time in Istanbul, and we like to do food tours on our first day in new places to get well fed and understand some of the city and culture. Through WithLocals, we’ve done ~10 of these tours, and this one is as good as it gets! Turkey has amazing food, which certainly helps, but Lorena is also very knowledgeable about the food and the place. Highly recommend! Excellent Istanbul Food Tour

Kathryn

(About local Kemal)

16 April 2025

We had the best time exploring Istanbul with our guide, Kemal. He took us to some truly unique spots that we never would’ve found on our own and shared so much interesting insight into the history and culture of the city. Kemal was incredibly friendly, easy to talk to, and made the entire experience feel relaxed and engaging. The tour flew by because we were having so much fun. Highly recommend booking with Kemal if you want an authentic, enriching, and enjoyable experience in Istanbul!Book with Kemal!

Jason

(About local Deniz)

15 April 2025

Deniz was a wonderful guide and took me to several tasty spots. I loved that we took the subway as I was able to learn how the subway in Istanbul worked.Great way to start your stay

Diane🇱🇺 Luxembourg

(About local Emre)

13 April 2025

Wie von Emre gewünscht,auf Luxemburgisch: den Emre ass super sympathisch,hien rappt dech einfach mat mat senger gudder Laun. D Iessen wor super lecker,vun allem eppes. An hien erzielt dei passend Hannergrënn dozou,nie ze vill,an ganz interessant. Mir sinn den Dag durno rem op dei selwescht Plazen iessen gang,well et eis esou gudd geschmaaacht huet. Hien huet zu Lëtzebuerg gelieft,wat eis Kenneléiren nach méi interessant gemaach huet. Den Emre verkierpert dei türkisch Gastfrendlichkeet zu 100%.Wundervolle Erfahrung

Anthony🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Ugur)

13 April 2025

We had a great few hours with Ugur tasting the best and most authentic food Istanbul can offer Highly recommended.Fun and informative

Ludwig

(About local Emre)

13 April 2025

Emre‘s kulinarische Tour durch Istanbul ist absolut empfehlenswert. Menschlich, sehr offen, herzlich und mit sehr viel Wissen über seine Heimatstadt führt Emre einen durch die kleinen und großen Gassen der Stadt. Tolle einheimische Geheimtipps. Von Bäckereien über Pide und Fischgerichten ist bis Nachspeise und Café alles dabei. Beste Tour durch Istanbul. Wenn wir wiederkommen, werden wir mit Sicherheit Emre‘s weitere Touren buchen! Bester Tourguide 10/10

Leslie🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Faruk )

12 April 2025

We had a great time with Faruk, who was kind, sincere, knowledgeable and entertaining. Did his best to accommodate a gluten free diet and brought us to places we would have other wise never visited. Great guy, great food, great experience. Happy to recommend

Claude🇱🇺 Luxembourg

(About local Emre)

11 April 2025

Sehr nett und zuvorkommend. Angenehmer und herzlicher Kontakt. Sehr zu empfehlen! Gute Kenntnis,interessante und originelle Locations mit leckerem Essen. Man fühlt sich gut aufgehoben und hat das Gefühl man würde sich schon ewig kennen, wie ein Freund.Begeistert!

Christine 🇨🇭 Switzerland

(About local Emre)

10 April 2025

Wir verbrachten einen abwechslungsreichen kulinarischen Nachmittag mit Emre. Durch ihn haben wir schöne traditionsreiche Istanbuler Geschäfte kennen gelernt. Emre ist aufgestellt und weiss viel zu erzählen. Gerne wieder!Spannende kulinarische Reise durch Beyoglu

Dennis🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Emre)

9 April 2025

Thoroughly enjoyed our tour with Emre. The food was tastey but not excessive. Most pleasurable was learning some of the history behind the shops and people. Was neat that Emre lived in Canada and had visited our home province. Highly recommend this tour with Emre. Afternoon delights

Marina

(About local Emre)

8 April 2025

Die Food-Tour mit Emre war super. Er spricht sehr gutes deutsch und hat uns viel über das Essen, die Stadt und das Viertel, in dem wir unterwegs waren, erzählt. Außerdem konnte er alle unsere Fragen perfekt beantworten. Die Food-Stops waren sehr lecker und abwechslungsreich. Wir haben Lokale besucht und Dinge probiert, die wir sonst wahrscheinlich nicht gekannt hätten. Er war sehr aufmerksam und hat auf die Allergien meiner Schwester Rücksicht genommen und erklärt, was sie essen darf und was nicht, und ihr tolle Alternativen gegeben. Wir können Emre als Guide auf jeden Fall weiterempfehlen! Abwechslungsreiche Tour mit super Guide

Alexander🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Lorena)

8 April 2025

Lorena gave us an amazing tour, after hearing our wishes she adjusted the tour. Showing us the best spots on both sides of the Bosporus. She gave us tips where to go, what the best places are with less to no tourists and they been really great. If you want the best tour in Istanbul then Lorena is the best guide to get.Amazing

Ben

(About local Faruk )

5 April 2025

My family had a great time with Faruk. He was funny, informative, and friendly. I would book another tour with him in a heart beat.A fantastic time with a fantastic guide

Carla🇺🇸 United States

(About local Faruk )

5 April 2025

My two daughters and I spent 3 hours with Faruk on a great food tour. He was prompt to our meeting place, explained what we were eating and its history. He showed us interesting things along the way and was so courteous. The food was great, the attention Faruk gave our family was super. I highly recommend Faruk as a tour guide. Great afternoon with Faruk

Marcel

(About local Emre)

5 April 2025

Dieses Erlebnis darf sich keiner entgehen lassen und für jeden Istanbul-Besucher ein absolutes MUSS. Emre führt Dich ins tiefste Istanbul mit tollem Essen und Getränken. Er hat uns viele interessante Infos zu Istanbul und der türkischen Kultur erzählt . Durch Emre bleibt dieses Erlebnis unvergesslich. Perfekter Ausflug

Jennifer 🇺🇸 United States

(About local Ugur)

5 April 2025

Loved our time with Uger. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and led us through some amazing tastings. Great with our kids, too. Loved the local experience with him. Fantastic Experience with Ugur

bridgetgreenwood

(About local Deniz)

4 April 2025

Deniz was great, good tour, mixed foods from fish wrap to street burger. Could have done with a little more cultural history of foods but she was so lovely I can’t complain! Great tour

Unknown

(About local Deniz)

3 April 2025

Deniz was and excellent host and guide. Punctual and very friendly. Deniz also knows a lot about Istanbul and was most informative. I would certainly recommend Deniz to friends. Deniz - food walking tour

Gene

(About local Faruk )

3 April 2025

Our family enjoyed a wonderful food tour with Faruk. He went the extra mile to meet us at our hotel and subsequently took us to some delicious local places. He was extremely knowledgeable and provided informative stories about Istanbul and its history. He is kind and personable and we had a memorable time with Faruk. A great experience

Mirthe🇹🇷 Turkey

(About local Emre)

1 April 2025

We can really recommend Emre's tour, even (or maybe especially) if you are living in Istanbul. We live in Istanbul for 2 years now and especially Taksim area can be overwhelming: there are so many shops that sell "the best" turkish delight/baklava/kebab/etc. Thanks to Emre we now know exactly where to go to get the most delicious Turkish food in town. The tour is more than just tasting food, Emre knows a lot about the history of food and the buildings you pass during the tour.

Jason🇺🇸 United States

(About local Emre)

1 April 2025

Where do we begin... the whole idea of food tours is amazing, and Emre delivers with an excellent tour for the whole family. From all the local stops and trying foods that we have never had before was great, but Emre telling stories about the local area and history really made the trip. The kids loved him! They even wanted to go on another tour with him (which I think they do an Asian side one as well)! Thank you Emre for an amazing time! Emre is the best!

Floor🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Emre)

29 March 2025

Emre is simply amazing, as a person, as a host to his beloved city and as a food specialist. He knows all nice tiny places you definitely miss while exploring yourself. Next to the great tastes of Istanbul, he told us such nice stories about history, architecture and the Turkish culture. Next visit we for sure spend time with him again! Thank you EmreA warm an delicious welcome to Instanbul

Lukasz

(About local Ceren)

25 March 2025

It was the real pleasure to spend these few hours with Ceren. She is very friendly, open person and has a big knowledge about the city. I highly recommend her services to anyone who would like to experience the daily life of Istambul.Ceren

Maria🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Emre)

21 March 2025

We got so lucky to spent half of the day with our tour guide Emre. He took care of us, took us to super interesting and not tourist delicious spots that were a real hidden gems! It is amazing when a local truly loves his city and wants to share its beauty with you and show you the best of it! We hit several spots for breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner, deserts and of course coffee. Emre was providing us with history hints, his personal experience back from his childhood and all that made this tour unforgettable. We highly recommend Emre ❤️ Next time we are in Istanbul - we are doing another one with him for sure! Thank you Emre! Super gastro tour with amazing Emre

2xhzby26qv

(About local Emre)

13 March 2025

Wir hatten das Vergnügen, mit Emre eine kulinarische Tour durch Istanbul zu machen, und es war einfach großartig! Er sprach ausgezeichnet Deutsch, war sehr freundlich und wusste unglaublich viel über die Stadt und ihre Esskultur. Besonders gefallen hat uns, dass er uns in authentische, lokale Restaurants geführt hat, die wir alleine wohl nie gefunden hätten. In jedem Lokal konnten wir verschiedene Spezialitäten probieren. Die Tour hat sogar länger gedauert als geplant, weil er sich viel Zeit für uns genommen und auf unsere Wünsche eingegangen ist. Wer Istanbul von seiner genussvollen Seite erleben möchte, ist bei ihm genau richtig. Absolute Empfehlung!Toller Guide und tolle Tour

Marc🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Emre)

13 March 2025

Emre zeigte uns Orte und Restaurants, die besondere Produkte herstellen und erläuterte uns die jeweiligen Besonderheiten. Dabei waren alle Produkte von hoher Qualität oder besonderem Geschmack. Auch die historischen Zusatzinformationen waren sehr interessant. Auf Sonderwünsche ist Emre immer eingegangen. Wir hatten zusammen viel Spaß. Tolles Erlebnis

Graham🇦🇹 Austria

(About local Kemal)

8 March 2025

Kemal is a confident, cosmopolitan guy who takes pride is making sure you have a great day out. He's quick to build rapport and seems to build lasting friendships with many of his tour groups. It is impressive how quickly he could customise the itinerary based on the weather, season and your preferences - he truly knows Taksim's food scene very well. His standard route for 10 Tastings of Istanbul is through Taksim, focusing on classic street food from mainstream chains. He also spontaneously worked in the chance to try Turkish wine at a nice place in Pera, and a delicious quince dessert which would otherwise be easy to miss. If you want exposure to more inventive regional cuisine, it would be worth discussing the itinerary in detail in advance. No matter what, there's no avoiding how meaty Turkish cuisine is, so considering the timing of the tour carefully and don't plan it eat much before and after this tour!10 Tastings of Istanbul with Kemal

Unknown

(About local Emre)

5 March 2025

Wij hebben genoten van de foodtour. Emre spreekt goed Engels (in Canada gewoond) en Duits. Emre was erg vriendelijk, informatief en behulpzaam. De tour was niet zwaar en we hadden 10 stops. We lieten ons de hapjes goed smaken. Emre vertelde ons dan wat informatie over de gerechten en over bepaalde historische gebouwen. Erg handig en leuk om Istanbul zo te verkennen.Super foodtour, informatief en lekker

Na Dine

(About local Emre)

1 March 2025

Danke für die tolle Tour,sehr gut gestaltet für mich und meine Jungs auch sie durften dank Emre ein wenig der Geschichte von Istanbul Kennenlernen und es wurde köstlich verpackt.Herzlich, informativ und hunorvoll

Miqelle

(About local Tolga)

22 February 2025

Tolga took over from Emre who we originally booked with but had the flu. An avid traveler himself, Tolga was super interesting to listen and talk to. Not only did he do a fabulous job with showing us Turkish street food and classic dishes, he also knew a lot about history and historical context of the region. Emre too was helpful—even though he didn’t conduct the tour he gave us extremely useful tips about Istanbul. So much better than any canned tour of the attractions. So much better than Get Your Guide

Arianna🇺🇸 United States

(About local Emre)

18 February 2025

My Husband and I are so grateful to have met Emre our first day in Istanbul, his food and exploration recommendations literally shaped the rest of our itinerary and showed us the local side of Istanbul! Emre introduced us to authentic Turkish food at places we would never know existed. We had a lot of fun walking around, we learned so much history which only someone who grew up there could share with us. Emre is also incredible with sharing more local food recommendations and places to buy your favourite souvenirs (more affordably). Emre, The Gift That Keeps on Giving

Unknown

(About local Emre)

18 February 2025

كانت تجربة الأكل مع امرى في إسطنبول رائعة جدًا! خدنا في أماكن مميزة جدًا، بعضها ما كناش هنكتشفه لوحدنا. الأكل كان لذيذ جدًا ومتنوّع، جرّبنا أكلات تقليدية وطعمها كان فوق التوقعات. غير الأكل، الرحلة كانت كمان درس في التاريخ، كل مكان زرناه كان ليه قصة وحكاية بتخلينا نقدّر الأكل والثقافة أكتر. بصراحة، أنصح أي حد بيحب الأكل والتاريخ إنه يجرب الجولة دي، تجربة تستاهل كل لحظة!A great Adventure

pennymorriss

(About local Emre)

9 February 2025

Emre is the perfect host for a tasting tour. We learned so much from him, and his love for the city comes through in the stories he shared - I feel as though I know much more about the history and character of the neighbourhoods we walked through than I would have learned otherwise. All the tastings and stops were thoughtful and both my teenage daughter and myself enjoyed every bite and sip. We also have a long shopping list of treats to go shopping for to bring back for family at home. Lovely afternoon and highly recommend. Fun, knowledgable and dekicious tour

Michelle

(About local Ugur)

4 February 2025

Ugur took us to places frequented mainly by locals and with him, they treated us very well. He was very considerate of our picky teenagers, and adapted the tour and food as we went along. Everything was delicious and Ugur explained the various dishes and their preparation. He also answered our questions and sent us recommendations on things we were interested in afterwards. I only wish we had booked more tours with him.Unique experience

John

(About local Emre)

1 February 2025

What a great way to spend an afternoon! Emre clearly loves sharing Istanbul with new friends. He not only introduced us to some of the most yummy and historic eateries and shops in Beyoğlu, he also shared many other interesting cultural and personal highlights that helped us get beneath the surface layer of the city. Emre is super personable, it was like spending the day with an old friend. Eat, walk and chat your way around Beyoglu

Katalin🇫🇷 France

(About local Gülce)

31 January 2025

The food tour with Gülce was very nice! She took us to many traditional street food spots, often historic in their own right, and gave some nice background info for each place and dish. We had a good time trying so many different well seasoned and tasty foods, thank you!Beautiful tour with delicious local food!

Mailin

(About local Faruk )

29 January 2025

thesealeys

(About local Emre)

21 January 2025

Emre was excellent. He took us to at least 10 places, we tried cheeses, kebabs, Turkish Delight, and so many other great things. Emre had so much information about the food and also the history of Istanbul and Turkey. We chatted about everything under the sun! One of us wanted to see bookstores and Emre managed to find several for us along the route.Fantastic tasty informative tour

Tim🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Emre)

20 January 2025

Unsere Food Tour mit Emre war ein Highlight unseres Istanbul-Besuchs! Wir probierten eine Vielzahl köstlicher Gerichte und lernten gleichzeitig viel über die Kultur und Geschichte der Stadt. Das absolute Highlight für mich: der Adana-Wrap bei Dürümzade – ich träume heute noch davon! Wer Istanbul kulinarisch (aber auch geschichtlich) entdecken möchte, sollte diese Tour nicht verpassen!Eine wundervolle Tour!

Viktoria

(About local Emre)

11 January 2025

Sehr gute kulinarische aber auch historische Tour. Man lernt nicht nur die Geschichte des Essens sondern sehr viel über Istanbul selbst. Emre weiss viel, spricht super Deutsch und hat uns in viele kleine, lokale Restaurants geführt die nicht sofort entdeckbar sind aber dennoch super Essen hatte , was ich geschätzt habe.Food & History

Tony🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Emre)

3 January 2025

We have had a fantastic food tour with Emre. It was well planned and informative, showing us different areas of Istanbul and a variety of food all of which we intend to revisit. Would highly recommend this trip. Definitely worth it if you are visiting Istanbul. Excellent Food Tour

Jason🇺🇸 United States

(About local Emre)

2 January 2025

Emre is so much more than a food tour guide. He is passionate about his country, culture, and cuisine. The food selections were 10/10. We were so happy and soooo full. Emre just oozed information about what we were seeing and experiencing as we walked through Istanbul neighborhoods. Literally EVERYONE knew him. We couldn't turn a corner without someone acknowledging him. We talked about everything from food to architecture to history to politics. Best tour we have ever taken. Emre, the unofficial mayor of Instanbul