Ultimate Istanbul Food Tour: Best Turkish Street Food | Epic Food Journeys with Mark Wiens | Nat Geo

[Mark] I'm in Istanbul. A city that's always been a crossroads for travelers, trade, and most importantly, food. Oh! Mmm. Everywhere you look, there's something delicious to eat. Oh, look at that. That hits the spot. I have 24 hours to discover how food traditions are still thriving in a modern, fast-paced city. From ancient bazaars to street food... [laughter] So good. ...we're gonna taste the best Turkish dishes around the clock. ♪ ♪ Istanbul, Turkiye. It's beautiful, fascinating, magical. Rising from the banks of the Bosporus Strait, this is one of the only cities on Earth that sits in two continents: Europe and Asia. For centuries, it was an essential stop along the Silk Road. Merchants from around the world passed through, leaving their mark deep within the city's architecture, society, and most importantly, food, where ingredients from across continents merged to create one of the most unique food cultures on Earth. Good morning from Istanbul. And we're starting with a breakfast that's not only a meal, but a celebration. Çakmak all began with their legendary kaymak. Thick, velvety cream that's like the best butter and cream you've ever had all in one. In 2002, they opened this little breakfast restaurant in Besiktas, and it didn't just get popular, it kicked off an entire breakfast street in the neighborhood. Cold dishes come first-- olives, fried Turkish doughnuts, vegetables, jams, and a salad topped with goat cheese fermented in its own skin. Yeah, just imagine, there's almost a dozen different things on the table already, but this is only the start of Turkish breakfast. I'll start with this salad, one of their specialties, cucumbers, tomatoes, and a crumble of goat cheese, which was preserved in a cave. Now that's a cool cheese. Mmm. Mmm. The contrast, the olive oil, there's like a sweetness to it as well, maybe pomegranate molasses. Now another one of the specialties here is called pisi, which is this fried dough. Kind of like a doughnut, but it's really puffy, it's really airy, and actually really light, but you can see how crispy that is. Oh, yeah. Oh, look at that interior. It's like a pillow of fried dough. Grab some of this, and then I am extremely excited to try the kaymak. It's a water buffalo cream in honey. That looks so rich, so buttery. Mmm. Oh, wow. That just melts in your mouth, it's so incredibly creamy. It's not sweet, it's not salty, you just taste the pureness of that buffalo cream. I think we can actually just scoop in with the honey to give it another dimension. Oh. You taste the herbs, it has a floral, sweet aroma to it as well. But that's not all. Hot dishes incoming. Menemen: eggs scrambled with tomato sauce, peppers, and butter, lots of butter. Preserved veal simmered in, yes, lots of butter with fried eggs. And mihlama, three types of cheese, melted with butter, and a little cornmeal to hold it together. Copious amounts of butter, cheese and eggs. Yes, please! Oh! Looks like a cheese you just wanna be playing with. Just let it waterfall cascade down. It's like a never-ending strand of cheese. It's almost like a cheese dough. But I think there's a little bit of flour in there to thicken it. So it has this, like, extreme cheesiness, but it's not overpowering. It's rich. It's creamy. A cheese lover's dream right there. This one is another specialty with preserved veal, then cooked down with eggs and butter of course. Yeah, that is rich, has that extra intensity of flavor from being preserved, and probably in its own fat. An egg of dreams right there. And then finally we have the menemen, which is another very popular Turkish egg dish for breakfast. It's almost like an egg sauce that you can use to scoop in with bread. The green peppers in there, the onions, and I love that acidity of the tomato, creating that, like a slurry of an egg that perfectly coats that bread. Turkish breakfast, it's an opportunity to try a huge variety of different dishes from around Turkiye, all in one meal. Turkish food is known for its incredible meat, but few things are as recognizable around the world as what I'm on my way to eat next. Started in 1973 by two brothers, Karadeniz Doner is still family-run and highly regarded for serving some of the best doner kebab in Istanbul. Behold, one of the great meat experiences on Earth, the Turkish doner kebab. It's huge, 200 kilos of beef rearranged onto a vertical spit. And you can see, as it cooks, with that fire on the side, it caramelizes, it crispifies on that side, and he just saws it off into paper-thin slices with the crispy bits. And as he cuts that, you see the juice is just squirting out. The meat juice is at an all-time high. It's an infinite layering of meat, and that goes directly into the sandwich, with some tomatoes, with some pickles, with some peppers. I guarantee, you absolutely won't be able to resist when you're in Istanbul. Oh, oh! That's so good. It is so juicy, it's crispy, that is heavenly meat [Mark] Tesekkur. [Vendor] Thank you. [Mark] Oh, oh, look at that. The hot, fresh baked bread, the freshly sliced doner, all that meat, just an open face. He loaded it up, tomatoes, onions. There's parsley in here, peppers, pickles. Oh, and look at that meat, just glistening. You can see the oiliness, the fat dripping down, melting into the meat, hydrating it to perfection. Can't wait any longer. Oh, wow! This is the absolute taste of Istanbul. Split by the Bosporus, Istanbul is one of the only in both Europe and Asia. And after two epic meals in Europe, I'm heading to Asia for lunch. Welcome to the Asian side of Istanbul. And if you love to eat cheese, the next dish that I'm gonna eat is for you. Say hello to pide, flatbread topped with cheese, butter, and eggs, melted into a molten pool that you'll want to jump into headfirst. Tear off some crust, get into that runny yolk, and prepare for happiness. If you think you don't like the crust, think again when it comes to pide. That's one of the best parts, because it's crispy and buttery and submerged in yolk. If you love cheese and butter, this is a dream come true. Back in Europe, and I'm kind of hungry again. Next up, I'm on a very popular food street right in the heart of Istanbul, and it is the peak of lunch rush. Kadirgali isn't just a Turkish family restaurant; it's a shrine to comfort food. Their special kebab is what will probably draw you in. But it's their beans, yes, their beans, that might change your life. Okay, we have the special "flirty" kebabs. Let's come back for that. First, let's dig into the, what's called kuru fasulye. It's a dish of white beans, and it looks like there's some meat as well in there, served with rice. I'll first take some of the beans. I'm excited to try this. I'll put this onto the rice, eat it together. The texture of those beans, the creaminess is unbelievable. The flavor is embedded to every part of that bean, all the way through. They're flavorful, they're nutritious, and most importantly, absolutely delicious and comforting, and one of the national dishes of Turkiye. And now let's try one of their signature dishes which is called the cilveli kebab, which translates to "flirty kebab," a combination of beef and lamb, served with roasted peppers, onions and sumac, yogurt. I'm gonna take one of these, take some of the bread, the lavash, a piece of the kabab. You can feel that texture in the spoon even. Put it here, we'll take a little bit of everything. That. We'll take some of the onions. Cool. The yogurt. Put it all together. Then wrap it. That's sensational. Oh, and you taste the flavor of melted butter on there, too. Paired with the smokiness of the meat, the lamb fat. And then you've got the crunch of the onions, that sourness from the sumac. And that yogurt is unbelievably creamy and rich. All together, wrapped up in the thin lavash bread. Incredibly tasty. That meal was delicious. And did I mention how much I love beans? In this city, take a cab to a different neighborhood and everything changes-- the crowd, the vibe, the food. We've had some huge meals already, and there's a lot of food still coming, but next up I'm on my way to eat something that might be the most flavorful of them all. And this guy is a master of his craft serving cig kofte, a combination of bulgur wheat, tomato paste, red chilies, and spices, and tossed around like a basketball. Oh, hello! [Vendor] Hello. [Mark] You step into his street food cabinet, and this aroma of the chilis just overwhelms you. Oh, getting showered in herbs. Oh, with the fingerprint inside, yes. Oh. Thank you. [Vendor] Thank you very much. [Mark] Okay, let's try it! Wow. So many flavors going on. The bulgur, the tomato paste, the chili paste, variety of peppers. There's just so many flavors and it's just an incredible combination of ingredients. Oh, more! It's never-ending herbs. Full bouquet of vegetables and herbs and lemons to finish it off. Wow, that is beautiful, delicious, and nutritious. [laughs] Mmm! Unbelievable. One of the best things you can eat in Turkiye, in Istanbul. Thank you. [Mark] Established in 1461, the Grand Bazaar is a living symbol of Istanbul's history as a trade capital. Often called the world's original covered shopping mall, it spans over 30,000 square meters with over 60 lanes and more than 4,000 shops where you can buy everything from carpets to spices to Turkish delight. The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is fascinating, and every time you visit, you'll discover something new. But I've been walking around for a while now. I'm in need of some caffeine. There are few beverages on Earth with a richer story than coffee, originating in Ethiopia, traded around the world, loved by just about everyone, myself included. And so it's only fitting that we've stopped within the Grand Bazaar to enjoy a Turkish style coffee that was probably passing through this bazaar hundreds of years ago. Brewed in a traditional Turkish cezve, water is combined with finely ground coffee and boiled in a tray of sand over a stove, providing an even surrounding source of heat. Hot and fresh Turkish coffee that's dark, that is thick. Ah. Yeah. It's good. A bit of acidity, has this dark, rich, chocolatey, smoky, toasted, aromatic flavor to it. When you need a boost of energy, don't miss Turkish coffee. Coffee break was a nice little rest, but I'm hungry again. And on the outskirts of the Grand Bazaar, you'll find some really local spots. Turkiye, as the country is officially known, is famous for their grilled meats. Now it's time for kebabs. And Istanbul has a special way to serve kebabs to fit the demand of a busy city. Oh, step into Durumcu Mustafa. You feel the heat radiating. That fire is so hot, your face immediately starts to burn, and they have everything grilling over here. The kebabs, ah, there's chicken, there's Adana kebab, which is one of my favorite kebabs on Earth. And then they have this entire center console here, where they're just loading up the sandwiches, the durums, the wraps, on goes lettuce, there's a combination of onions, there's sumac, there's cumin, the spices go on, and then all the freshly grilled meat, the kebabs all go on. And the greatest move is when it comes directly off that insanely hot grill and you can hear it sizzling. It hisses, it bubbles, fresh and extremely hot from the grill to your mouth in minutes. This is kebab paradise in Istanbul. I can't wait to try it. That was impressive. They are on absolute turbo mode. I've got the Adana kebab, which is lamb mixed with chili and spices, one of my favorite Okay, just take a look inside with the red chili, with the onions, sprinkled with sumac and cumin at turbo speed. Because they cook it at such a hot fire, the fat gets crispy, leaving the meat on the inside juicy. Everything you could want for a delicious meal on the go It's a beautiful evening, and there's another meal that you have to eat And I'm on my way to meet my friend for dinner. [Ebru] Hey! [Mark] Hi, Ebru. [Ebru] Mark! [Mark] Turkish food writer and TV host, Ebru invited me to eat at one of her favorite seafood restaurants in Istanbul. Oh, as soon as you sit down. [Ebru] A big tray. [Mark] Yes! It's a mountain. [Ebru] It's also very tradition to serve it like this. [Mark] The variety doesn't stop. It's a never-ending party. Cold mezes at a Turkish seafood restaurant is a full culinary experience on its own. [Ebru] All served cold. [Mark] So you would start your meal with a variety of the cold. [Ebru] And then the hot starters and then the main dish. [Mark] Okay. Excellent. [Ebru] But there's a drink that we have to drink at the fish table. [Server] Turkish raki. [Mark] Oh, I can smell it already, the anise seed, the aroma, yes. Raki, Turkiye's traditional anise-flavored spirit. Adding water softens the strength and brings out the flavor. [Ebru] Yes. [Mark] Okay. [Ebru] Serefe. [Mark] Serefe. Ah. Oh, yeah, that's great. [Ebru] You like it? [Mark] The flavor of the anise seed. It's like a really nice, like, sweetness as well, and strong. [Ebru] Yes. Yes. [Mark] What should we start with? [Ebru] So maybe you can start with the vegetable. [Mark] Ebru has picked out charred eggplant, sea beans tossed in olive oil and garlic, slow-cooked octopus, mashed fava beans, Turkish shakshuka with yogurt and tomato sauce, and string beans braised in olive oil. Okay. I'll start with those, those beans. Whoa. The condensed flavor of olive oil. They're really soft. You taste the flavor of the onion as well. [Mark] So good. And I'll move into some of the roasted eggplant. [Ebru] Mmm. This is one of my favorites. [Mark] Me too. As you keep on chewing, you taste the flavor of the garlic and the, maybe lemon juice, a little bit of acidity, but not too strong. And then I'm really excited to try the sea beans. You can see almost like a string. [Ebru] Mm-hm. [Mark] Mmm. Kind of just melts in your mouth and a really nice sourness, acidity to it. That is delicious. I'm gonna try the eggplant with the yogurt and then this is called shakshuka in Turkiye. [Ebru] It's shakshuka. We love the mezes with yogurt. [Mark] Yeah. [Ebru] We use yogurt everywhere. Sometimes we put it in the soups and we eat it plain, of course. [Mark] Yes, and it's so good. And that is amazing with that smoky roasted eggplant, with that garlicky yogurt and that tomato sauce, to just give it enough acidity. [Ebru] Something more is coming. [Server] Some fried calamari. [Mark] Oh, wow. [Ebru] And Mark, this is a must, fried calamari. [Mark] Oh! [Ebru] Look at this. [Mark] Oh, that's amazing. [Ebru] Butter. [Mark] I can smell that butter. [Mark] All that is on fire, and it looks delicious. Here we go. The tarator sauce? And that tarator sauce is delicious, with the garlic, with the sour yogurt, that's good. The tenderness, the crispiness. [Ebru] Yes. Thank you. [Mark] Thank you, thank you, oh, thank you very much. [Ebru] Big slices. [Mark] Yeah, nice bread. [Ebru] And we cannot eat it without the bread. [Mark] Okay, yeah, you dip in with all that butter, you need bread to soak it up. Let's go. Oh, with all that butter down there. [Ebru] But be careful, it's very hot. [Mark] Maybe, oh, and you see pieces of garlic as well. It's still butter on fire. Mm! Oh. But that butter infused with the thyme, infused with the garlic, and the flavor, the essence of that shrimp. Heaven for vegetarians and heaven for meat lovers. [Ebru] Yeah. [Mark] And seafood lovers. [Ebru] All, all the... [Mark] Everything, there's something for everyone here. [Mark] And now for the main course, grilled black sea salmon kebabs and the restaurant's signature dish, deep-fried John Dory served with an outrageously good smelling garlic olive oil. [Ebru] It's better to start from this. [Ebru] Because you feel how this is smelling. [Mark] Yes. [Ebru] It's very strong and very delicious, so let's start from this one. [Mark] Oh, that's beautiful. [Ebru laughs] Just melts in your mouth like a butter. The oily juices, it's flavorful, it's phenomenal. And then on for the John Dory? I'll give you a piece. [Ebru] Thank you. You know, it's also the deep fried. We eat it with that buttery sauce with garlic. [Mark] That smells incredible, immediately as you set this down on our table. [Ebru] Yes! [Mark] You can smell the aroma of the garlic. Ah! [Ebru] This is really my favorite. [laughs] [Mark] Okay, yeah, that takes the crown. That is so pure, so fresh, crispy on the outside. The actual fish on the inside, it just melts in your mouth. Everything has been incredible. Yeah, the John Dory is something you can't miss. [Ebru] And serefe. The night's alive, the streets are buzzing in Istanbul, and I'm on my way to eat a very popular street food. Fastened with strings of lamb intestines and dripping with melted fat, hissing over the fire is kokorec. It's overflowing with intestines. Say hello to kokorec, one of the great night street foods in Istanbul. You'll find kokorec all over, and you can smell it before you see it. It's actually quite a process, because first it's grilled on this upright vertical grill, and all the juices drip down and embed within itself. But then when he makes your sandwich, he takes that entire sausage organ formation. He slices off a few pieces. He puts it back under the grill. He recooks it again, so it accumulates more smokiness and gets crispier. It's just overflowing with lamb fat and lamb intestines. This is something you'll dream about in Istanbul. That is amazing. That jiggly lamb fat paired with the crispy lamb intestines that have been slow cooked and then heated on that hot fire, just embeds with the smokiness and this intense lamb-ness flavor with just that seasoning, that salt, that is something extraordinary. But I do want to add one of these pickled chilies. Stick it right in. There's a lot of sights and sounds and flavors late night in Istanbul. The kokorec was delicious, but next up I'm gonna meet up with a local legend to try one of the greatest of all time Turkish street snacks. If there's one person on Earth who lives and breathes mussels, no, not the biceps kind, but the delicious shellfish, it's this man, Ahmet, who has built an entire empire from his famous stuffed mussels. Ahmet, better known as the Lord of Mussels. A whole tray, all the aromas coming out. Look at that seasoning. Oh, there's rice inside. A squeeze of lemon. That mussel is fully loaded. The combination of that rice melts in your mouth with the mussel. Ahmet, what is the seasoning on this one? [Mark] Oh, that's incredible. Oh, thank you, Ahmet. Oh, look. And you see the chili just oozing out with the rice stuffed into the mussel, with that squeeze of lemon. Oh, with a little more of that chili sauce on top. Oh, just to give it, bump it up with flavor. [horns honking] That entire mussel melts in your mouth with the rice, with just enough chili sauce to bump up the heat level. That is incredible. I'll try the fried ones as well. Fried muscles, oh, hot, fresh. Just enough batter coating it so they're crispy and you taste the quality of his mussels as well. Oh, there's a sauce, too. [Ahmet] Garlic sauce. Oh, nice. Like some mussels can be chewy, but these just melt in your mouth. Oh, yeah, oh, with the garlic. You could snack on that all night long. Now, you have to teach me how to open it myself. [Ahmet] Okay. So, you grab one of the... [Ahmet] This is... [Mark] Grab a mussel, let's do it together. [Ahmet] Not here. This is wrong way. [Ahmet] This is right way. [Mark] Oh, from the flat side. [Ahmet] Yeah. [Mark] From the flat side? [Ahmet] Like this. [Mark] Open. [Mark] Oh. There's a technique and a strategy. Slide it off, oh, scoot it out. Oh, and they're hot, too. Look at that steam coming off of it. Scoot it forward. Squeeze, squeeze of lemon. [Ahmet] Thank you. Thank you so much. [Mark] Yes, squeeze of lemon. That just gives it such an incredible acidity. That flavor, that aroma. Unbelievable. Mmm. Slide it off like a cap. [Mark] I love to eat. I love your mussels. [Ahmet] Enjoy, enjoy, brother. [Mark] At the intersection of East and West, there are few cities on Earth that can compare to Istanbul's rich history. But what grabs me isn't just the monuments or the architecture, it's how ancient traditions still thrive in the midst of a modern city. And eating is at the core of the culture. For Turkish people, food is a sense of pride. It's joy, it's life. Good night from Istanbul. See you on the next episode. [mumbling] Watch epic footage with me, Mark Wiens, on Nat Geo. Oh! [laughing]