Turkey Food & Wine Tours
Turkey is one of the world’s great food cultures — the kebabs, meze and rakı of Istanbul, Bosphorus fish sandwiches and Spice-Bazaar tastings, the vast Turkish breakfast, baklava and künefe, strong tea and coffee, and the cave-country wines of Cappadocia. This is our Turkey hub. Choose a destination below, compare the top-rated food experiences, and read our notes.
Top-rated food and wine experiences in Turkey
Where to go: Istanbul for food tours, cooking classes and street food across two continents; Cappadocia for cave restaurants and Anatolian wine; Izmir for the Aegean table and Ephesus.
What to taste: döner, Adana and İskender kebab, meze with rakı, balık ekmek, simit, menemen and a full Turkish breakfast, lahmacun and pide, baklava, künefe and lokum — with çay and Turkish coffee.
The food
Turkish food is one of the world’s richest traditions, sitting where the Mediterranean, the Balkans, the Caucasus and the Middle East meet. The kebab is only the start — döner shaved from the spit, spicy Adana, İskender over bread and yoghurt — alongside meze tables of aubergine, yoghurt and seafood, lahmacun and pide (Turkish flatbreads), köfte, and the great Turkish breakfast (kahvaltı) of cheeses, olives, eggs, honey and endless tea. Street food is a national art: simit, balık ekmek (grilled-fish sandwiches), midye dolma (stuffed mussels) and roasted chestnuts.
What to drink
The national aperitif is rakı, the anise spirit drunk with meze and water; çay (black tea) and thick Turkish coffee punctuate the day. And yes — Turkey makes wine, from indigenous grapes like Öküzgözü, Boğazkere and Kalecik Karası, with the volcanic vineyards of Cappadocia the most visitable.
Where to go
Istanbul is the food capital — markets, meze and street food spanning Europe and Asia. Cappadocia pairs its fairy-chimney landscape with cave restaurants, the slow-cooked testi kebabı and Anatolian wine. Izmir and the Aegean coast bring lighter, olive-oil-rich cooking and the ruins of Ephesus.
FAQ about Turkey Food & Wine Tours
Frequently asked questions
Why Turkey for food?
Because it sits at the crossroads of the Mediterranean, Middle East and Central Asia, giving one of the world's deepest cuisines — kebabs and meze, an epic breakfast, world-class street food, and its own wines — at very good value.
What food is Turkey famous for?
Kebabs (döner, Adana, İskender), meze with rakı, lahmacun and pide, köfte, the Turkish breakfast, balık ekmek fish sandwiches, and sweets like baklava, künefe and Turkish delight.
Which city is best for food in Turkey?
Istanbul, by a distance — its markets, meze culture and street food span two continents. Cappadocia adds cave dining and wine; Izmir the lighter Aegean table.
Does Turkey make wine?
Yes — from native grapes such as Öküzgözü, Boğazkere and Kalecik Karası. Cappadocia is the most visitable wine region, with cellars you can tour and taste.