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For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cihangir,Firüzağa Mah,Firuzağa Cami Sk, Cihangir, Defterdar Yokuşu Sok. No:1/A, 34082 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye
View on Google MapsTruly the best of the best, Duygu was such a delightful leader/host, so knowledgeable and we thoroughly enjoyed learning about the neighborhood and Turkish culture and history
The tour was just wonderful. Did this with my partner for Xmas eve and we were joined by another lovely couple. Our tour guide, Esin, is the warmest and most knowledgeable person, passionate about the city, its people and its delicious food. Nice duration, speed and variety of dishes. Very friendly to vegetarians. So worth it and such a great way of trying out different dishes at local’s favourite spots. Couldn’t recommend it enough!
We just returned from the best night out with the best guide ever Esin. There was only one other young couple with us and I think we all enjoyed the tour equally. From the start Esin was full of energy and positivity, telling us about the neighbourhood and its hipster vibe then leading us through the streets as they came to life, feeding us the most amazing food (and lots of it!) stopping at meyhane to enjoy some raki before venturing on to yet more food all the while keeping up a steady stream of conversation not just with ourselves but with all the shopkeepers ahead knew along the way! Even the hardware store guy wasn’t safe from an exuberant hello! We don’t want the night to and and will be telling any friends who come to Istanbul to book this one in! We enjoyed the fact it started at 5pm and wandered into dinner so you had a night out, dinner and good conversation ! Book this one in it will be a highlight of your visit to this awesome city!
$135
per personPricing
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Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller, Service animals allowed, Public transportation options are available nearby, Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
The highlight of our trip!! Dafne was an incredible tour guide, incredibly knowledgeable, interesting and fun. The food was amazing and we went to places we would not have gone to otherwise. Would recommend to anyone
This was our 3rd Culinary Backstreets tour (after Istanbul in 2023 and Mexico City in 2024), and once again it was a highlight of our travels. Defne was an absolutely delightful guide! Warm, engaging, and incredibly knowledgeable. Her English is flawless, and she made a genuine effort to connect with every person on the tour, including our 7 and 10 year old kids, who absolutely adored her. Defne's vivacity and kindness were obvious from the start, as shop owners, waiters, chefs, etc all stop her to say hello as you are walking down the street. It made us feel like we were getting a behind the scenes look at the neighborhood. For first time visitors to Istanbul, I'd still recommend starting with the Culinary Secrets of the Old City tour simply because of its location. But this was a fabulous second tour, and we loved exploring the lively Beyoglu neighborhood at night. Every stop was excellent and we had trouble choosing a favorite food (tahini pastries, pickled vegetables, and kebab were high on the list). We would definitely recommend this tour and Defne in particular!
We met DAFNE at 5 pm in Cihangir and did not leave her company til 10 pm in Pera. We were very lucky that there were just two others who were lovely to meet. It felt like a progressive dinner party as we went to 7 places we would never have known about. Our generous tastes including mezze, alcohol if desired, tea if desired, desserts, main courses, and a 6 th floor (really, 7 th, to those of us from the US, view of the twinkling lights of Sultanahmet. That, alone, was unforgettable. Culinary Backstreets started in Istanbul and has since spread worldwide. I had resisted previously due to the $135 per person price and the 5-hour length of time. Honestly, the time flew by. We also tipped our guide the recommended-for-Istanbul 10%. We got more food than we needed for dinner and experienced places that would otherwise eat up a week of meals. DAFNE was just what I want in a guide. She knows food, culture and history. She welcomes questions on any aspect f life in Turkey. She is well-traveled and curious. It was a pleasure to be in her presence although I am more than twice her age. Do know that Culinary Backstreets has a fair cancellation policy, offers occasional 10% off coupons, and participated in cyber Monday with an even bigger discount. Your food preferences and allergies will be accommodated.
Esin was an exceptional guide. We loved going to the longstanding specialist venues and hearing their stories. Of course the food was delicious and there was so much we couldn’t finish it all. Pointing out the other historic shops was a bonus. The tour was engaging from start to finish and felt very personal. I would do another culinary backstreets tour in a heartbeat!
This was the best food tour I have been on in all my travels. Hands down can't wait to do another one and will suggest to my friends. Huge thanks to our guide Remziye - she was excellent; professional, extremely knowledgeable and so fun to explore Beyoglu with.
We had a great tour visiting a neighborhood we wouldn't likely have ventured to. We also wandered around some backstreets and hit some restaurants that we ended up going back to for a second visit. This was a nice tour to learn about some of the staples of a typical Turkish diet.
Wonderful tour! Our tour guide was delightful and told us so much about local culture and introduced us to new foods and the best of the known cuisine. I highly recommend.
