Travel video guide
Mark Wiens in İstanbul: 8 Spots From the Video
This guide turns Istanbul Street Food!! 🇹🇷 ULTIMATE TURKISH FOOD You Must-Try in Istanbul, Türkiye! from Mark Wiens into a practical restaurant map with 8 saved spots around Fatih, Beyoğlu, and Beşiktaş. The mapped places include a restaurant stop and a bagel shop. Use it to understand the places, dishes, and trip context before saving the map in Varedelo.
What the creator captured
Mark Wiens was particularly impressed by the traditional wood-fired baking process of simit, noting the incredible aroma of toasted sesame and the bread's unique dense texture. He also marveled at the rhythmic kneading skills of the cig kofte street vendor, describing the final spicy, herbal wrap as an incredibly refreshing and complex flavor experience.
What this map is good for
- Planning a restaurant stop or short itinerary in Fatih.
- Comparing food stops from a creator or saved local map before you commit time in the city.
- Saving 8 mapped spots into Varedelo so the list stays usable on the ground.
- Using the original video as context, then turning it into a clean place-by-place map.
Featured spots on this map
- TEKRARTEKRARR KUYMAKLI KÖFTE
Restaurant in Dikilitaş, EMİRHAN CADDESİ BESTEKAR SOKAK 4 /B, Emirhan caddesi üzerinde, Dikilitaş, 34349 Beşiktaş/İstanbul, Türkiye, Beşiktaş, İstanbul, Türkiye
Hours: Hours available - Beşaltı Kirvem Tantuni & Künefe
Restaurant in Kemankeş Karamustafa Paşa, Mumhane Cd. No:37, 34425 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye, Kemankeş Karamustafa Paşa, Beyoğlu, İstanbul, Türkiye
Hours: Hours available - Dürümcü Raif Usta
Turkish Restaurant in Molla Fenari, Küçük Yıldızhanı Sk. No:6, 34120 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye, Molla Fenari, Fatih, İstanbul, Türkiye
Price level: Medium
Hours: Hours available - Çiğ Köfteci Seyfettin Usta
Turkish Restaurant in Zeyrek, İtfaiye Cd. No:15, 34083 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye, Zeyrek, Fatih, İstanbul, Türkiye
Hours: Hours available - Tarihi Eminönü Derya Balıkçısı 1945
Fast Food Restaurant in Rüstem Paşa Mah. Ragıp Gümüşpala Cad, Turyol İskelesi arası, Rüstem Paşa, Galata Köprüsü No:2/3, 34116 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye, Rüstem Paşa, Fatih, İstanbul, Türkiye
Price level: Medium
Hours: Hours available - İstanbul Sokak Pilavcısı
Turkish Restaurant in Fevzi Çakmak, Serin Sk. No :3, 34899 Pendik/İstanbul, Türkiye, Fevzi Çakmak, Pendik, İstanbul, Türkiye
Hours: Hours available - Galata Simit Shop
Bagel Shop in Kemankeş Karamustafa Paşa, Mumhane Cd. 47/A, 34425 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye, Kemankeş Karamustafa Paşa, Beyoğlu, İstanbul, Türkiye
Price level: Cheap
Hours: Hours available - Midyeci Erkan
Restaurant in Cihannüma, Akmaz Çeşme Sk. No:2 D:12, 34353 Beşiktaş/İstanbul, Türkiye, Cihannüma, Beşiktaş, İstanbul, Türkiye
Hours: Hours available
Food notes from the video
- simit
- mini simit
- Turkish tea
- cream cheese
- tahini with grape molasses
- cig kofte with walnuts
- cig kofte with meat
- lettuce wrap with lemon juice
Experiences captured
- toured Fener neighborhood with local guide
- visited a traditional brick oven bakery
- watched simit being baked in wood-fire oven
- met a legendary local tea master
- observed traditional dough kneading techniques
- visited a street food cart for cig kofte
- explored historical Christian community areas
Planning notes for Istanbul
Istanbul is a transcontinental city located on the Bosphorus Strait, separating Europe and Asia. Its documented history begins with the Greek colony of Byzantium, established around 667 BCE. In 330 CE, it became the capital of the Roman Empire under Constantine the Great and was renamed Constantinople. It later served as the capital of the Byzantine Empire until 1453, when it was conquered by the Ottoman Empire under Sultan Mehmed II. The city remained the Ottoman capital until 1923.
Must-try foods nearby
- Cağ Kebabı
Widely considered the 'king' of kebabs by locals, this Erzurum-origin dish consists of lamb marinated with onions, salt, and black pepper. - Balık Dürüm
While the classic 'Balık Ekmek' (fish sandwich) is iconic, the trending 2026 favorite is the Balık Dürüm found in Karaköy. - Mantı
Often called Turkish ravioli, these are tiny, handmade dough squares filled with spiced ground meat. - Hünkar Beğendi
A classic of Ottoman palace cuisine, the 'Sultan's Delight' features tender cubes of slow-cooked lamb served over a smoky. - Midye Dolma
A quintessential Istanbul street snack, these are mussels stuffed with aromatic rice, pine nuts, and currants, seasoned with cinnamon and black pepper.
When to go: The best time to visit Istanbul is during the shoulder seasons of spring (April to May) and autumn (September to October).
Local tips
- Purchase an Istanbulkart at transit hubs to pay for all public transportation, including ferries, buses, and trams.
- When dining, it is customary to leave a cash tip of approximately ten percent, as adding gratuity to credit card payments is often not possible.
- Always check that the taxi meter is running or use a ride-hailing app like BiTaksi to ensure fair pricing and route transparency.
- Remove your shoes before entering a private home and accept offered tea or coffee as a sign of respect for local hospitality.
What travelers are noticing
- Tersane Istanbul: The ongoing transformation of the historic Ottoman shipyards into a massive waterfront lifestyle hub with luxury residences, museums, and retail spaces along the Golden Horn.
- CEV EuroVolley Women 2026: Istanbul will host the final stage of the European Volleyball Championship at the Sinan Erdem Dome, a major international sports highlight for the summer.
- Digital Art and Electronic Music Festival: A new city-wide debut launching in August 2026 that integrates AI, live software performances, and interactive visual installations.
Extra place context
- Galata Simitçisi
A legendary wood-fired bakery in Karaköy that has been producing Istanbul's most iconic simit for decades. Known for its traditional pekmez-dipped, sesame-crusted rings, this spot is the gold standard for locals seeking a crunchy.
food
Official tourism resource
The official tourism portal for Istanbul, providing comprehensive guides to the historic Fatih district, including its Byzantine and Ottoman landmarks.
Planning questions
Where did Mark Wiens eat in İstanbul?
This guide maps all 8 spots featured in the video, with names, addresses, and neighborhoods, so you can plan where to eat in İstanbul.
What are the must-try foods in İstanbul?
Creator picks from the video include simit, mini simit, Turkish tea, cream cheese. Open the map in Varedelo to see which spot each one is at.
Can I save these spots to use on my trip?
Yes. Open the map in Varedelo to save every spot, get directions, and revisit the guide from your phone while you travel.
Use it on your trip
Save this restaurant map before you go
Keep the mapped spots, creator context, food notes, and planning details together. Varedelo turns the page into a phone-friendly map you can revisit when you are choosing where to go.