Travel video guide
Where to Eat in İstanbul and İzmir | Varedelo
This guide turns Best STREET FOOD in Türkiye!! 🇹🇷 49 Turkish Meals - Istanbul to Gaziantep! [Full Documentary] from Mark Wiens into a practical restaurant map with 5 saved spots around Gaziantep, Istanbul, and İzmir. The mapped places include an area marker, a historical landmark, and a restaurant stop. Use it to understand the places, dishes, and trip context before saving the map in Varedelo.
What the creator captured
Mark Wiens began his Turkish food tour in Istanbul, where he was particularly impressed by the richness of water buffalo kaymak and sujuk. He marveled at the buttery texture of the wood-fired simit and the melt-in-the-mouth quality of home-style eggplant dishes at a local lokanta. His journey emphasized the deep cultural importance of tea and the vibrant, high-heat cooking techniques used in traditional Turkish breakfast.
What this map is good for
- Planning a turkish restaurant stop or short itinerary in Gaziantep.
- Comparing food stops from a creator or saved local map before you commit time in the city.
- Saving 5 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.
![Map of 5 spots from Best STREET FOOD in Türkiye!! 🇹🇷 49 Turkish Meals - Istanbul to Gaziantep! [Full Documentary]](https://www.varedelo.com/shared_map_links/map-images/wVglXsmJ_Ro.jpg)
Featured spots on this map
- Istanbul
Area marker in Istanbul, İstanbul, Türkiye, Istanbul, İstanbul, Türkiye - Gaziantep
Area marker in Gaziantep, Türkiye, Gaziantep, Türkiye - Adana Ocakbasi
Turkish Restaurant in Ergenekon caddesi, Telefoncular Sokağı Karşısı, Bozkurt, Baysungur Sk No:2, 34375 Şişli/İstanbul, Türkiye, Bozkurt, Şişli, İstanbul, Türkiye
Price level: Medium
Hours: Hours available - Ephesus Ancient City
Historical Landmark in Atatürk, Efes Harabeleri, 35920 Selçuk/İzmir, Türkiye, Atatürk, Selçuk, İzmir, Türkiye
Hours: Hours available - İzmir
Area marker in İzmir, Türkiye, İzmir, Türkiye
Food notes from the video
- Kaymak (clotted buffalo cream) with honey
- Water buffalo sujuk (sausage)
- Simit (sesame bread)
- Turkish tea
- Karniyarik (stuffed eggplant)
- Beef stew with tomatoes and peppers
- Artichoke heart
- Menemen (scrambled eggs with peppers and tomatoes)
Experiences captured
- Caught a direct flight from Bangkok to Istanbul
- Met culinary guide from Culinary Backstreets
- Visited a traditional brick oven simit bakery
- Met a legendary master tea maker
- Dined at a traditional Tradesmen restaurant (Lokanta)
- Explored the historic Beyoglu neighborhood
- Watched Menemen cooked over a raging fire
Planning notes for Istanbul
Istanbul is a transcontinental city located on the Bosphorus Strait, serving as a geographical link between Europe and Asia. Historically, it functioned as the capital for the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empires. The city’s historical core, much of which is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site, contains structures from various eras, including the 4th-century Roman Hippodrome, the 6th-century Byzantine Hagia Sophia.
Must-try foods nearby
- Cağ Kebabı
Widely trending in 2026 as the 'king of kebabs,' this Erzurum-style delicacy consists of marinated lamb stacked on a horizontal spit and wood-fired. - Balık Dürüm
The modern, more portable evolution of the classic fish sandwich (Balık Ekmek). Freshly grilled mackerel is seasoned with a secret blend of spices. - Hünkar Beğendi
A pinnacle of Ottoman palace cuisine, this 'Sultan’s Delight' features tender, slow-cooked lamb chunks served over a creamy. - Islak Hamburger
The legendary 'Wet Burger' of Taksim Square. These sliders are doused in a garlicky, spiced tomato sauce and kept steaming in a glass humidor, resulting in a soft, pillowy texture. - Midye Dolma
Plump mussels stuffed with aromatic rice, currants, pine nuts, and a heavy dose of black pepper.
When to go: The best time to visit Istanbul is during the shoulder seasons of April to May and September to October, when the weather is mild (15°C–25°C) and the city is ideal for walking. Summer (June–August) is the peak tourist season with hot.
Local tips
- Purchase an Istanbulkart at major transit hubs to access the city's extensive network of ferries, trams, and metros efficiently.
- Always verify that the taxi meter is switched on before starting your journey or use a ride-hailing app like BiTaksi to avoid overcharging.
- When dining, expect a leisurely pace as meals are social events, and it is polite to leave a 5-10% cash tip if a service charge is not already included.
- Accept offers of tea from shopkeepers as a sign of hospitality, even if you do not intend to make a purchase.
What travelers are noticing
- Viral Balık Dürüm (Fish Wrap) stalls in Karaköy, featuring innovative spicy sauces and charred flatbreads.
- Artisanal Midye Dolma (Stuffed Mussels) carts in Beşiktaş, trending for their larger, herb-infused rice fillings.
- International Istanbul Gastronomy Festival 2026, showcasing fusion street food and modern Anatolian techniques.
Planning questions
What is this video map?
It is a crawlable guide to the mapped places from Best STREET FOOD in Türkiye!! 🇹🇷 49 Turkish Meals - Istanbul to Gaziantep! [Full Documentary], with the creator video, a static map preview, and selected spots from the trip.
Can I save these spots?
Yes. Open the map in Varedelo to save the places, keep planning notes, and revisit the guide from your phone.
Does this replace watching the video?
No. The video remains the source, and the map makes the places easier to scan, compare, and save while planning.
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.