Shop, Cook, Feast: A Hands-On Culinary Adventure
About this activity
Highlights
- Learn how to prepare iconic, delicious Turkish dishes
- Market visit to shop for ingredients
- Authentic, hands-on experience in a local home
Full description
Back at the kitchen, we’ll teach you how to cook six of our favorite Turkish recipes from all over Turkey in our Istanbul cooking class – dishes like Circassian chicken, stuffed eggplant from southeastern Turkey, Aegean-style mincemeat pastries and more. Once lunch is ready, we’ll open a bottle of raki, the traditional liquor of Turkey, and celebrate the food that we’ve prepared. For a sweet finale, we’ll enjoy a pumpkin dessert laced with tahini and walnuts and some revitalizing Turkish coffee.
Included / Excluded
- Guided tour through Plaka and Anafiotika neighborhoods
- Tastings of traditional Greek dishes and local specialties
- Wine tasting featuring small Greek producers
- Transportation to and from the meeting point
Meeting point
Start Location
Kurtuluş, 19 Mayıs, Şişli/İstanbul, Türkiye
Important information
Know before you book
- The tour is conducted in English; proficiency is recommended.
- Some stops may not be suitable for individuals with mobility impairments due to stairs and uneven terrain.
- The tour operates rain or shine; dress appropriately for the weather conditions.
Know before you go
- Wear comfortable walking shoes for the cobblestone streets.
- Bring a light jacket or sweater as evenings can be cool.
- Ensure you have a valid ID if you plan to participate in wine tasting.
Cancellation policy
More than one week before the beginning of the activity: 90% Refund Less than one week before the beginning of the activity: 50% Refund Less than 72 hours before the beginning of the activity or no-show: No Refund
Reviews
The tour was awesome and we highly recommend. We were expecting a larger group but were excited to show up to a private tour with Kasumi. She made the tour very personal and did an excellent job making the tour feel casual while teaching us lots of new things. She had the cultural knowledge and also mentioned that she continues to learn every time she takes a new group around. Some of the restaurants and shops we stopped at had lovely owners and workers, who were willing to teach us and share their knowledge happily. It was a good mix of foods and Kasumi made sure we were well hydrated and had plenty of time to rest on a hot day. We had a great day and we highly recommend it!
We thoroughly enjoyed our tour with Ken. He is an interested and interesting tour guide and it was a wonderful well-paced day. This was our second time doing this tour in Tokyo. No regrets, worth every cent. Culinary Backstreets Tours are the best food tours we have done everywhere in the world.
We really enjoyed our tour with Dennis, great food and conversation! It was a great introduction to Tokyo and we really appreciated all his helpful tips for navigating the city