Tour operator
Culinary Backstreets Istanbul
The neighbourhood food-tour company that began in Istanbul in 2009 as Istanbul Eats, known for its day-long Two Markets, Two Continents walk.
Cooking Alaturka
A Sultanahmet cookery school and restaurant running hands-on Turkish cooking classes and a weekly market shopping tour that ends with cooking and dinner.
At a glance
- Type
- Cooking class and market tour
- Area
- Sultanahmet, Istanbul, Türkiye
- Official site
- cookingalaturka.com
Good to know
- Small groups (2–8)
- Market shopping tour
- Meal included
Why we recommend it
Cooking Alaturka runs hands-on Turkish cookery classes from its small restaurant on Akbıyık Caddesi, a calm corner of busy Sultanahmet. Participants cook a full menu together — typically a soup, olive-oil vegetable dishes, a main course and a classic dessert, with pide bread — then sit down to eat it with Turkish tea or coffee and a choice of local wine, cherry juice or ayran.
On Wednesdays the Shop Locally Cook Happily tour adds an afternoon of market shopping and tastings of seasonal fruit, olives, cheese, spices and pepper paste before the class, running from 14:30 to 20:30. Groups are small, so reserve well ahead, and let the team know about dietary needs.
Cooking Alaturka FAQs
When does the market tour run?
Shop Locally Cook Happily runs on Wednesdays from 14:30 to 20:30, starting at Sultanahmet Square, for 2–8 people.
What do you cook?
A soup, olive-oil dishes, a main course and a classic dessert, with pide bread, followed by the meal itself.