Culinary Backstreets Istanbul

Culinary Backstreets began in Istanbul in 2009 as Istanbul Eats, a guide to the city's neighbourhood eateries, and it was one of the first companies anywhere to build food walks around small, family-run places rather than restaurants on the tourist trail. It has since expanded to other cities, but Istanbul remains its home, and its walks are designed to show how the city really eats.

The signature Istanbul walk is Two Markets, Two Continents. It begins at the historic Perşembe Pazarı market in Karaköy on the European side with a seasonal breakfast, continues with tea in an Ottoman-era caravanserai, then crosses the Bosphorus on a public ferry to Kadıköy on the Asian side. There, the walk works through the market streets with stops for Turkish coffee, Mersin-style tantuni, lahmacun and Aegean-style meze, and ends with something sweet in the Moda area. Across the day there are around nine to twelve stops at small eateries.

The tour runs Monday to Saturday from 09:30 and lasts about six and a half hours, with several hours of walking broken up by the food stops. Groups are small, from two to seven guests, which makes it easy to talk to the guide and the people running each stop. The price includes the guide and all food eaten during the walk, plus the ferry crossing; alcoholic drinks, transport to the meeting point and tips are not included.

Some, but not all, stops can be adapted for vegetarians, and gluten-free diets can be accommodated with at least 48 hours' notice by email, but vegan diets cannot be catered for on this walk, and no pork is served. Vegetarians and vegans are pointed towards the company's Hidden Beyoğlu walk instead. Come hungry, wear comfortable shoes and pace yourself, as the portions add up over the day.

The walk suits food lovers, curious travellers and anyone wanting to understand Istanbul beyond its monuments, and it is a good way to see Kadıköy for the first time. Book well ahead, especially in spring and autumn, as small groups fill quickly. Bookings and questions go through the company's website and its email address, [email protected].