Traditional Home Cooking with a Local in İstanbul City Center
50 reviews
Experience hosted at home by
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4 Hours
English, Turkish
If you’re looking for things to do in Istanbul that let you experience the city like a local, this home cooking experience is the perfect way to connect with Turkish culture through food. We’ll start by exploring the colorful, historic markets of Kurtuluş, where you’ll see vibrant spice stalls, freshly baked simit at the local bakery, traditional cured meats at the charcuterie, and jars of pickled delicacies. These shops are full of flavors that have shaped Turkish cuisine for centuries, and as we shop together, I’ll share their history and the best ways to use these ingredients in home cooking. 🍲
Once we’ve gathered everything we need, we’ll head to my home kitchen, where we’ll cook side by side just as Turkish families do. We’ll prepare authentic dishes like dolma, börek, mezes, and traditional soups, learning the small details that make them truly special. As we cook, we’ll chat about Turkish food culture, daily life, and the personal stories behind each dish. 🍴
When everything is ready, we’ll sit down for a homemade feast, enjoying the rich flavors, warm hospitality, and good conversation that make meals in Turkey so special. More than just a class, this is an opportunity to connect, share, and create lasting memories. 💬
If you’re wondering what is best to do in Istanbul, this experience will leave you with a full belly, a full heart, and a deeper appreciation for the city’s flavors and traditions. 🧡
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What do our guests say?
I highly recommend this workshop to anyone looking for authenticity. It was so enjoyable to participate in the cooking, taste the food, and chat about various topics that I felt like I was with a long-time friend.
11.08.25
Murielle
We had a lovely evening with Gulsah. We started our evening exploring neighborhood markets for fruit, vegetables, prepared foods, spices, and baked goods, where she explained the various common foods and ingredients of Turkish cuisine. Gulsah then welcomed us to her home where she showed us how to prepare various food items including a wonderful cold yogurt-based soup, a tomato/cucumber salad, a delicious dish with zucchini and rice, and a meat dish with beef and garlic wrapped in a phyllo dough. She encouraged us all to participate in preparing the meal which made the experience even more fun. The meal itself was delicious but Gulsah's warm hospitality made the experience even more special.
22.08.25
Kristen_D
Dinner in Turkey. The host was gracious, food delicious, and fellowship outstanding. Would highly recommend for a cultural experience.
06.09.25
Mary C
Gulsah was lovely when we met her, took us around her neighbourhood and gave us really good local insight into the area. IF you love cooking like us, and want to take back some spices/unique foodstuffs from your trip, defo waiat until gulsah takes you to the market! Lots of good quality ingredients.
Cooking was fun, and great to learn what traditional home Turkish cooking is like. 5/5 would recommend!
28.08.25
Conor_N