Istanbul's Best Street Food 🇹🇷
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Published 2021-12-18
My Airbnb host suggested that I try 'kelle' (the meat from a boiled sheep's head) as it's a local delicacy that's been enjoyed in the city for hundreds of years. The best place to try it, she said, was Muammer Usta in the Beyoğlu area which has been in operation since 1890, through 4 generations of the same family.
Muammer Usta's Kelle joint isn't actually a restaurant but a wooden stall out on the street. The stall has glass windows with the sheep skulls on display, so you can see what you are in for.
The skulls are cleaned and boiled in the morning, then refrigerated. It's at the stall at the time of ordering the food that the skulls are cracked open and the meat is carved out. The three cuts of meat are the cheek, the fat behind the eye and the tongue. No brain.
The meat was fatty and delicious. It was seasoned with herbs but lightly enough not to overpower the taste of the meat. It was like eating some high quality meat from a delicatessen.
I was served the meat with a warm, freshly backed baguette so I made myself a kelle sandwich. That made it even more yummy.
I took a recommendation from the staff for a good place to eat kokorec. Kokoreç is a sheep's organs with the intestines wrapped around it. Unfortunately and surprisingly, the place that was recommended, Ozzie's Kokoreç, was reservations only so I had to find another place.
I wandered the streets of Beyoglu for a while and didn't find any Kokoreç. I decided to ask a shoe cleaner and after he brightened up my 3 year old pair of North Face hiking shoes, he took me to Galata Kokoreç, near Galata Tower.
Again, I had my kokoreç as a sandwich, just like I did with the kelle. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it just tasted like a chopped meat sandwich. I couldn't tell I was eating a bunch of organs and intestines.
After that big lunch I went back to my Airbnb apartment to relax and freshen up, only to get back out and continue the food explorations at dinner time.
I went on the hunt for an islak burger. Islak is the Turkish word for wet, so it's a 'wet burger'. It's a famous fast food in Istanbul. It's called wet because the bun is soaked in tomato sauce and it steamed.
I got my islak burger from the same place I've been getting kebabs, Taksim Doner on Taksim Square. The staff there are incredibly friendly so I always look forward to going there.
The wet burger was tasty but a bit light on the meat. It was only 7.50 lira so you can't expect much but I would happily pay a lot more for one with a thicker beef patty.
The bun, soaked in an Italian style tomato sauce, was so soft and delicious. The texture is like one of those Chinese steamed buns.
I ended my day of food exploring with a trip to one of the cheeky, tricky Turkish ice cream men. A happy end to a fun day of stuffing my face in Istanbul.
📍 Sheep' s head
Restaurant name: Beyoğlu Kelle Söğüş Muammer Usta
Address: Hüseyin ağa mahallesi kamer Hatun Caddesi, Balık Sk. No 2, 34435 Beyoğlu/İstanbul
📍 Kokoreç
Restaurant name: Galata Kokorec & Midye
Address: Bereketzade, Yüksek Kaldırım Cd. No:12, 34421 Beyoğlu/İstanbul
📍 Islak Burger
Restaurant name: Taksim Döner
Address: Taksim Square, Istanbul
00:00 Kelle (Sheep's Head)
16:46 Ozzie's Kokoreç
18:19 Orange Juice
19:58 Shoe Cleaner
23:01 Galata Kokoreç
34:34 Lemonade
36:53 Antique Shops
41:34 Islak Burger 1
47:18 Islak Burger 2
49:18 Fresh Ayran
50:43 Turkish Ice Cream
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All Comments (21)
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Which one of these foods are you going for guys? For me the winner is the kelle (sheep's head). Yum yum!
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abi esnaflarımızın ingilizce bilmesi ne kadar güzel ya , o kelleci abi çok hoşuma gitti adama anlatıyo felan harbi sıcak kanlı ülkeyi ne güzel temsil ediyor.
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I really appreciate the guy preparing the Kelle, his accent is so fluent. Happy to see such guys in my country. Well done lads
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I hope you had a good time in Turkey. The people of Turkey are very kind and friendly. As a Turk, I was very happy to see this video. Have fun!
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Kelle guy demonstrated how a local has a conversation without language barrier in Istanbul. Btw your friendly approach brings the best out of people. This works everywhere, in every culture, might especially work the best with Mediterranean people :)
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Turkey a land with a lot of character. The cuisine is excellent , the culture brilliant and the people hardworkong ,brave and honest
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that kelle turkish guy ..his accent is so good.. he's like the master of whisperer , varys
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I'm a Turk yet I've never ever dared to try kellepaça, but your review really motivated me to do it this year. If I see it somewhere, I just might give it a shot. Thanks, Dale, you're awesome. Glad I found you.
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hi from serbia, i am speechless how friendly turks are, i already knew that their food is on top as well as indian really turkiye is a heaven for tourists, all best really, when i see how much you put effort and skill in everything you deserve only good things in life i hope i visit you one day when i find time, i have money and huge wish to visit turkiye and just see some things and talk to people, but unfortunately i dont have time right now
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Never had a bad meal or street food in Turkey and I been going there for 33 years ! Fresh ,cheap ,healthy and delicious !
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Istanbul's look very friendly and so authentic .. thanks Dale to share all your travel with us !
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It is so great and important what the Turkish people are showing in this video. There is endless love and humanity amongst the people
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The fact that Dale always puts subtitles makes me enjoy his videos more.
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The shoe 👞cleaner who took you to the restaurant cracked me right up. The way he took care of you especially when he wiped the sweat from you....haha what a legend 😀
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huge compliment to the staff at the kelle place! Their english was so good and zou can feel the kindness.
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This guy doesn't plan at all. Just wandering around, eating whatever he likes and going to places or whatever that gets his attention. I really like his videos.
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Dostum gercekten cok doğalsın seni dün keşfettim,birakamiyorum izlemeyi acayip sarıyo muhabbetlerin😂
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Who needs Netflix when you have Dale Philips vlog on weekends 😘
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I just came back yesterday from Turkey, from Antalya. This is my fourth time there. The Turkish people are very kind, kind-hearted and very friendly. Anything you want, they will bring you to the restaurant. Also, if you are looking for something in the city, if you ask someone, he will take you to the place you are looking for and seat you there, see for example the shoe polisher you asked him about the food you wanted, not only joined you, also left to eat with you and wipe your sweat .. 🤣 The food is excellent and the baklava is a dream.🎆 My mom was looking for handkerchiefs made of cotton fabric for my dad and the waiter took her and searched with her all over the market Wallah, you will not find such a good one, like the Turkish people, all over the world !! ❤ Lots of love from Israel.💙🤍
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i love how the shoe guy showed him the restaurant and proceeded to eat with him
