Istanbul is by far the best city in Turkey for gluten-free cafés, bakeries and restaurants. That is why, at city hotels, the real question is less about lunch and dinner and more about breakfast: is there gluten-free bread, is it warmed separately, and are the buffet items labelled?
The street culture of simit, poğaça and börek makes cross-contamination almost unavoidable on the street. With street food, the safest choice is to stick to naturally gluten-free options such as chestnuts, corn on the cob and fresh fruit.
Regions
Sultanahmet & Sirkeci
The historic peninsula; museums within walking distance, boutique hotels.
Beyoğlu & Karaköy
The area with the highest density of cafés and restaurants.
Beşiktaş & the Bosphorus
Luxury hotels with Bosphorus views.
Kadıköy & Moda
The Asian side; gluten-free cafés and markets.
Local cuisine: likely safe options and what to watch out for
- Balık ekmek without the bread: a plate of grilled fish
- Roasted corn on the cob and chestnuts
- Sütlaç (rice pudding made with rice flour) at pudding shops — ask about the ingredients
- Coffee and Turkish delight (ask about the source of the starch)
- Simit (sesame bread ring), poğaça (soft savoury bun), börek (filled pastry), açma (soft bread roll)
- Midye dolma (stuffed mussels, some recipes use bulgur) and midye tava (fried mussels)
- Islak hamburger (“wet” burger) and kokoreç (grilled offal) in bread
- Turkish delight may contain wheat starch
"Likely safe" means the traditional recipe contains no gluten. Always ask about preparation and cross-contamination.
