I have come across a couple of different blog posts recently covering the fantastic Istanbul street markets that adds another authentic layer to this city. Other blogs have already covered the best ones yes, but there is so many more that you only know with The Other Tour.
KASIMPAŞA FOOD MARKET
Aka. Kastamonu Pazarı. This place is President Erdogan‘s hood! It’s right next to Taksim and it has its football club named after it. Plus, Kasımpaşaspor is in Turkish Premier League. But enough with important things.
Kasımpaşa Inebolu Pazarı is its real name. And unlike many ‘pazar’s it actually only takes place on a Sunday. (The word pazar means Sunday in Turkish, that must be origin of the name. Bazaar, remember?)
This is no ordinary pazar with regular stuff. This one brings it on! The products are special and high quality. There is a certain gourmet feeling to the whole thing. So if you’re a foodie or a professional cook, this might just be the place for you.
Istanbulites travel from throughout the city to sample the market’s mushrooms arriving from the İnebolu region. You’ll find raw mushrooms in a variety of shapes and forms as well as pickled and preserved mushrooms. The first sign of spring is the scent of the many mountain flowers, fresh herbs and fruit.
Location: Küçük Piyale Mahallesi, Toprak Tabya Sokak Kasımpaşa Time: Every Sunday, 7am to 5pm
CUMA PAZARI: FRIDAY MARKET
Friday is a big a day for markets in Istanbul. But our special pick is the one in Fındıkzade. You might not know how to pronounce it but it’s easy to get there. I mean with tram.
This one is HUGE! It is extensive and full of people who comes from afar. And they come in all shades and colours. This Friday market even has carpets to buy. I will leave it at that.
And ‘Cuma Pazarı’ is still a fantastic example of the traditional street market style and feeling that Anatolian people has managed to maintain throughout centuries. The freshest vegetables, fruit and fish are always available but this one has more. Much more. Clothing, home supplies, shoes, etc.
BAKIRKÖY ORGANIC MARKET
This one does not accept vendors without a licence. ‘Organic’ is the keyword here and since 1991, this approach in agricultural products is organized within the Europen Union standarts. Bakırköy without a doubt has one of the best Istanbul street markets.
Bakırköy organic pazar also takes place only on Fridays. You can find a big variety of products here; besides all the usual suspects (has to be organic though!) you may find top quality cotton, pasta, specials kind of breads and cosmetic products. Make sure you make it early there, it gets crazy crowded.
KADIKÖY TUESDAY MARKET
This one’s a monster between all Istanbul street markets. Kadıköy is certainly the heart of Istanbul’s Asian side. We call it asian but it’s more European than the actual European part of the city.
This market is fun and rich. It has everything you may be looking for. With its 2 thousands stands and maybe 5 thousands vendors, this market covers the whole spectrum of products that Istanbul has to offer on the streets.
A temporary situation about the market is explained by Atdaa:
(The market has temporarily moved to Göztepe but will be moved back to its original location in 2017.)
When: On Tuesdays from 9am to 8pm
Where: Göztepe, Kadikoy
How to get there: Take the metro to the Göztepe stop. You’ll see the market across the station.
BEYLIK PAZARI
This one’s coming for the title! And it’s called THE BEST ONE OF ALL ISTANBUL STREET MARKETS.
It’s far outside the city center but it’s a secret gem for the real traveler. It’s in Beylikdüzü, which is a name that’s scary for the people who live there. It just reminds of ‘afar’ and ‘traffic’. But you can start the day early and make your way there on a calm Sunday morning to see the action at its best.
The vendors here are fresh and excited, just like the products they sell. And they bring unique new tastes to the table. Literally! You can have gözleme (Turkish pancakes) as you walk by and get a little hungry. Or you can just stroll down as usual and have a hard time deciding what not to buy.
This place may be the weirdest of all Istanbul street markets. It sells high quality clothes with very cheap prices. It has security guards and cameras with wide streets so that you don’t bump into each other. Beylik Pazarı even provides you with nursery so that you can leave the little trouble makers behind for a little while. 🙂
OTHER HONORABLE MENTIONS:
- Feriköy Organic Pazar
- Ulus ‘Fancy’ Pazar
- Çarşamba (Fatih) Pazarı
- Beşiktaş Saturday Pazar
Check out Atdaa.com’s special post for these awesome Istanbul street markets.
