Lonely Planet İstanbul Guide

Coming a close second in the popularity stakes is pide, the Turkish version of pizza. It has a canoe-shaped base topped with peynir (cheese), yumurta (egg) or kıymalı (minced meat). A karaşık pide has a mixture of toppings. You can sit down to eat these in a pideci (Turkish pizza parlour) or ask for your pide paket (wrapped to go). Lahmacun (Arabic-style pizza) has a thinner crust than pide and is usually topped with chopped lamb, onion and tomato. Börek (filled pastries) are usually eaten in the morning and are distinguished by their filling, cooking method and shape. They come in square, cigar or snail shapes and are filled with peynir, ıspanaklı (spinach), patates (potatoes) or kıymalı . Bun-shaped poğaca are glazed with sugar or stuffed with cheese and olives. Su böreği, a melt-in-the-mouth, lasagne-like layered pastry laced with white cheese and parsley, is the most popular of all börek styles. Gözleme (thin savoury crepes cooked with cheese, spinach or potato) are also great quick snacks.

Pide (Turkish-style pizza) is perfect for snacking on | PROMETHEUS72/SHUTTERSTOCK ©