10.05.2020

Feel the Atmosphere of Orient Market in Spice Bazaar

Egyptian Bazaar… it will greet you with affecting smells of spices, ringing voices of shopkeepers and crowds of people. Step in and you will fall into the atmosphere of a real Orient market. We highly recommend you to visit it and experience it by yourself.

What Should You Know about the Spice Bazaar in Istanbul?

The Spice Bazaar in Istanbul is known as one of the largest bazaars in the city. Built in 1664 it witnessed the power and greatness of the Ottoman Empire, the foundation of Turkey Republic and still, in 2018 it hospitably opens its doors to residents and guests of Istanbul.

Get lost in numerous streets of the bazaar and dozens of shops, try the best Turkish delight which is called “Lokum”, drink real Turkish tea and buy the best spices ever.

How to Get to Istanbul Spice Bazaar?

Spice Bazaar is easy to find. It is situated in the center of Istanbul right near the Eminonu ferry station. Just cross the street from Eminonu ferry station and on the opposite side of the Golden Horn seafront, you will see the main gate. 

What to Buy in Spice Bazaar - You Should Definitely Get it!

• Turkish Delight (Lokum);
• The best Turkish coffee (Mehmet Efendi);
• Spices of high quality;
• Tea;
• Nuts and dried fruits;
• Olives and cheese (near the entrance to the main man gates).

Lokum in Spice Bazaar – Well-known Turkish Delight

Turkish delight or Lokum is the first thing which you should definitely buy while visiting the Spice Bazaar. Why? Here are some reasons:

1. In the Spice Bazaar you will find the best taste;
2. The prices in the Egyptian market (Spice Bazaar) are quite reasonable. It is not the lowest price in the city but the quality also very high;
3. You can try and taste all kinds of Lokum before buying and choose the one you like the best, although we advise you to take platter.

Don’t be Shy to Taste Lokum

Be sure hospitable shopkeepers will propose you to try everything that they are selling. Don’t be shy to take it and taste even if you don’t buy anything. In this way, you can choose the best Lokum, nuts or dried fruits.

Turkish coffee: Don’t Go Home without It

Turkish coffee is another pride of Tukey.  For the first time, coffee was brought to the Turkey and Istanbul in 1555. Two traders from Syria brought coffee and in one century it became a great part of the Ottoman Empire’s life. Even Court’s elaborate ceremonies were not held without coffee. It became a Sultan’s drink. The Sultan of the Ottoman Empire was served coffee by special coffee makers. Also, historians say that there was a coffee ritual and women in the Sultan’s harem had special training on how to prepare coffee perfect. Till our days there is a tradition: before engagement, a Turkish bride-to-be should prepare Turkish coffee for her future husband and his family to prove her coffee-making skills when prospective husband’s family comes and asks girl’s parents for her hand.

Mehmet Efendi - The Most Famous Coffeehouse in Turkey

You can find many brands of Turkish coffee in small shops, coffee shops, and big supermarkets. But for sure we have something to advise you. The most popular Turkish coffee among locals is Mehmet Efendi coffee. You can find this perfect coffee in the markets, shops and big supermarkets and malls. But you should better visit Mehmet Efendi flagship store which is situated in Eminönü right near Spice Bazaar. Here you will find freshly grounded coffee. It is easy to find this shop, its fantastic smell won't give you an opportunity to pass by. The address of Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi: Istanbul, Turkey, Tahmis Sokak 66, Eminönü.

Spices in Spice Market: What Can Be Better?

Here you will find dozens of small shops selling spices from all over the world. Besides traditional spices, you can also buy special combinations of spices and they are really fantastic. You can find the mix of spices for meat, salads, fish, chicken, pasta, etc. Hundreds of smells, flavors. You won’t be able to resist. Additionally, you can buy small sets of different spices as a present for your friends and family.

What about Turkish Tea?

Believe us you can’t leave any Turkish house, hotel, shop or cafe without drinking famous Turkish tea.  Turkish black tea is a national drink in Turkey along with ayran and Turkish coffee. Strong, tart tea which has a deep amber color will not leave you indifferent. In Turkey, people drink Turkish tea from small glasses in a form of a tulip. It is said that these little tulip-shaped glasses are perfect for strong and full-flavored tea and besides they are able to save the perfect temperature of the tea. In the Black Sea region of Turkey, there are a lot of tea plantations: they are centered near Rize, Trabzon, Arakli, and other towns. You can find many kinds of Turkish tea so you should definitely buy some of them.

In Spice Market Don’t Pass by Nuts and Dried Fruits

You’ll find nuts and dried fruits of a really good quality in Spice Bazaar:

• Dried apricots;
• Figs;
• Mulberries;
• Dates;
• Grape;
• Apples;
• Banana;
• Cherries;
• Cranberries;
• Famous Gaziantepe Pistachios (Fıstık in Turkish);
• Almonds;
• Peanuts;
• Walnuts;
• Cashews;
• Hazelnuts…we can enumerate and talk endlessly but better go, see by yourself and try each of them!

Turkey is Famous for Olives and Cheese - Find Them in Spice Bazaar

Turkey is a country of olives so you shouldn't miss the opportunity to try many kinds of them in Spice Bazaar. If you buy some of them, shop owners will put olives into the vacuum packaging and you can take it with you in your luggage without any problems.

Cheese is a great part of Turkish culinary traditions. There are more than 150 kinds of cheese in Turkey and each of them is unique:

• White Cheese - produced from cow's or sheep's milk;
• Kaşar Cheese  - also known as yellow cheese and produced in the Thracian region;
• Tulum Cheese –is a crumbly texture cheese, it is salted and after that packed in a special cloth or goat's skin. Then it is aged 3 - 6 months;
• Mihalic (Kelle) Cheese  - white cheese with big holes;
• Dil Cheese – similar to well-known Kaşar but looks like Italian mozzarella. And this list contains only several kinds of cheese.

As you can see Spice Bazaar is definitely a must-visit place. So go feel the real atmosphere of the Oriental market,swe guarantee, you will enjoy it!