It’s been quite a while since my last blog post. With both domestic and international tours, I’ve had a very busy season. Thankfully, starting this month, things are slowing down a little, which means I’ll have more time to focus on this page.

This season, something caught my attention, especially during my Istanbul tours. As you know, the economic crisis in Turkey has hit the food & beverage industry the hardest. High input costs, rents, staff expenses, and taxes make it increasingly difficult for restaurants to survive. Naturally, prices are now much higher compared to previous years.

And it’s not just locals complaining anymore. For the first time in 15 years, even travelers from high-income countries have started saying, “Eating out in Istanbul is expensive.” Some of my guests even skip lunch during city tours to save money. That’s when I decided to go on a little search for alternatives.

My Discovery: Nuriosmaniye Dürümcüsü

A small place I had visited once or twice in the past, but then forgotten about, came back into my life: Nuriosmaniye Dürümcüsü. It’s located on the way to the Grand Bazaar, just before Cağaloğlu Hamam, at the entrance of Defterdarlık Street. A tiny, modest eatery…

My first visit was a few years ago, after a tour, when I was starving. I stopped by, grabbed a quick dürüm (wrap kebab), really enjoyed it, but never went back. Then last month, while walking toward the Grand Bazaar with one of my guests, we didn’t have much time. Suddenly, I remembered this place and said, “There’s a dürüm(wrap kebab) spot around here, should we try it?”

The result? Both the price and taste turned out to be very satisfying. So much so that throughout September, I took several of my tour guests there, and they were happy with it as well.

 

In Short…

This isn’t a fancy restaurant, nor does it stand out with service or presentation. But if you want a tasty, well-prepared kebab wrap at a reasonable price, I can definitely recommend it. In a city like Istanbul, where dining out has become so expensive, small discoveries like this truly feel rewarding.