Flicking through my guidebook on the flight to Istanbul I could only find reference to one of the many restaurants on my 48-hour gluttony tour. What a great start. When I met my guide for the “Eat Istanbul” tour the next morning he said he wasn’t a professional tour guide. This was getting better. For those to whom umbrella-wielding tour guides and headphone commentary in ten different languages is anathema, this is an ideal city break – oh, and you’ll need the appetite of a sultan.
Over two days in Istanbul I ate “mothers and daughters” (one big meat ball surrounded by lots of little ones), fish by the Bosphorus, stuffed intestines, kebabs at midnight and the circumcision feast of a sultan’s son. I couldn’t agree less with Benjamin Franklin when he wrote in his almanac: “He that would travel much, should eat little”.

Food is one of the great pleasures of travelling. Whether we’ve visited them or not, we’re as familiar with the Taj Mahal and Eiffel Tower as we are our own front doors, but it’s only in the backstreet Delhi cafe or Parisian bistro that we can really get a taste for a place. Istanbul has it all – whether you’re sitting in the armchair of an air conditioned restaurant waiting for a waiter in a bow tie to bring the fourth course, or perched on a wicker stool in a tiny street sipping fresh pomegranate juice. There’s so much food to enjoy alongside the awe inspiring architecture, shopping and nightlife of this eclectic city that the best I can do is provide my own check list of the ten foodie experiences you shouldn’t miss out on in Istanbul.

1. Start with breakfast at one of the riverside cafes that line the Bosphorus on the European side. You can breakfast on Turkish white cheese, which is a little like feta, with tomato and cucumber or try fresh stuffed pastries, which can be savoury, like spinach (ispanakli) or cheese (peynirli) or sweet (baklava). Or try the seven-course banquet at the House Cafe in Ortakoy which starts with a Turkish breakfast and proceeds through a European breakfast, meat, cheese and finally cakes – some even come kebab-style.

2. If you’re hungry through the day munch on simit, a sesame-topped ring of baked dough, bought from street vendors for under £1, or boiled or grilled corn on the cob, another hearty street food snack, which is sprinkled with sea salt before you devour it.

3. A fried fish sandwich (Balik ekmek) by the Bosphorus is a must – join the Istanbullus on the quay at the mouth of the Golden Horn. It’s a surprisingly tasty snack – just fresh fish, caught that day, fried or grilled and stuffed into a wedge of fresh bread. If you want a seat while you’re munching, the restaurants under the Galata Bridge also serve fish sandwiches. You could also try midye dolmasi, another street food fish dish of mussels stuffed with rice, pinenuts, raisins and spices.

4. If you need a sit down and a sharpener there’s no better tonic than the twin stimulants of Turkish coffee and apple tobacco. There are plenty of trendy cafes, and even Starbucks does a Turkish coffee in Istanbul, but the most atmospheric spot is one off Divan Yolu Cad near the Grand Bazaar. If you don’t like the coffee try sage tea – apple tea is for the tourists.

5. Have a meze lunch and order things you’ve never seen before. Stuffed vine leaves (with a hint of pomegranate at
Ciya) is a must, as is a yoghurt or lentil-based soup, flatbread and dips, okra stew, sautéed liver and grilled kofte kebab, washed down with ayran, a yogurt, salt and water mix that tames the spiciest of dishes.

6. Raki is a must – dilute with water like Pernod, it’s potent, not to everyone’s tastes but great for Dutch courage if
you’re considering a dance after dinner.

7. Try a freshly squeezed pomegranate juice from a street vendor – a fruit with miraculous health properties according to some, and less than half the price of the juice in the UK.

8. The dish that has spawned a million or more, mostly inferior, replicas around the world is the kebab. It’s eaten as a
late night snack here but also as a meal, and it comes in many guises. The tantuni is my favourite – chopped lamb or beef stir-fried in spices and juice and rolled into a pancake, served with chillies and ayran to fight the fire.

9. Wander the Spice Bazaar and you’ll be offered tasters wherever you go – the favourite for souvenirs is lokum, or Turkish Delight. My favourites are the rose and pistachio ones, but leave room for dates, succulent unsulphered apricots, pistachios, cashews, almonds and a chocolate-covered pistachio cracknel that is highly addictive.

10. Stuffed intestine, or kokorec, is an Istanbul favourite that any meat-eater should try. Like haggis, it’s not half as bad as it sounds; just try not to think too much about what’s inside.

Those are my tips for a long weekend of gastro-indulgence in Istanbul. Of course there’s so much more to see and eat in the
city, but for me, three nights was enough – for my wasitline and my liver. Perhaps there’s one thing Benjamin Franklin and I do agree on: “fish and visitors stink after three days”.

Need to know
The Eat Istanbul tour is booked through Journey Anatolia. It costs from £369 per person based on two people sharing a room, including airport transfers, three night’s B&B accommodation in a hotel that occupies a restored Ottoman house, sightseeing, transport around the city, and the services of a local guide. Flights and meals are not included – allow £8-15 for lunches and £20-35 for dinner.

You can see a rough itinerary on the Journey Anatolia website, but this can be adapted to suit your tastes and it remains flexible throughout your stay.

The Arena Hotel in Istanbul’s old town, Sultanahmet, is a five-minute walk from the Blue Mosque and Aya Sofya, and 10 minute’s walk from the Grand Bazaar. The family-run hotel costs from 80 euros per night for a double room.

British Airways offers two flights a day between Heathrow and Istanbul.

Where to eat
Ciya Restaurant, Caferaga Mah. Güneslibahce No. 48, B Kadikoy;
tel: +90 216 336 30 13; www.ciya.com.tr.
A perfect lunch or evening spot for meze and kebabs.

Asitane Restaurant, Kariye Camii Sokak No. 6, Edirnekapi, 34240; www.asitanerestaurant.com; tel. +90 212 635 79 97. This fine dining restaurant has dedicated its time and money to rediscovering ancient Ottoman cuisine – sensational cooking with a mix of ancient and modern flavours and techniques – a must treat for one of your evenings in Istanbul.

Emine Ana, Siraselviler Caddesi
Billurcu Sokak No 5, A Beyoglu;
tel. +90 212 292 84 30. A corner cafe
serving the best tatuni in town.

Galata Restaurant & Bar, Istikal Caddesi, Orhan Apaydan Sokak 11, Beyoglu, Istanbul; tel. +212 293 11 39. A set-price menu that starts with meze and goes through the classic dishes of Turkish cuisine in a series of delicious courses. Wash down with raki, Turkish wine and a lively house band.