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Thread: Traveling to Turkey

  1. #1

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    Default Traveling to Turkey

    Hi everyone,

    I'm going to be traveling to Turkey in a few months, and wondering if any of you had any advice or suggestions for me. I've read some of the other posts on the forum, and have already found some vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Istanbul. Do any of have any experience being vegan in Turkey?

  2. #2
    baffled harpy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Traveling to Turkey

    One of the forum members lives there so I expect you will hear from her soon.

    I had a brief holiday there a couple of years ago, which I may have written about at the time - we only went to Istanbul and Selçuk (where Ephesus is), and I don't remember having any real problems finding apparently-vegan food, though I remember getting one or two blank looks on asking for things without cheese etc in "normal" restaurants.

    In Mediterranean countries generally I've found it's usually easier to get vegan food in the more basic (less expensive) restaurants because meat tends to be associated with luxury.

  3. #3

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    Default Re: Traveling to Turkey

    I can only contribute anecdotal evidence here, but I was in Istanbul on a work trip last year and I often go to a mosque-cum-restaurant with a colleague of mine who is a devout muslim. (Actually I should NOT go with him there, because when he eats in the company cafeteria with me, he eats vegan as there is of course no halal meat available. When he goes to that mosque to eat and do his prayers, then he can indulge in animal products. But he will go there anyway, so what).

    In both instances, the side orders are easily available vegan, so I normally start with mercimec corbasi (lentil soup) which all restaurants so far have claimed is vegan, and then have some mixed vegetables or bulgur with vegetables and salad, which is normally very cheap, vegan and filling.

    So I would not be afraid about not finding vegan food in Turkey, the only thing I dread is when the company invites us out for "a nice dinner", because that is typically meat with some meat on the side and some more meat on top, with possibly some fish and cheese added. I get the vegan side orders, but I do not really enjoy the sight, the smell and the rest of the "overall experience".

    Best regards,
    Andy

  4. #4

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    Default

    Thanks Andy. I'll keep those dishes in mind. I'm fortunately going with family, so I have some input into the restaurants we go to. The only thing I do not have a say in is breakfast, so I'll have to see what I can do there.

  5. #5
    baffled harpy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Traveling to Turkey

    The breakfasts we had were fine too - both the hotels had a buffet type arrangement with bread and salad, as well as yogurt and other stuff I didn't want.

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