Istanbul Spice Market, once the largest spice trading venue of the medieval world, with its abundant stalls still featuring piles of edible exotics is a definite highlight for anyone exploring Istanbul and a favorite stop during my Istanbul food tour. As with all the touristic highlights you need to be prepared to fetch some fantastic finds and not to fall for any of the catches.

What Spice Market is … And What It is Not It is mind-boggling to think that life and trade have been bustling under the high domed roof of the Istanbul Spice Market for the past 350 years. A few centuries ago it was a marketplace for goods brought from Egypt (hence the other name of the market – Egyptian Bazaar) that included spices, medicinal herbs, aromatic incenses, fragrant essential oils and such. With the possibly the same range that dragged merchants of the Western world to buy goods imported from the East back then it still attracts city visitors looking for Iranian saffron, Indian curry, Chinese flower tea, Turkish delight, Russian caviar. Foreigners coming to buy foreign goods – that’s what the Istanbul Spice Market has always been about.

Unfortunately, things change and I personally get upset when I see shops at the Istanbul Spice Market emulating Grand Bazaar souvenir kiosks let alone outlets of local apparel brand – their presence so does not fit the spirit of this old food marketplace. And I get equally upset when I see people buying dubious spice sets or anonymous lokum not knowing how to tell a good stuff – and in that way supporting mediocre vendors. To the extent to which demand can shape supply I hope that I can contribute to better, more authentic Istanbul Spice Market by sharing some insider tips on where to shop and how to do it right. If you want to find out what exactly to buy here is top 5 istanbul food items you can’t leave without.

Where to Shop at the Istanbul Spice Market Good shops at the Istanbul Spice market share two common features. One is that their business was conceived decades ago at that very little shop you see at the Spice market and has gone way beyond: many have become renown trademarks in Istanbul. Second commonality is that they specialize on a particular product category. Specialization is a very visible feature in the whole Istanbul food business and at the local markets you will never find a reputable vendor selling pastirma next to the Turkish delight or caviar next to the dried fruits and nuts.