Traditional Street Foods From Around the World

Walk the streets of Istanbul and you’ll see red carts selling simit, a circular bread encrusted with sesame seeds that resembles a bagel but with a crunchier exterior. Often enjoyed with tea or cheese, simit has been a street food staple in Turkey for centuries.

It’s simple, affordable, and comforting—ideal for breakfast on the go or a quick snack during the day. Street vendors sometimes carry them in tall stacks on their heads or push carts through busy streets, making simit not just a food, but a cultural symbol of daily Turkish life.