Beyoglu, Istanbul: Galatasaray Fish Market (Balik Pasari)

This is really more than a fish market. You can find vegetable produce and fruits sold here. Turkish gourmet and preserved items, herbs and spices, cheeses, Turkish delights and more. There are even stores here selling Turkish souvenir items such as hanging mosaic glass lamps and silver-plated tea sets.

The street also has nice restaurants and casual eateries offering the freshest seafood catch of the day. On this street I had a light dinner on my first night of Midye Dolma (Rice-Stuffed Mussels) and Midye Tava (Fried Mussels).

This was actually one of the first places that I have discovered on my first day because my hotel was just located around the corner. The market is just beside the famous and chic Cicek Pasaji (Flower Passage) and the lively in the evening Nevizade Street.

There are bars and restaurant on the market street as well. The famous bar and restaurant street, Nevizade Street is just around the corner.

The Turks like eating unripe stuff. The green little balls are called Erik (unripe plums). The one below on a heap are Cagla Badems. They are unripe almonds. The unripe almond nuts are sprinkled on salads or eaten raw. Both come around in spring.