Kizilkayalar Hamburger

The Right Kind of Burger

In the light of day, perhaps a moist, garlicky hamburger sitting in a steamy case under a heat lamp doesn’t appeal. But imagine yourself at the end of a long, possibly alcohol-fueled night on Nevizade Street, and Istanbul's wet burgers (islak burgers) are rather delicious. Late nights do ensure the survival of this street food, a slider-size burger soaked in a flavorful tomato sauce and generally consumed a few at a time, a few lira at a time. Islak burgers are found wherever there’s nightlife, with the largest stable of them around the intersection of İstiklal Avenue and Taksim Square.