A Quick Stop at Çiğ Köfteci Ali Usta, Istanbul’s Spiciest Street Food Showman

Late-night çiğ köfte run at the legendary Ali Usta.

If you wander far enough through the winding streets behind the Hagia Sophia, you eventually end up in Sirkeci, that in-between pocket of Istanbul where locals rush to work, tourists drift toward Eminönü, and street vendors battle over who has the best smell wafting across the tram line. (Corn or chestnuts, anyone?) And right there on a side street is Çiğköfteci Ali Usta, the man, the myth, the döner-speed wrap-rolling legend.

Ali Usta isn’t famous in the glossy magazine sense. He’s famous in the Istanbul way: the kind of fame that comes from decades of serving the same food, in the same spot, with the kind of personality that forces you to stay for the show even if you weren’t originally hungry. A jewelry seller told me he knows Ali from before he was famous. "He used to make everyone eat çiğ köfte, whether they wanted to or not, whether they had money or not," he said, proudly.

Crunchy, spicy, flavorful çiğ köfte.

Ali Usta serves çiğ köfte, a vegetarian wrap made from bulgur ("Spicy or less spicy?"), tomato paste, spices, herbs (and his secret sauce: a sugary pomegranate drizzle)... But this isn’t a quiet, delicate street snack. Ali piles the wrap high. “Did he just put an entire mixing bowl in here?” high. Then he grins, calls someone in the line “professor” for no reason, and tosses in a bonus scoop just because you looked amused. Then he argues loudly with his helping employee for the benefit of the crowd. Although I can't understand him, it must be funny. Everyone in line laughs and films him.

It’s impossible not to smile watching him work. There’s a rhythm to it (slap/roll/fold) and an unspoken competition with his helper to see if this wrap can be even faster than the last one. Everyone waiting seems half-in it for the food and half-in it for the performance.

The wrap itself is bold, punchy, a little spicy, and perfect if you’re exploring the historic district and need something quick, cheap, and fully local. (Plant-based travelers: this is one of the easiest street foods to enjoy in Istanbul. And if you eat dairy, be sure to get one of the buttermilk drinks to go with it. The locals always pair the two together.)

If you see this line, you're in the right place.

Is it the best çiğ köfte you’ll ever eat? Maybe. Maybe not. But that’s not really the point.

The point is Ali Usta, the personality behind the counter, the tiny shop overflowing with people, the exaggerated scoops, the playful commentary, the feeling that you’ve stumbled into something authentically Istanbul.

If you’re in the Sultanahmet / Hagia Sophia area and want a snack that comes with a side of entertainment, wander down toward Sirkeci and find him. Look for the man with the quick hands and the big servings.