Are you looking for a place to find those groceries you miss so much from your homeland? Below are some locations and helpful substitutes. Please send a comment if you have something to add!
| Product | Turkish Name or Substitute | Where to Find | Notes |
| Bacon | Real | Very expensive | |
| Basil | Fesleğen, reyhan | ||
| Black bean paste | Metro | ||
| Blue cheese/Roquefort | Metro, Real, cheese store at the fish market in Ulus, Peynirci | ||
| Butternut Squash | Not available. Pumkin (kabak) | Most markets sell a variety of pumpkin when in season. | |
| Coriander (fresh) | greengrocer on Filistin Sok. | ||
| Cranberries | Meteksan, kizilcik | Real, Altinbilek, Peynirci (sometimes). Dried available at some markets and Pazar. | |
| Cream Cheese | Not available. Labne has been used as a substitute in cheese cakes. Or try ‘Yorsan’ White, beyaz kreme peynir | Most markets. | |
| Curry Paste (red and green) | Migros | Not always available | |
| Duck | Metro, Real | Freezer section | |
| Fish Sauce | Migros | ||
| Hot Sauce | Most markets | American and Turkish brands available. | |
| Jicama | Not available. Try yer elmasi. | Yer elmasi is techinically Jerusalem Artichoke. But it’s been successfully used as a substitute for jicama, but less sweet. | |
| Lemon Grass | Metro | Can be frozen | |
| Lime | Not available | ||
| Marshmallow | Makro Market, Real, Bim | ||
| Oregano | Kekik | Most markets | |
| Oyster Sauce | Migros | ||
| Sesame Oil | Migros | ||
| Shallots | Arpacik | Pazar, Metro, Real, some small markets | There is disagreement as to whether this is a true shallot or just a small onion. One friend’s suggests using it and rubbing the pan with garlic first. |
| Sour Cream | Not available. Try suzme yogurt. | Suzme is a bit tart. Try mixing with kaymak. | |
| Sweet potato, yam | Generally not available | Sightings at Besi’s market that is in Filistin Cad and Reşit Galip | Please let me know if you find these! |
| Tamarin Paste | Metro | ||
| Tabasco sauce | Metro | ||
| Thyme | Not available | ||
| Turkey | Hindi | Metro, Real | Usually in stores around Christmas & New Years. Limited supply for Thanksgiving. Check with your butcher or local market to order one for you. |
| Wasabi | Migros on Ugur Mumcu | ||
| Worsteshire sauce | Metro |
Notes:
REAL at Bilkent Center is always a good start when it comes to grocery shopping. They carry a large variety of international goodies. Metro is also good, but is operated like a club.
Many fruits and vegetables are seasonal.
Updated: January 17, 2011
Hi there! you need to update your list. You can find limes everywhere dear (real/metro/erzincan mandira,etc.) Sweet potatoes you can find them easily (try orhan firinci, ercincan mandari, metro, etc.). They also sell thyme in many places.
Hi Phoenix! Thanks for the info. I will check it out. I am not familiar with orhan firinci or ercincan madari. I do shop at Metro once a month and I have never seen limes or sweet potatoes. I go to Real on occasion, and while I have heard rumors of the presence of both, I haven’t seen them there either. The problem with finding thyme is that both oregano and thyme are called Kekik in Turkish. I am told thyme is here, but so far, I have only found oregano. I will definitely look up both of those stores and email you if I can’t find them.