# Bosphorus Dinner Cruise Menu — What You Eat, What’s Included, Dietary Options

- Site: Istanbul Daily Cruises
- URL: https://istanbuldailycruises.com/bosphorus-dinner-cruise-menu/
- Language: EN
- Last updated: 2026-10-25

## Description

The question we get most about the Bosphorus dinner cruise menu is some version of: "what do we actually eat?" This is a plain, no-fluff walkthrough — what lands on your table from the moment you sit down to the coffee at the end, what's included in the price, what the add-ons cost, and how we handle vegetarian, halal and gluten-free. Written by the galley, not the marketing team. The three-course Bosphorus dinner cruise menu Starters — the mezze plate You board, you take your seat (window-side if you booked ahead), and within five minutes the mezze plate arrives. It is a sampler of six Turkish starters: Hummus — chickpea with tahini and a drizzle of olive oil. Haydari — strained yogurt with mint, dill and garlic. Ezme — chopped tomato, pepper, onion and parsley; the Turkish salsa. Patlıcan salatası — smoked aubergine salad. Çoban salatası — a simple shepherd's salad. Sigara böreği — hot filo rolls with white cheese and parsley. Fresh bread arrives at the same time and is topped up throughout the meal. Mains — you choose when you book Three mains sit on the standard Bosphorus dinner cruise menu. You pick one when you reserve; late changes are usually fine if you tell us two hours before: Grilled sea bass (levrek) — the headline fish. Boned, grilled over charcoal, served with lemon, roasted peppers and bulgur pilaf. Chicken şiş — marinated chicken skewers, grilled, served with rice pilaf, grilled tomato and pepper. Vegetarian aubergine moussaka — layered aubergine, tomato, pepper and herbs, baked and served with rice pilaf and a yogurt sauce on the side. On larger yachts (private charters above 20 guests) we also offer a meat şiş option — tender lamb and beef skewers — and a whole grilled fish for the table on request. See our private dinner cruise for the extended menu. Dessert and coffee The standard dessert is künefe — the stringy pastry with melted cheese inside, drizzled with syrup and served warm. Alternatives on request: baklava, sütlaç (rice pudding), seasonal fruit for a lighter close. Turkish coffee or çay comes with it, included. What's included in the ticket price Welcome drink on boarding (a glass of sparkling water with a slice of lemon, or a soft drink of your choice). The full three-course menu described above. Unlimited soft drinks, ayran, Turkish çay and water throughout. Turkish coffee or çay with dessert. Live Turkish music during the sunset window. Optional performances — folk dance, whirling dervish — on scheduled nights. What's extra Alcohol is the main add-on. The bar list on a shared cruise is pay-as-you-go: Local beer (Efes, Bomonti) — €6 each. House wine by the glass (red or white) — €8. Bottle of Turkish wine (Kayra, Sevilen) — €35–55 depending on label. Rakı — €8 single, €14 double, served the Turkish way with water on the side. Cocktails from the standard list — €10–12. A cake for a birthday or anniversary can be added at booking (€35) and comes out with sparklers if you want. Flowers, a photographer, or custom décor are available on private charters only. Dietary options — what we can and can't do Vegetarian: the aubergine moussaka is already on the standard menu, and the mezze plate is vegetarian-friendly. Vegan: possible on request with 24 hours' notice. The mezze adjusts (no haydari, no cheese börek) and the main becomes a stuffed vegetable or vegetable şiş. Halal: all meat on board is halal-certified. No pork, no non-halal gelatin on the dessert list. Gluten-free: we substitute the börek and the pilaf; the main courses themselves are naturally gluten-free as grilled proteins. Nut allergy: tell us. The künefe dessert uses walnuts; we switch to a fruit plate. Kosher: not available on board. If this matters, a private charter with a certified caterer can be arranged separately. For anything else, send a note in your booking and the galley confirms the next day. How the menu changes on private charters A private dinner cruise uses the same kitchen but gets a longer menu with chef choices — multiple fish options including whole grilled fish for the table, a lamb pide station, mezze plated per guest instead of a shared platter, and a dessert selection rather than a single plate. For small groups (under 10) the chef can also design a bespoke menu around a specific cuisine — classical Ottoman, Aegean, or a modern Turkish tasting. See the private cruise option. Short answers to the most common questions Can I bring my own alcohol? No, not on shared cruises. On private charters, yes — we have a per-bottle corkage of €10 for wine, €5 for beer. Is the menu seasonal? The mezze plate changes slightly with the season (less yogurt in winter, more aubergine in autumn). The fish main switches to turbot or hamsi in winter. Chicken, moussaka and dessert stay year-round. Children's menu? Chicken şiş with rice is the kid-friendly default. A simpler plate (chicken breast with butter rice, no spice) is available on request at no extra charge. How much food is served? Enough. The mezze plate is a six-item sampler meant for sharing; the main is a full dinner-sized portion; the dessert is one piece. Guests regularly tell us they didn't need lunch beforehand. What time is dinner served? Starters land ten minutes after boarding, the main course lands as the boat passes under the first bridge (around 50 minutes in), and dessert arrives on the return leg. Book your Bosphorus dinner cruise See tonight's menu and times → {"@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [{"@type": "Question", "name": "Starters — the mezze plate", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "You board, you take your seat (window-side if you booked ahead), and within five minutes the mezze plate arrives. It is a sampler of six Turkish starters:"}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "Mains — you choose when you book", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "Three mains sit on the standard Bosphorus dinner cruise menu. You pick one when you reserve; late changes are usually fine if you tell us two hours before:"}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "Can I bring my own alcohol?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "No, not on shared cruises. On private charters, yes — we have a per-bottle corkage of €10 for wine, €5 for beer."}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "Is the menu seasonal?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "The mezze plate changes slightly with the season (less yogurt in winter, more aubergine in autumn). The fish main switches to turbot or hamsi in winter. Chicken, moussaka and dessert stay year-round."}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "Children's menu?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "Chicken şiş with rice is the kid-friendly default. A simpler plate (chicken breast with butter rice, no spice) is available on request at no extra charge."}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "How much food is served?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "Enough. The mezze plate is a six-item sampler meant for sharing; the main is a full dinner-sized portion; the dessert is one piece. Guests regularly tell us they didn't need lunch beforehand."}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "What time is dinner served?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "Starters land ten minutes after boarding, the main course lands as the boat passes under the first bridge (around 50 minutes in), and dessert arrives on the return leg."}}]}

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