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The Simit is a round, sesame seed topped bread snack, commonly shaped into a plain or plaited rings. Although they are a variety of bread, they are very often referred to as biscuit or croissant like too, hinting at their light texture and rich flavour. This, however, does not mean that they are sweet in taste. Like most Turkish snacks they are savoury and are most commonly found being eaten plain as a quick snack like a pastry or accompanied by jam or cheese. Simit is at its best when fresh and crisp and a good sign when buying from a street vendor is to check whether their cart has just been restocked. Lots of simit on a cart would likely suggest a fresh batch and the likelihood of their being fresh.

It is an extremely simple, yet highly popular snack that was traditionally sold from a stack which was balanced on a tray sitting on a round pad on the vendor's head as he walked around the streets. Another method employed to carry the stock of simit was to hoop the stack onto a long stick, or pile them up on small portable stands. Simit sellers would commonly purchase fresh stock a number of times during the course of the day. The final batch would be sold in the evening to weary travellers heading home after their day's work. These simit would be threaded onto a lantern topped stick which was attached to the corner of the vendor's tray.

The modern Simit vendor of Istanbul, complying with hygiene regulations, will now be seen selling his produce from a glass covered wheeled cart which helps to keep the bread from street pollution and also slightly slows the softening process by reducing the bread's exposure to the air.

The simit is the quintessential fast food in Turkey, and under its Greek name, koulouri, is just as dominant on the streets of Athens too. A great universal snack, loved by people from all walks of life and available just about everywhere. Children munch on them at school, office workers grab them on the street in their lunch break, cafe patrons may enjoy one with a coffe, ferry and train passengers will take them as easy to eat food and in the home just baked simit are a common family favourite.

The simit baker, in 1910 amalgamated into the Bread and Pastry Bakers' association, has been a fixture in Turkey for centuries. By the mid 1600s there were 70 simit bakeries, employing 300 bakers, in Istanbul alone according to Evliya Celebi and simit making was a regulated profession with numerous rules and strictures governing the bakers. At this time bakeries in Kumkapi, Galata and Samatya were considered to produce the finest simit in the country. Once the dough had risen it was then dipped into a water and grape molasses mixture and sprinkled with seeds. Tradition has it that the rule of thumb for baking simit was to allow them to reach the colour of a 22 carat gold coin before removing from the heat.