Eating Turkey
Turkish cuisine sits alongside French and Chinese as one of the world's three great culinary traditions. From the meze tables of an Istanbul meyhane to the baklava shops of Gaziantep to a balık ekmek eaten beside the Galata Bridge — this is how to eat Turkey properly.
I've eaten well in a lot of countries, and Turkey still surprises me. Not just the famous things — the kebabs, the baklava — but the depth of what I didn't expect: a Van-style breakfast that took two hours and involved thirty dishes, a bowl of meze at a Beyoğlu meyhane at midnight with rakı and live music, the way a properly made künefe pulled apart in strings of cheese while still burning hot. Turkey's food is serious. Go hungry. Go often. Go especially to Gaziantep if you care about food at all.
— Scott
Kebabs — Turkey's Greatest Export
5 entriesDöner — The One You Think You Know
The döner you've had in a takeaway shop in London or Berlin is a distant cousin of what you eat in Turkey. Real Turkish döner is thinly sliced meat (beef, lamb, or chicken) slow-cooked on a vertical rotisserie, served with thin bread, fresh tomatoes, onion, and yogurt. In Istanbul, the best döner is eaten standing up from a street cart or a small lunch shop. The bread is freshly baked — sometimes lavaş, sometimes pide. Expect R80–120 (TRY 600–900; ~$3.50–5) from a street vendor, more from a sit-down restaurant.
Adana Kebab — Heat from the South
Adana kebab is one of Turkey's most celebrated regional dishes — named for the city of Adana in southern Turkey. It's ground lamb mixed with red pepper paste and spices, hand-packed onto flat metal skewers, and grilled over charcoal. The result is smoky, slightly crispy on the outside, juicy inside, and genuinely spicy. Served with grilled tomatoes, roasted peppers, raw onion, and lavash bread. In a proper Adana kebab restaurant (an ocakbaşı), you sit at the fire and watch them cook. A full portion: TRY 350–600 ($12–20) at a good Istanbul restaurant.
İskender — The Meat Architecture
İskender kebab is döner meat layered over pieces of pide bread, drenched in tomato sauce, and finished with a pour of sizzling butter tableside. It was invented in Bursa in the 19th century by İskender Efendi and the family still operates the original restaurant there (İskender Restaurant, Bursa — the original and still the best). In Istanbul, İskender is widely available but quality varies dramatically. It's a lunch dish — heavy and satisfying — not a dinner order. The butter pour is non-negotiable: watch for it, photograph it.
Köfte — The Meatball in Many Forms
Köfte encompasses everything from street-cart grilled meatballs to oven-baked regional variations to cold preparations eaten at breakfast. Izmir köfte is baked with potato and tomato. Çiğ köfte (literally "raw meatball") is now a spiced wheat-based vegetarian preparation sold from stands across Turkey for TRY 40–80 ($1.40–2.75) — it's one of Turkey's great street snacks despite the misleading name. Grilled köfte from an ocakbaşı — spiced, charred, served with bread and onion — is simple and perfect.
Gaziantep — Turkey's Culinary Capital
If you ask Turkish food experts where the best food in Turkey is, the answer is almost always Gaziantep (called "Antep" locally). The city in southeastern Turkey, near the Syrian border, has a culinary tradition of extraordinary sophistication: kebabs using specific regional lamb breeds, katmer (flaky pastry with pistachios and clotted cream for breakfast), and baklava made with local Antep pistachios that are a completely different product from anything you've eaten before. Gaziantep was recognized as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy in 2015. If food is your primary reason to visit Turkey, Antep deserves a dedicated trip.
Meze Culture — The Art of Starting
4 entriesWhat Is Meze?
Meze are small dishes — cold or warm — served at the beginning of a meal in Turkey (and across the Levant, Greece, and the Balkans). In a proper Turkish meyhane (tavern), the mezecilik (meze culture) is the entire event: the waiter brings a large tray, you pick what you want, and the meal unfolds over hours with rakı (anise spirit) and conversation. The quality and variety of cold meze separates a good meyhane from a great one. There is no rush. There is no bill until you ask for it. This is the point.
Essential Cold Meze Dishes
Haydari — thick yogurt with garlic and herbs, better than tzatziki and the ancestor of it. Patlıcan ezmesi — fire-roasted eggplant puree with peppers and spices. Ahtapot salatası — octopus salad with onion and olive oil. Fava — dried fava bean puree with dill, served cold with olive oil. Tarama — fish roe spread. Roka salatası — rocket salad with pomegranate and walnuts. In a good meyhane, the cold meze tray will have 10–15 options. Order 4–6 between two people — pace yourself, more comes.
Warm Meze and Small Plates
Midye dolma — mussels stuffed with spiced rice, sold from vendors along the Bosphorus and outside Galata Tower for TRY 10–20 ($0.35–0.70) each. You squeeze lemon on them, eat them straight from the shell, toss the shell, and eat the next one until you're done. Kalamar — fried calamari, basic but well-executed in the right place. Arnavut ciğeri — Albanian-style fried lamb liver with onion — sounds confronting, tastes extraordinary. Sucuk ekmek — spiced cured sausage pan-fried and served in bread.
Where to Eat Proper Meze in Istanbul
Nevizade Sokak (Beyoğlu): A famous alley of meyhanes — dozens of side-by-side taverns spilling onto the street with tables, musicians, and clouds of rakı and conversation. Crowded, joyful, imperfect — go for the experience, not the Michelin star. Çiya Sofrası (Kadıköy): The legendary Musa Dağdeviren's restaurant on the Asian side — daily changing meze from regional recipes he has documented across Turkey. Not cheap by local standards (TRY 300–600/$10–20 per person for meze) but extraordinary breadth. Karaköy Lokantası: Sophisticated meyhane near the Galata Bridge with an outstanding cold meze selection.
Turkish Breakfast — Kahvaltı
4 entriesWhat a Turkish Breakfast Looks Like
A proper Turkish breakfast (kahvaltı — literally "before coffee") is a spread: multiple small dishes, served simultaneously, eaten slowly. Olives (black and green), white cheese (beyaz peynir), sliced tomato and cucumber, butter, honey and kaymak (clotted cream), simit (sesame bread ring), menemen (scrambled eggs with tomato and pepper), sucuk (spiced sausage), and fresh-baked bread. And tea — always tea. Strong, double-brewed black tea in a tulip-shaped glass. You will be at the table for 1.5 to 2 hours. This is normal. This is the purpose.
Van Breakfast — The Regional Extreme
Van (eastern Turkey, near the Iranian border) has taken Turkish breakfast to its logical extreme: the Van kahvaltısı is a breakfast that requires 30+ small dishes spread across the table. Van white cheese alone comes in 5–6 varieties. There are herbs gathered from the mountains, specially prepared honeys, multiple jams and preserves, and regional preparations nobody else makes. Many Istanbul restaurants now serve "Van style" breakfast, but the real thing requires going to Van. It's worth a dedicated trip if you're a serious food traveler.
Menemen — The Egg Dish That Starts Arguments
Menemen is eggs cooked in a sauce of tomato, green pepper, and onion — essentially Turkish shakshuka. The argument: should the eggs be scrambled into the sauce, or should the yolks remain whole? This debate is genuine and ongoing among Turks. There is no correct answer. What is correct: it should be made in a copper pan, served sizzling, with fresh bread to scoop. Order it at any lokanta (working-class restaurant) for TRY 80–150 ($2.75–5). It's a breakfast and lunch staple.
Best Breakfast Spots in Istanbul
Van Kahvaltı Evi (Cihangir): A famous Van-style breakfast spread, TRY 450–650 ($15–22) per person for the full Van experience. Weekend wait times can be 30–45 minutes — go early. Müzedechanga (Ortaköy): Upscale breakfast with Bosphorus views — exceptional quality, TRY 500–800 ($17–27). Karaköy Güllüoğlu (Karaköy): The legendary baklava shop also does breakfast from 7am — fresh simit, cheese, tea, and a slice of baklava to start the day. Unbeatable at TRY 150–250 ($5–8.50).
Pide, Lahmacun, Gözleme & Street Food
4 entriesSimit — The Bread of Istanbul
Simit is a circular bread ring encrusted with sesame seeds, baked until golden and crisp on the outside, slightly chewy inside. It's sold from carts throughout Istanbul from early morning — the simitçi (simit seller) with his stacked cart is one of the defining images of the city. TRY 15–25 ($0.50–0.85) each. Eat it plain, or with white cheese and a tea at a café. It's the Istanbul breakfast of the working population and one of the genuinely great breads of the world.
Lahmacun — The Thin Crispy Pizza
Lahmacun (sometimes called "Turkish pizza" though this description will earn sighs from Turkish people) is a paper-thin flatbread topped with minced lamb or beef mixed with tomato, onion, herbs, and spices, then baked until the edges crisp. You roll it up with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon and eat it immediately. TRY 60–120 ($2–4) in a proper fırın (bakery-restaurant). In the southeastern cities (Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa), the lahmacun is richer, spicier, and made with local lamb — dramatically better than the Istanbul versions.
Pide — The Boat-Shaped Bread
Pide is an oval flatbread from a wood-fired oven, folded at the edges to hold various fillings — ground lamb with tomato and pepper (kıymalı), cheese (peynirli), egg and pastırma (cured beef), or spinach and cheese. The bread itself — blistered, slightly chewy, with charred edges — is the attraction as much as the filling. Order at a dedicated pideci restaurant rather than a general restaurant. A whole pide: TRY 200–400 ($6.80–13.60). Eat it at the table while hot.
Gözleme — Village Square Flatbread
Gözleme is a thin hand-rolled flatbread filled with cheese, spinach, potato, or minced meat, then cooked on a flat iron griddle by women — often in traditional dress — at markets, tourist areas, and roadside stops. You can watch the rolling and cooking process. The best gözleme comes from village women who have made them daily for decades. TRY 80–180 ($2.75–6). Cappadocia and Göreme's open-air market do excellent versions. Don't buy them from tourist restaurants where they're rushed and mediocre — find the woman with the actual griddle.
Istanbul Fish — The Bosphorus Table
3 entriesBalık Ekmek — The Fish Sandwich
The balık ekmek (fish sandwich) from the boats moored beneath the Galata Bridge on the Golden Horn is one of Istanbul's most famous street foods. Mackerel (or sea bass depending on season) grilled on a rock and placed in a half-loaf of fresh bread with lettuce and onion. TRY 100–160 ($3.40–5.50). The setting — rocking boats, the Galata Bridge overhead, the Bosphorus behind — is absurd and perfect. The fish is simple. The experience is irreplaceable. Go for lunch when the fish is freshest.
Fish Restaurants in Kumkapı & Karaköy
Kumkapı (a neighborhood in the old city) has streets lined with fish restaurants where waiters stand outside recruiting diners and musicians roam between tables. It's chaotic, overtly tourist-facing, and worth doing once. The fish is generally good; check prices before ordering and confirm no surprise charges. Karaköy has better quality, less theater. Liman Restaurant (Karaköy) is excellent for whole grilled fish. Cülcüoğlu in Galata is a local institution for fish.
Seasonal Fish in Istanbul
Istanbul's fish culture follows the seasons strictly — the Bosphorus connects the Black Sea and Marmara, creating one of the world's most productive fishing channels. Bluefish (lüfer): September–November, the most prized catch; rich, fatty, unforgettable. Mackerel (uskumru): Winter, excellent smoked or grilled. Sea bass (levrek): Year-round farm-raised (çiftlik) or wild (doğal) — wild is far better, ask specifically. Red mullet (barbunya): Spring and early summer. Good fish restaurants list the day's catch, not a standing menu.
Baklava, Turkish Delight & Sweets
4 entriesBaklava — Gaziantep vs. Istanbul
Real baklava is made with Antep (Gaziantep) pistachios — bright green, intensely flavored, completely unlike the yellow pistachios used in lesser versions. The genuine article is also significantly less sweet than what gets exported and sold internationally: the layers of filo are paper-thin, the butter is clarified, and the syrup is light enough not to overwhelm the nut filling. Karaköy Güllüoğlu in Istanbul (since 1820) and İmam Çağdaş in Gaziantep are the two non-negotiable baklava destinations. TRY 60–100 ($2–3.40) per 100g. Buy by weight, eat the same day.
Turkish Delight — Lokum
The real Turkish delight bears almost no resemblance to the chalky supermarket product exported globally. Proper lokum is a gel of starch and sugar, flavored with rose, lemon, mastic, bergamot, or pomegranate, sometimes with pistachios or walnuts pressed inside. The texture should be yielding but firm, not gummy. Ali Muhiddin Hacı Bekir in Eminönü (the original lokum shop, since 1777) and Koska both produce excellent lokum. TRY 400–800 ($13.60–27) per kg. Buy a small amount — the variety at a good shop is the point.
Künefe — The Hot Cheese Pastry
Künefe is a Hatay specialty (southeastern Turkey) that has become beloved nationwide: a crispy shredded wheat pastry (kadayıf) layered with Hatay's distinctive unsalted white cheese, soaked in light syrup, and served immediately from the pan — hot, crispy outside, stringy cheese pulling inside. It's extraordinary. You can find it at künefe specialists in Istanbul (look for shops with the copper pans), but the best is in Hatay or Antakya. TRY 150–300 ($5–10.25) per serving. It must be eaten immediately — it doesn't travel or reheat.
Dondurma — The Stretchy Ice Cream
Turkish ice cream (dondurma) is thickened with mastic resin and the root powder of wild orchids (salep), giving it a distinctly elastic, chewy texture. The street vendors who serve it — especially in tourist areas like Istiklal Avenue — have elevated the transaction into performance theater: flipping, spinning, and denying the cone at the last second before delivery. The theatrical vendors are tourist-oriented; the actual best dondurma comes from Mado (chain, consistent quality) or from Maraş (the southern city famous for the original recipe). TRY 50–120 ($1.70–4).
Regional Cuisines — Beyond Istanbul
4 entriesGaziantep — The Best Food City in Turkey
Gaziantep (Antep) is not just a regional food capital — it is arguably one of the world's great food cities, recognized as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. The city sits at the crossroads of Mediterranean, Levantine, and Anatolian food traditions, and has access to unique local products: the famous Antep pistachio, local lamb breeds, pepper pastes, and a baklava tradition that is the absolute pinnacle of the form. Zeugma Mozaik Restaurant and İmam Çağdaş are institutions. Budget a full day in Gaziantep just for eating.
Black Sea Region — Anchovies and Corn
The Black Sea coast has its own distinct food identity built on two things: the hamsi (Black Sea anchovy) and mısır (corn). Hamsi appears in everything here — fried, baked into bread, made into pilaf, even into a dessert. Hamsili pilav (anchovy rice), hamsili ekmek (anchovy bread), and simple fried hamsi with cornbread are the staples. In Trabzon and Rize, you find muhlama (fondue-like cornmeal and cheese dish) which is consumed with remarkable enthusiasm by the locals and looks completely unlike anything else in Turkish cuisine.
Aegean Cuisine — Herbs and Olive Oil
The Aegean coast cuisine (İzmir, Bodrum, Fethiye, Çeşme) is the lightest and most Mediterranean of Turkish cooking: an emphasis on olive oil, wild herbs, fresh vegetables, and seafood. Zeytinyağlı yemekler (olive oil dishes) — vegetables cooked slowly in good olive oil and served at room temperature — are the defining category. Çiğ köfte, ot kavurması (sautéed wild greens), and fresh sea bass pulled from the Aegean characterize the region. In Bodrum, the Meyhaneler (taverns) open late and serve excellent meze and fish until midnight.
Rakı — The National Spirit and Its Culture
Rakı is an anise-flavored spirit distilled from grape pomace — similar to Greek ouzo or French pastis but more robust. It's served with cold water and ice added separately (it clouds white on contact with water — the "lion's milk"). The correct way to drink rakı is slow and alongside meze over several hours. You do not shot it. Tekirdag Altınbaş and Yeni Rakı are the classic brands; Efe is well-regarded. TRY 200–400 ($6.80–13.60) per glass at a meyhane. Drinking rakı incorrectly will earn gentle correction from Turkish friends — take the lesson.
Best Restaurants — Istanbul, Cappadocia & Coastal
4 entriesIstanbul: Çiya Sofrası (Kadıköy)
Chef Musa Dağdeviren's legendary restaurant on the Asian side of Istanbul — a daily changing menu built from regional Turkish recipes that Dağdeviren has documented on research trips across Anatolia. Some dishes appear only once; others are seasonal. The cold meze selection is extraordinary — things you will not find anywhere else. The Asian side of Istanbul is worth crossing for alone: Kadıköy market, the café culture, and the street food scene are excellent. Çiya: TRY 400–700 ($13.60–24) per person for a proper meze spread.
Istanbul: Karaköy Lokantası
A sophisticated take on the traditional lokanta (working-class restaurant) format, in the Karaköy neighborhood near the Galata Bridge. The daily specials board is handwritten and changes constantly. The cold meze tray is excellent. The setting — tile floors, marble counters, antique mirrors — is beautiful without being precious. It fills up fast for lunch; book ahead for dinner. TRY 350–600 ($12–20) per person.
Cappadocia: Seten Restaurant (Ürgüp)
Set in a restored cave building in Ürgüp with terrace views over the valley, Seten uses regional Cappadocian ingredients — local lamb, testi kebab (clay-pot sealed and cracked tableside), wild thyme, and the volcanic-soil vegetables of the region. Testi kebab must be ordered 4+ hours ahead — it cooks sealed in the clay pot. TRY 400–800 ($13.60–27) per person. The wine from Cappadocia's own vineyards (volcanic soil, intense concentration) is increasingly excellent.
Coastal: Balıkçı (Generic Term)
Along the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts (Bodrum, Fethiye, Antalya, Kaş), the best fish restaurants are often simple tavernas (balıkçı) with tanks of live seafood. You choose your fish by weight, they grill or bake it, and you eat it with olive oil, lemon, bread, and a salad. Sea bass (levrek) from the Aegean: TRY 600–1,200 ($20–41) per kg. Red mullet (barbunya): TRY 400–800 ($13.60–27) per kg. Grilled octopus (ahtapot): TRY 300–500 ($10.25–17) per portion. Eat at lunch by the water and you've had the best possible coastal Turkey meal.
Scott's Food Pro Tips
- Meyhane Timing: Meyhanes (taverns) are at their best late — from 9pm onwards. Arriving at 7pm feels wrong and is. Arrive after 9, order cold meze first, let the evening develop. Midnight is not late in Istanbul's meze culture.
- Baklava Rule: Buy baklava at a dedicated baklava shop, not from a supermarket or tourist shop. Karaköy Güllüoğlu (Istanbul) or İmam Çağdaş (Gaziantep). Buy by weight. Eat the same day.
- Balık Ekmek — Timing: Go at lunch, not dinner. The fish is freshest midday, the boats are busiest, the Galata Bridge light is at its best. Don't go if it's raining — the experience is the setting as much as the sandwich.
- Rakı Protocol: Add the cold water to the rakı, not rakı to water. Add ice separately. Do not mix it like a cocktail. Eat something between each glass — meze is the prescribed companion. One glass is aperitif; two is dinner; three is commitment.
- Tipping in Turkey: 10% in restaurants where service is included; 10–15% where it isn't. Tipping is appreciated but not as codified as in the US. Street food vendors do not expect tips. Taxi drivers are not typically tipped.
- Haggling at Spice Market: The Mısır Çarşısı (Egyptian Bazaar / Spice Market) sells spices, lokum, and dried goods. The first price is a negotiating start — a 20–30% reduction is normal. Buy from shops that let you smell and taste before buying.
Plan a Food-First Turkey Trip
Tell our AI planner you want to eat your way through Istanbul, Gaziantep, and the Aegean coast.
Start Planning →