Turkey is one of the great cuisines of the world, and for the foodie it is a destination of the first rank. The cooking of the country draws on the Ottoman palace kitchens, the regional kitchens of Anatolia, and the produce of a land that stretches from the Mediterranean to the Black Sea, and it has given the world the kebab, the baklava, and the coffee. The foodie in Turkey will find the journey of the flavors: the breakfasts that last for hours, the street food of the cities, the seafood of the coasts, and the regional dishes that change with every valley. This guide shows you how to eat your way through Turkey.
The Great Cuisine
The Turkish cuisine is one of the three great cuisines of the world, and it is built on the Ottoman heritage. The kitchens of the Topkapi Palace fed an empire, and the dishes of the court spread to the provinces.
The foundations of the cuisine are the fresh produce, the olive oil, the yogurt, the herbs, and the breads. The cooking is generous and layered: the mezes, the grills, the stews, and the pastries follow one another in the full meal.
The geography of the country is the secret of its table. The Mediterranean gives the olive oil and the seafood, the plateau gives the wheat and the meats, the Black Sea gives the fish and the greens, and the east gives the spice and the kebabs.
The Breakfast
The Turkish breakfast is a ceremony. The table is spread with the small plates: the cheeses, the olives, the eggs, the jams, the honey and the clotted cream, the tomatoes and the cucumbers, and the breads, with the tea poured throughout.
The breakfast of the country is a social meal, served slowly and shared. The hotels of Turkey lay out the great breakfast spreads, and the breakfast houses of the cities serve the meal at its local best.
The foodie should take the breakfast seriously. The honey of the different regions, the cheeses of the dairy towns, and the fresh breads of the local bakeries are among the finest tastes of Turkey, and the long breakfast is the right beginning of the day.
The Kebabs and the Grills
The kebab is the most famous dish of Turkey, and it is a world of its own. The doner, the layered roast, the shish, the skewered cubes, and the regional specialties of Adana and Urfa, with their spiced meats, are the classics.
The grills of the country go beyond the kebab. The köfte, the meatballs of the country, are served everywhere, and the lamb dishes, the chicken wings, and the grills of the coast carry the traditions of the fire.
The regional variations are the joy of the kebab journey. The meats of the southeast, the fish of the coasts, and the cooking of the different cities give the foodie the map of the country in the form of the grill. Each city is proud of its own style, and the argument over which kebab is the best is one of the oldest and most loving debates of the Turkish table.
The Mezes and the Seafood
The meze is the heart of the Turkish table. The small plates of the meze spread include the stuffed vine leaves, the white bean salad, the eggplant dishes, the cheeses, and the yogurt dishes, and the dinner of the mezes is the classic Turkish meal.
The seafood of the coasts gives the meze table its treasures. The fish of the day, the calamari, the octopus, and the mussels appear in the restaurants of the harbors, and the fish restaurants of the Bosphorus and the Aegean are the finest of the country.
The meyhane, the tavern of the city, is the setting of the great meze dinner. The small plates arrive in the waves, the raki is poured, and the evening stretches into the night, and the foodie who joins the ritual will taste the soul of the Turkish table.
The Regional Kitchens
Every region of Turkey has its own kitchen. The Aegean cooks with the olive oil and the herbs, the Black Sea cooks with the fish and the greens, and the southeast cooks with the spice and the grills.
The specialties of the regions are the treasures of the foodie journey. The testi kebab of Cappadocia, cooked in the clay pot; the lahmacun of the southeast, the thin pizza of the country; the gözleme of the villages; and the pide of the towns are the great regional dishes.
The regional meals are best eaten in their homes. The lokanta of the town, the restaurant of the village, and the table of the family serve the local cooking at its source, and the foodie who travels the regions will eat a different Turkey at every stop.
The Breads and the Pastries
The bread of Turkey is a daily wonder. The simit, the sesame ring of the streets; the pide, the boat-shaped bread of the ovens; the bazlama, the griddled flatbread of the villages; and the lavash of the east are the breads of the country.
The pastries of the Turkish kitchen reach their heights in the borek, the filled pastry of the cheese, the meat, and the greens. The breakfast tables, the tea houses, and the pastry shops of the country serve the borek in its many forms.
The pastane, the pastry shop of the Turkish town, holds the desserts of the day: the cakes, the cookies, and the puddings of the country, and the foodie who visits the pastane will find the sweet side of the Turkish table.
The Sweets
The sweets of Turkey are famous the world over. The baklava, the layered pastry of the pistachio and the syrup, is the king of the desserts, and the city of Gaziantep is its capital.
The other sweets of the country complete the picture: the Turkish delight, the lokum, in its flavors of the rose and the pistachio; the puddings of the rice, the milk, and the chicken breast; and the halva of the sesame and the flour.
The dessert culture of Turkey is social and generous. The sweets accompany the coffee and the tea, the visits and the festivals, and the foodie who follows the sweets will find the sweetest welcome in the country.
The Coffee and the Tea
The coffee of Turkey is a world heritage, and it is an essential stop of the foodie journey. The coffee is ground fine, brewed in the cezve, and served in the small cups with the foam on top and the grounds beneath.
The tea of Turkey is the national drink. The black tea of the Black Sea coast, brewed strong and served in the tulip glasses, accompanies the day, and the tea gardens of the country are the social heart of the towns.
The rituals of the two drinks are part of the taste. The fortune reading in the coffee grounds, the refills of the tea, and the conversation that follows the cups give the foodie the context of the flavors.
The Markets
The markets of Turkey are the foodie’s playground. The bazaars of the cities sell the spices, the dried fruits, the nuts, and the cheeses; the weekly markets of the towns sell the produce of the region; and the harbors sell the fish of the day.
The shopping of the markets is the souvenir of the foodie: the spices of the bazaar, the olive oil of the Aegean, the honey of the plateaus, and the lokum of the shops. The food of Turkey travels well, and the kitchen at home will carry the memory of the journey.
The market day is also the eating day. The street food of the market, the gözleme cooked on the griddle, the fish sandwiches, and the fresh juices feed the shopping, and the foodie who follows the crowds will eat as the locals eat.
Planning the Food Journey
The foodie journey should be planned around the tables. The cities of Istanbul and Gaziantep are the great food destinations, the coasts give the seafood, and the regions give the local kitchens, and the itinerary should follow the flavors.
The practical notes are simple: eat where the locals eat, follow the queues, and ask the advice of the hotel and the shopkeepers. The Turkish meal is the generous one, and the foodie should come hungry, because the portions are plentiful, the tea is endless, and the hospitality that arrives with every plate is part of the taste.
The final advice is to slow down. The Turkish table is the long table, the meal is the shared one, and the food is best enjoyed with the company and the time. The foodie who accepts the pace will eat better than the one who rushes.
Frequently asked questions
What are the must-try foods in Turkey?
Start with the breakfast, the kebabs, and the mezes, then add the regional specialties: the testi kebab of Cappadocia, the lahmacun of the southeast, and the seafood of the coasts. The sweets of the baklava and the Turkish delight, and the rituals of the coffee and the tea, complete the essential journey.
Which Turkish cities are best for food?
Istanbul is the great food city, with its restaurants, its meyhanes, and its markets. Gaziantep is the capital of the baklava and the regional cooking of the southeast, and the coastal towns of the Aegean and the Mediterranean give the seafood at its best.
Is Turkish food suitable for vegetarians?
Yes, Turkish cuisine is vegetarian-friendly. The meze tradition offers many vegetable and legume dishes, and the stuffed vine leaves, the eggplant dishes, the bean dishes, and the pastries of the cheese give the vegetarian a rich table. Asking for the dishes without the meat is easy, and the regional kitchens add their own vegetarian specialties.
All Over Information
The All Over Information editorial team researches and writes practical English-language guides to Turkey. Facts are checked against official and local sources before publication, prices are published as dated ranges rather than quotes, and guides are revised when things change. We accept no sponsored posts, paid placements or paid links.
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