Must Try Food

Lahmacun(Turkish pizza)

A thin flat bread topped with minced meat and spices baked in a wooden oven; lahmacun is a very popular fast food in Turkey. It can be served with lemon, onions, tomatoes and some herbs.

Döner

The most well-known Turkish food, döner kebap dates back to 17th century. The word döner literally means "turning" in Turkish. You can find variety of versions of it all around Turkey.

Adana Kebap

It is a long, hand-minced meat kebab mounted on a wide iron skewer and grilled on an open barbecue filled with burning charcoal. This spicy and delicious food is named after the city of Adana.

Baklava

It's a sweet dessert pastry made of layers and filled with chopped nuts or pistacchio. It is the most popular Turkish dessert.

Mantı

The boiled dumplings typically consist of a spiced meat mixture and served with yoghurt topping.

Dolma

It is a stuffed vegetable dish which has various versions in the region. People of Turkey love to eat it with yoghurt.

Simit-Çay

Bagel-tea is fast and satisfying breakfast or even lunch for Turkish people. Turkish bagel is topped with sesames and preferred to eat with cream cheese. If you take a ferry tour in Istanbul throw some pieces to seagulls and see what happens:)

Rakı-Balık

Rakı-balık(fish) is a traditional combination for rakı lovers in Turkey. Rakı is an anise flavored, strong alcoholic drink which has a cultural impact on Turkish cuisine. It is commonly served with seafood or meze.

İskender

It is a kebab from western part of Turkey. The dish consists of döner kebab prepared with hot tomato sauce over pieces of pita bread and generously slathered with melted sheep butter and yogurt.

Künefe

Kunefe is made from a stretchy, unsalted fresh melting cheese. The cheese is coated in sugar syrup-soaked phyllo shreds called kadayıf, and fried until crisp. It can be topped with pistachios, clotted cream or ice cream.

Çiğ Köfte

It's a raw meatball and traditionally made with either beef or lamb, but in Turkish restaurants and fast food spots only the vegetarian variety made with extra fine bulgur may be served. Ciğ köfte may be served as an appetizer or meze.

Turkish coffee

Turkish coffee has a big part in Turkish culture. Coffee is prepared using very finely ground coffee beans, unfiltered. Sugar is added while brewing and it is served with a small glass of water. The ground of the coffee is also used for fortune telling.

Gözleme

Gözleme is a traditional savory Turkish flatbread and pastry dish. Toppings for gözleme are numerous and vary by region and personal preference. Most common ones are with cheese, spinach or potato.

Kumpir

A giant potato is baked, cut down the middle, then the soft insides are mixed with a generous lathering of butter and a pile of cheese. Then presented with an endless amount of options for topping, including yogurt, ketchup, corn, sausage slices, olives.

Karnıyarık (Stuffed Eggplant)

It is a big, warm eggplant stuffed with ground meat, onion, black pepper, tomatoes and parsley. Generally accompanied by rice and cacık, this dish is hearty, full of flavour, and perfect for a filling meal.