Legendary Turkish breakfast
In Türkiye, a typical Turkish breakfast has regional variations but features mainly similar components, with dishes showing influences from the Ottoman, Central Asian, Eastern European, and Middle Eastern food cultures. Staples of the Turkish breakfast include olive and cheese varieties, savory and sweet pastries and tasty egg dishes, along with honey, cream, jams and preserves. The Van-style Turkish breakfast, named after the city of Van, is especially renowned. If you’d like to combine sightseeing with one of the world’s most notable brunches, click here for a ticket to Van. To read more about breakfast culture in Turkish cuisine, click here!
Traditional Turkish and Ottoman cuisine
Classic Ottoman cuisine has strongly influenced both traditional and modern Turkish gastronomy. The rich culinary culture of the Ottomans highlighted dishes made with lamb and goat meat, butter and lard, and spices and fruits. In aristocratic Ottoman households, family meals were as much of an occasion as celebratory banquets. Family members dined together and table manners were important. Ottoman dishes such as melon stuffed with lamb meat and stuffed artichokes are still popular today, especially in the Aegean today, while piruhi is similar to today’s mantı (ravioli). We should mention that the Ottoman-style piruhi was made with tulum cheese. To read more about Ottoman cuisine, click here.
The ambrosial flavors of Gaziantep, Hatay and Adana
For a gastronomic getaway, the Gaziantep-Hatay-Adana route is ideal. You can start from Adana or Gaziantep – there are daily flights to both cities. To kick off your trip with an amazing breakfast featuring katmer, liver and beyran, start in Gaziantep. In Gaziantep, you can spend an entire day (or two!) wandering around and sampling local dishes such as firik pilaf, yuvalama, beyran, kebab and lahmacun. And, of course, the city’s celebrated baklava, considered by some to be the best in the world and the first Turkish product to be registered on the European Commission’s list of protected designation of origin products. Hatay also offers rather spectacular dining opportunities: the city is known for its mezes, doner, kebabs and künefe, among others. And Adana, of course, deserves a day to savor the regional pastries and Adana-style liver and kebabs. As well, Adana şalgam – turnip juice – is a healthy, fermented beverage made with turnips or purple carrots; it is beloved throughout Türkiye. To read more about this appetizing culinary route, click here.
A breeze from the north: Distinctive Black Sea dishes
The Black Sea region has contributed some of the most delicious dishes in traditional Turkish cuisine. In addition to tea plantations, this fertile region is famous for its kale, corn, chard, and nettle crops. And the anchovy! This small Black Sea fish is tiny but exceedingly flavorful – and the arrival of anchovy season is anticipated across Türkiye. The fish is usually fried whole or served in a pie-like dish. Other tasty regional dishes include stuffed kale, kale soup and pickled vegetables. In Trabzon, kuymak- and akçaabat-style köfte (meatballs) are a specialty, while Artvin’s local dishes show the influence of neighboring Georgia. And of course, the city of Samsun is known for its pide! Trabzon, the influence of Georgian cuisine in Artvin, of course, Samsun’s pide is outstanding! Click here to read more about Black Sea cuisine.
Vegetarian-friendly flavors and the temple of olive oil: the Aegean
Aegean cuisine offers some of the lightest, healthiest, and most plant-based examples of traditional Turkish dishes. Tables featuring local herbs such as “şevketi bostan” (a type of milk thistle), “radika” (chicory), glasswort, and “arapsaçı” (a type of fennel), served with olive oil, create a true feast, especially for those following vegetarian or vegan diets. So what else awaits in the Aegean? Let’s start with Izmir; boyoz, kumru, tulum cheese, and Izmir köfte are among the first flavors that come to mind. In Muğla, a bowl of hot tarhana soup followed by stuffed zucchini blossoms is almost a must. For a detailed look at Aegean cuisine, you can find both delicious and healthy inspiration in our article, “Healthy and delicious Aegean cuisine”.
From street food to Michelin: Two faces of Istanbul
Now let us turn to our gateway to happiness, our city of cities, Istanbul. In gastronomy, Istanbul offers the most delicious harmony of contrasts. On one side are “kokoreç” (a dish of seasoned, skewered lamb intestines) that intoxicates with its aroma; the simit and tea duo by the ferry pier; and the fish sandwich ritual in Eminönü. On the other are Michelin Guide restaurants that, in recent years, have turned the city into a rising gastronomic star. Chefs who reinterpret traditional Turkish dishes with modern techniques are propelling Istanbul to the top ranks of the global gastronomy map. Whether you grab a standing wet burger or indulge in a fine dining experience overlooking the Bosphorus, Istanbul speaks to every palate. Our article, Istanbul’s street delicacies from kokoreç to chestnut, brings the city’s street tastes together and might make you a little hungry. Fair warning. If fine dining is more your style, do not forget to check out our article A gastronomic perspective on travel: Türkiye’s Michelin-starred restaurants. Better yet, take a look at Istanbul flight tickets and decide which flavors you want to taste once you arrive.
A true gastronomy museum: Local artisan restaurants
If you truly want to get a grip on Turkish cuisine, step away from luxury restaurants and push open the door of an artisan eatery. This culture, stretching from the Ottoman guild system to the present day, is about eating quickly and affordably while retaining the warmth of home cooking. The most enjoyable part is choosing your meal by eye, scanning the colorful pots lined up at the counter. White rice pilaf topped with stewed beans, pickles on the side, and a bowl of cacık. Depending on the season, “karnıyarık” (stuffed eggplant), “kadınbudu köfte” (meat and rice croquettes), or boiled lamb. Artisan eateries are the finest living representatives of Türkiye’s “stewed dishes” tradition. At the end of the meal, instead of a syrup-soaked dessert, sip a fragrant grape or apricot “hoşaf” (compote). That’s one of the golden rules of this ritual.
The sweetest excuse for conversation: Meze tables
In Turkish culture, lingering at the table and letting the conversation stretch is as important as the act of eating itself. This is where meze takes center stage at long, convivial gatherings. These small plates, laid out before the main course arrives, are a true feast of flavors. Haydari with the freshness of strained yogurt, garlic, and mint; fava made from Aegean broad beans; the finest expressions of roasted eggplant in baba ghanoush or köpoğlu; and hummus generously scented with cumin. Shaped by countless examples, from seafood varieties to olive oil-based Aegean dishes served as meze, this culture has continued to expand under the influence of migration and modern life, remaining an essential part of evenings filled with conversation.
Any hour of the day, for comfort and healing: Soups
In many parts of the world, soup is simply a starter. In Türkiye, it holds pride of place at any hour of the day. It is drunk in the morning to warm you up or sipped as a remedy when you are unwell.
Tarhana, prepared with dried yogurt and vegetables and carried from Central Asia to the present day, is often considered one of the world’s oldest forms of “instant soup.” Strained lentil soup is a staple of eateries; yayla soup showcases yogurt at its finest, while tripe soup, or kelle paça, remains a favorite among offal lovers. Finished with sizzling butter poured over the top and plenty of lemon, the soup stands as the quiet hero of Turkish cuisine.
It’s impossible to say no: Pasta and pastries
Brought to Anatolia from Central Asia, mantı are tiny Turkish-style dumplings. The fillings will vary by regions, but the dumplings are usually served with yoghurt, sauce and/or butter. Kayseri-style mantı are legendary in some circles. For more on the delights of Turkish carb culture, you can read about the art of Turkish dough-based foods.
A sweet finish: Turkish desserts from past to present
Baklava, made with forty layers of paper-thin phyllo dough and a filling of nuts and honey, was patented in 2013 and has been one of our registered flavors ever since. Lokum (Turkish delight) is a timeless treat from 15th century Ottoman palace cuisine. Aşure, a luscious pudding cooked with prayers in many houses in Muharram, and güllaç, another dessert that is indispensable on iftar tables during Ramadan… Sweets have a special place in traditional Turkish cuisine: if this piques your interest, you can read about these must-try Turkish desserts ! Enjoy your meal. ☺
