Turkish food: what to eat in Turkey, region by region
Turkish food is a set of regional cuisines, not one. The Aegean cooks with olive oil and greens, the Black Sea with fish and corn, the south-east with spice, kebabs and pastry. Start with breakfast, order meze to share, and ask a place what its region does best. The same dish tastes different in every city.
The short answer
- Order this first
- A Turkish breakfast with eggs, cheese, olives and bread, then meze, then a kebab or pide. Ask what the house is known for.
- When people eat
- Breakfast is long and late at weekends. Lunch is around 1pm and dinner is usually after 8pm, later in summer.
- Tipping
- Around 10 percent if service is not on the bill. Leave it in cash where the card machine has no tip option.
- Where to eat well
- Look for places full of locals at lunch, a short menu and a grill or oven you can see. The city food guides name places.
What to eat in Turkey
- MenemenEggs scrambled with tomato and green peppers, served in the pan with bread. It is a breakfast and brunch dish, and cooks argue over whether to add onion.Aegean
- MezeA spread of small cold and hot plates such as aubergine, white beans, yoghurt and stuffed vine leaves. Order several for the table and keep the bread coming.Across Turkey
- İskender kebapSliced lamb or beef doner on bread, under tomato sauce and hot butter, with yoghurt on the side. It is heavy, so share it or skip the starter.Bursa
- MantıSmall dumplings of minced meat, served under garlic yoghurt and a drizzle of spiced butter. Kayseri is the city most people name for it.Central Anatolia
- PideA boat-shaped flatbread baked with cheese, minced meat or egg. It comes from the Black Sea coast and is easy to find everywhere.Black Sea
- LahmacunA thin round of dough topped with spiced minced meat and herbs, baked fast. Squeeze lemon over it, add salad and parsley, and roll it up.South-east
- KöfteGrilled meatballs, eaten with bread, onion salad and chilli. Many cities have a local style, and a good grill place often does little else.Across Turkey
- BörekThin layers of pastry filled with cheese, spinach or meat, baked or fried. A bakery börek and a glass of tea is a cheap breakfast.Across Turkey
- Balık ekmekA grilled fish sandwich with onion and salad, eaten by the water. Istanbul's Bosphorus quays are the classic place.Istanbul
- BaklavaLayers of pastry, nuts and syrup, with pistachio the best-known filling. Buy it from a shop that makes its own and eat it with tea.Gaziantep
How the food changes across Turkey
The Aegean and the west
Olive oil, wild greens, herbs and fish. Dishes are lighter and often served cold, and meze matter more here than meat.
The Mediterranean coast
Citrus, tomatoes, spice and seafood. Antalya's cooking leans on tahini, lemon and fresh produce, and the coast is good for long summer lunches.
Central Anatolia
Dumplings, stews, breads and pastry, the food of wheat country. Cappadocia adds clay-pot dishes cooked slowly and served in the pot.
The south-east
Spice, charcoal, pistachios and sweet pastry. Kebabs, lahmacun and baklava are at their best here, and meals can be hot.
The Black Sea
Anchovies, corn bread, cabbage and butter. Fish is the base, and the cooking is plainer than elsewhere.
What to drink in Turkey
- TeaServed in small tulip glasses, strong and often. Shops and hotels bring it free, and it is rude to refuse a first glass.
- Turkish coffeeSmall, strong and unfiltered, served with the grounds. Let it settle before you drink, and do not stir.
- AyranSalted yoghurt drink, cold, and the usual partner to kebabs and pide. It is sharper than lassi.
- RakıAniseed spirit, diluted with water until it clouds, and drunk slowly with meze and fish. It is the drink for a long dinner.
- Turkish wineThe country makes wine in the Aegean, Thrace and Cappadocia. Ask for a local grape rather than an international one.
Where to eat in Turkey, city by city
Istanbul
A city on two continents, with mosques, bazaars, ferries and the best food in the country. It suits first-timers and anyone who likes to walk.
Order Balık ekmek
Antalya
A Mediterranean base with an old harbor quarter, beaches and the Taurus mountains behind. It suits sun, ruins and day trips along the coast.
Order Antalya piyazı
Cappadocia
Rock valleys, cave hotels and balloons over the villages at sunrise. It suits couples, photographers and anyone who wants scenery after a city.
Order Testi kebab
Bodrum
A castle, a marina and bays on the Aegean, quiet in spring and lively in summer. It suits beach breaks with good dinners.
Order Meze
How Turkey eats
- Meal timesBreakfast is the big meal at weekends, lunch is around 1pm and dinner after 8pm. Restaurants in resorts keep tourist hours.
- Coffee and teaTea all day, coffee after a meal. A glass comes free in many shops and hotels as a courtesy.
- ReservationsBook dinner at popular places in Istanbul and on the coast in summer. Casual lokantas and grill places take walk-ins.
- TippingAround 10 percent if service is not already on the bill. Check the bill, and leave it in cash if the card machine does not offer it.
Signs of a place to walk past
A tout on the pavement who steers you in with a free drink or a cheap first price.
A menu with no prices, or one with photos of every dish in six languages.
A restaurant on the main square that is empty at lunchtime when the places down the street are full.
Fish sold with no price by weight written down, so the bill can grow at the end.
Food in Turkey: questions people ask
What food is Turkey known for?
Kebabs, meze, pide, börek and baklava, plus a long breakfast of eggs, cheese, olives and bread. The cooking changes by region, so ask each place what it does best.
What should you eat in Turkey for the first time?
Start with a Turkish breakfast, then meze, then a grill dish such as köfte or İskender kebap. Finish with tea and baklava.
Is Turkish food spicy?
Not by default. The south-east is spicier than the west, and chilli is usually served on the side or as flakes you add yourself.
What is a traditional Turkish breakfast?
A spread of cheese, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggs, honey, jam and bread, with endless tea. Menemen or börek often comes as a hot dish.
Is Turkish food good for vegetarians?
Yes. Meze, börek, menemen, stuffed vegetables and lentil soup are meat-free, but check broths and fats, because meat can hide in cooked dishes.
How much should you tip in Turkey?
Around 10 percent in a restaurant if service is not already on the bill. Round up a taxi fare.
What do Turks drink with a meal?
Ayran with kebabs and pide, rakı with meze and fish, and tea afterwards. Wine is widely available in cities and resorts.
Where is the best food in Turkey?
Istanbul has the widest choice, the south-east is known for kebabs and baklava, and the Aegean for olive-oil dishes and fish. The city food guides name places.