Where to eat in Antalya
Antalya's signature dish is piyaz, a white bean salad with tahini that is eaten with grilled meat. Seafood from the bay and fresh vegetables from the fertile plain fill the menus, and the old harbor has restaurants that look at the sea. Eat dinner late, after the heat has gone.
The short answer
- Best area to eat
- Kaleiçi for a view over the harbor, and Konyaaltı for casual seafood.
- Order this
- Antalya piyaz, grilled fish or sea bass, and a plate of seasonal vegetables.
- When to eat
- Dinner from 8pm in summer. Lunch is late and light because of the heat.
- Book or walk in
- Book for a sunset table at the harbor in July and August. Walk in elsewhere.
- Tipping
- Leave about 10 per cent in a sit-down restaurant, and round up in cafés.
What to eat in Antalya
- Antalya piyazıWhite beans with tahini, garlic, vinegar and boiled egg, served with grilled meatballs or lamb.
- Şiş köfteGrilled minced meat on a skewer, the regular partner of piyaz in local restaurants.
- Grilled sea bass or breamFish from the bay, grilled whole with lemon and eaten at a harbor or beach restaurant.
- HibeşA creamy tahini and chickpea dip with olive oil, a regional meze that is easy to share.
- Tandır kebabLamb slow-cooked in a clay oven until it falls apart, often served with rice and salad.
- Fresh orange juiceOranges and pomegranates from the surrounding plain, squeezed in front of you at street carts.
Where to eat in Antalya, by neighborhood
Kaleiçi
Restaurants in restored Ottoman houses and on the harbor. Choose a side street over the main waterfront for better value.
Konyaaltı
Beachside cafés and seafood restaurants, easy for lunch after a swim.
Lara and the city center
Local lokantas and kebab places that serve the people who live here, and they are where you find the better piyaz.
Places worth a booking or a queue
-
Parlak Restaurant
₺₺Grill restaurant · Kaleiçi
Orderthe half chicken and the piyaz
A local favorite for decades, with a garden courtyard in the old town and a simple grill menu.
- Book
- Walk in, or book for a weekend dinner.
Confirmed open: parlakrestaurant.com
-
7 Mehmet
₺₺₺Turkish restaurant · Konyaaltı side, Atatürk Cultural Park
Orderthe grilled meats and meze
A long-running restaurant with a clifftop terrace over the bay and a broad menu of local dishes.
- Book
- Book for sunset, especially in summer.
Confirmed open: 7mehmet.com
-
Seraser Fine Dining
₺₺₺₺Restaurant · Kaleiçi
Orderthe seasonal tasting menu
A restored Ottoman building with a terrace on the harbor and modern cooking of regional ingredients.
- Book
- Book several days ahead in season.
Confirmed open: seraserrestaurant.com
-
Hasanağa Restaurant
₺₺₺Turkish restaurant · Kaleiçi
Orderthe lamb tandır and the piyaz
Set in a garden inside the old town, serving regional dishes at a fair pace.
- Book
- Book for dinner on weekends.
Confirmed open: meyhankoli.com
Food markets in Antalya
- Muratpaşa Saturday marketsOpen-air weekly markets in Muratpaşa with seasonal fruit, vegetables, nuts, dried fruit and spices.Saturdays, roughly 8am to 7pmSource: antalyatouristinformation.com
How Antalya eats
- Meal timesBreakfast is late and generous. Lunch is light, and dinner starts after 8pm in summer.
- TippingLeave about 10 per cent if service is not included, and round up in cafés.
- ReservationsBook for harbor terraces on summer evenings. Elsewhere, walk in.
- AlcoholMost restaurants serve beer, wine and rakı, and some old town places are alcohol-free, so ask.
Signs of a place to walk past
A tout on the harbor who offers a free drink to sit down.
A menu with no local dish, only pizza and burgers in several languages.
Seafood priced by the plate with no weight or price per kilo on the menu.
Eating in Antalya: questions people ask
What food is Antalya known for?
Piyaz, a white bean salad with tahini, and grilled meat such as şiş köfte. Fish from the bay and fresh fruit from the plain are also local.
Where is the best place to eat in Antalya?
Kaleiçi for atmosphere and harbor views, and the lokantas in the city center for local prices and food.
Is Antalya cheap to eat in?
It is cheaper than most western European resorts. Prices at the harbor are higher than in the city center.
Is the tap water safe in Antalya?
Most visitors drink bottled water. The tap water is treated but is not usually drunk.