Where to eat in Cappadocia, and the pottery kebab to order
Cappadocia eats slow, local and heavy on meat, dumplings and clay-pot cooking. The signature is testi kebab, cooked in a sealed pot and cracked open at the table. The best meals are often in small family houses and cave rooms, and several need a booking, so ask your hotel on the first day.
The short answer
- Best area to eat
- Göreme for choice and terraces, Ürgüp and Mustafapaşa for village houses and wine.
- Order this
- Testi kebab, mantı with yoghurt, and a local white wine.
- When to eat
- Dinner from 7pm in the evening. Lunch is the main meal in many village places.
- Book or walk in
- Book the small family places and the Michelin-listed ones. Walk in for cafes and grills in Göreme.
- Tipping
- Leave about 10 per cent if service is not included, in cash if you can.
What to eat in Cappadocia
- Testi kebabLamb or chicken and vegetables sealed in a clay pot and cooked slowly, then broken open at your table. It is the dish Göreme is known for.
- MantıTiny dumplings filled with minced meat, served with garlic yoghurt, melted butter and red pepper. Often called Cappadocian ravioli.
- Sac tavaStrips of lamb or beef and vegetables fried on a round iron plate and brought to the table sizzling.
- Tandır lambLamb cooked for hours in a pit oven until it falls from the bone, served with rice or flatbread.
- MücverCourgette fritters with herbs, served as a starter with yoghurt.
- GözlemeA thin flatbread filled with cheese, spinach or potato and cooked on a griddle, often by women in village cafes.
- Quince dessertBaked quince in syrup, served with clotted cream and walnuts. A dessert of Anatolian autumn.
- Local wineThe region has made wine for centuries. Try a white from the local Emir grape, and ask for a tasting in Ürgüp.
Where to eat in Cappadocia, by village
Göreme
The widest choice, from cave restaurants with terraces to pottery kebab rooms and simple grills. Walk away from the main street for better value.
Uçhisar
Quieter evenings, with several restaurants at the hotels on the hillside and views over the valley. Climb is steep, so take a taxi back.
Ürgüp and Mustafapaşa
Ürgüp has the most serious tables in the region and several wine bars. Mustafapaşa, a few kilometers south, has an old Greek stone house serving lunch and dinner.
Avanos
Ordinary town restaurants by the river, with kebab houses and pide places that cost less than in Göreme.
Places worth a booking or a queue
-
Revithia
₺₺₺₺Restaurant · Ürgüp, Kayakapı
Orderthe tasting menu of regional dishes, with aubergine and veal tail when on
The region's only Michelin-starred restaurant, in an old cave quarter above Ürgüp, serving old Anatolian recipes with a modern finish. The menu changes with the season.
- Book
- Book directly by phone; it takes no third-party bookings.
- Closed
- Sundays
Confirmed open: guide.michelin.com
-
Babayan Evi
₺₺Village house restaurant · Ürgüp, İbrahimpaşa
Orderthe set menu of garden dishes and stuffed vine leaves
A Michelin Bib Gourmand house in İbrahimpaşa village, cooking seasonal food from its own garden in a wood-fired oven, on terraces with valley views.
- Book
- Book ahead by phone; there is a single set menu.
Confirmed open: guide.michelin.com
-
Old Greek House
₺₺Family restaurant · Mustafapaşa
Ordersac tava and the baklava with candied nuts
A 19th-century Greek stone house with a courtyard, run by one family and cooking Turkish dishes with Greek touches. A Michelin Bib Gourmand.
- Book
- Book by phone or on its website, as it opens on one day only.
- Closed
- every day except Wednesday
Confirmed open: guide.michelin.com
-
Happena
₺₺Terrace restaurant · Göreme
Orderthe wood-fired lamb with honey and ginger
A Michelin Bib Gourmand terrace above Göreme that cooks from old Hittite-inspired recipes. Come for a late lunch or an early dinner, with the valley below.
- Book
- Book through its website or OpenTable, especially for sunset.
Confirmed open: guide.michelin.com
-
Seten Restaurant
₺₺Anatolian restaurant · Göreme
Orderthe Cappadocian ravioli and lamb tandır
A Michelin-listed terrace at the top of Göreme, using produce from its own garden. Arrive early for the sunset tables.
- Book
- It takes no reservations: arrive early.
Confirmed open: guide.michelin.com
-
Aravan Evi
₺Farm-to-table restaurant · Ürgüp, Ayvalı village
Orderthe fixed menu of kitchen-garden dishes and the stuffed dried apricots
A third-generation family hotel and restaurant in Ayvalı village, a Michelin Bib Gourmand cooking from its own garden on a fixed menu.
- Book
- Book directly by phone or on its website.
Confirmed open: guide.michelin.com
Food markets in Cappadocia
- Avanos Friday marketThe region's best-known local produce market, by the river: vegetables, fruit, cheese, olives and dried goods. Go early, and bring cash.Fridays, mornings are best; confirm with your hotelSource: traveltoeat.com
- Ürgüp Saturday marketA weekly market for local produce, dried fruit and molasses, close to the wine shops in the town center.Saturdays, mornings are best; confirm with your hotelSource: traveltoeat.com
How Cappadocia eats
- Meal timesBreakfast is a large spread of cheese, olives, eggs, honey and bread. Lunch is the main meal for many locals, and dinner starts from about 7pm.
- TippingLeave about 10 per cent if service is not included. In cafes, round up.
- ReservationsBook the small family places and the Michelin-listed restaurants a day or two ahead, and a week ahead for Revithia. Cave restaurants with terraces fill at sunset.
- AlcoholWine and rakı are served in most restaurants, but a few small village places do not serve alcohol. Ask when you book.
- Clay pot cookingTesti kebab takes time to cook, and many places ask you to order it earlier in the day. Ask when you sit down.
Signs of a place to walk past
A tout in the street who offers a free drink or a special price to sit down.
A menu with testi kebab at a price far below its neighbors, as the cooking takes hours and the portion shows it.
A restaurant with menus in six languages and photographs of every dish, and no local food on it.
A terrace that charges for a view with no menu prices shown before you sit.
Eating in Cappadocia: questions people ask
What food is Cappadocia known for?
Testi kebab, cooked in a sealed clay pot, is the best known. Mantı dumplings with yoghurt, sac tava, tandır lamb and local wine are also typical, with baked quince for dessert.
What is testi kebab and where can I try it?
Meat and vegetables slow-cooked in a sealed clay pot that is cracked open at the table. Many restaurants in Göreme and Ürgüp serve it, and some ask you to order it earlier in the day.
Where is the best place to eat in Göreme?
For a view and local dishes, Seten and Happena, both Michelin-listed terraces above the town. Seten takes no reservations, so arrive early.
Which restaurant in Cappadocia has a Michelin star?
Revithia in Ürgüp holds the region's only star at the time of writing. It is closed on Sundays and takes bookings only by phone.
Do I need to book restaurants in Cappadocia?
For the Michelin-listed places and small family houses, yes, a day or two ahead. For grills and cafes in Göreme you can usually walk in.
Is Cappadocia cheap to eat in?
Less than the coast. Village places and Avanos are the cheapest, Göreme terraces are dearer, and the fine-dining tables in Ürgüp cost the most.
Can you drink wine in Cappadocia?
Yes. Wine has been made in the region for centuries, and Ürgüp has wine bars and tastings. A few small places do not serve alcohol, so check first.