The Turquoise Coast Restaurants

This coast has been serving tourists for a long time, and you will find a rich choice of restaurants to prove this. There’s no shortage of older, established eateries, which dish out the standard national fare (think mezes, kebabs, assorted grilled meats, and fresh seafood). Simple—but often superb—spots are as popular with vacationing Turks as they are with foreigners. In recent years, the number of fine dining options has also increased, especially in larger cities and tourist centers. The top ones prepare creative dishes, combining high-quality local ingredients with international flair.

Regional specialties along the Turquoise Coast include mussels stuffed with rice, pine nuts, and currants; ahtopot salatas?, a cold octopus salad, tossed in olive oil, vinegar, and parsley; and grilled fish. Most of Turkey's tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, zucchinis, and peppers are grown along the coast, so salads are fresh and delicious. In Lycia, a local home-cooking specialty is stewed eggplant with basil—wonderful if you're offered it. Semiz otu (cow parsley) is a refreshing appetizer in a garlic yogurt sauce.

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  • 1. Seraser Fine Dining Restaurant

    $$$$

    With fine food and excellent service, stylish Seraser aspires to be the best restaurant in all of Turkey, and its inventive international menu certainly lifts it above other options in Antalya. This is considered a special-occasion restaurant, yet it's wonderfully relaxed and a decent value compared to its American counterparts. Part of the Tuvana Hotel, it is set in the leafy courtyard of a historic house, with indoor and outdoor dining areas and live jazz on weekends. The menu tends European, made with quality Turkish ingredients—90% of which are organic. Starters include goat cheese and aubergine soufflé, mussels Provençal, and superb house-made pastas. Grouper and char-grilled steak are popular mains, but do save room for dessert: the Turkish coffee-infused crème brûlée is a showstopper. The wine list is impressive, with more than 300 options, though prices are steep.

    Karanlık Sok. 18, Antalya, Antalya, 07100, Turkey
    242-247–6015

    Known For

    • Goat cheese and eggplant soufflé
    • Grouper
    • Chargrilled steak
  • 2. Smiley's

    $$

    Located next to a 19th-century Ottoman house at the edge of the harbor, Smiley's has been an open secret among Turquoise Coast yachters since 1987. Relax in the fresh air beneath vines, flags, and fishing nets, and enjoy a reasonably priced and generously portioned meal of some of the best kebabs and seafood in Kaş, as well as some of its friendliest service. Try the Greek-style grilled calamari and brightly flavorful mezes (the reasonably priced mixed-meze plate is a good deal; make sure the roasted eggplant in garlicky yogurt is included). Head downstairs to see the restored Lycian cistern.

    Liman Sokak, Kas, Antalya, 07580, Turkey
    242-836–2812

    Known For

    • Good mezes
    • Grilled calamari
    • Chicken with almond sauce
  • 3. Buse Gözleme Evi

    $

    A hospitable spot for a quick bite on your way to or from the beach and ruins, this simple, open-air eatery offers a wide range of gözleme, a type of Turkish crepe, including those with less-common fillings like eggplant and cheese or chicken with walnuts, as well as sweet options for dessert. You can also get egg dishes, meatballs, chicken kebabs, and other standard fare.

    Gelemiş Mah. No: 86, Gelemis, Antalya, Turkey
    0553-500–5158

    Known For

    • Tahini-molasses gözleme
    • Homemade mantı (dumplings)
    • Turkish breakfast
  • 4. Ferah Künefe

    $

    No trip to Antakya is complete without eating künefe, a rich dessert with thinly soft cheese in between layers of pastry, baked in an oven and topped with sugar syrup. A row of shops selling the local sweet line the road in between the bridge into the old town and the beginning of the Uzun Çarşı. Ferah, in business since 1948, is a deservedly popular favorite.

    Uzun Çarşı Cad. No: 10, Antakya, Hatay, Turkey
    326-213–5844

    Known For

    • Künefe
    • Well established
    • Local favorite
  • 5. Izela

    $$$$

    Part of the Gunay's Garden villa complex, this tranquil spot in the far corner of Kaya village blends the best of Turkish and European cuisine, using homegrown ingredients as much as possible. There is a good range of largely organic starters; try the mixed meze plate for a taste of everything. Mains include excellent fish, steak, pizzas, and a lovely oven-cooked lamb. As befits the hotel's family-friendly ethos, there's also a kids' menu.

    Gumruk Sokak, Kaya, Mugla, 48300, Turkey
    0534-360–6545

    Known For

    • Salmon in saffron sauce
    • Baked aubergine
    • Steak

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Nov.–Mar.
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  • 6. Kalamaki

    $$$$

    A casually stylish restaurant-bar in the old town area with a contemporary look and food to match, Kalamaki offers a well-prepared and presented menu of fusion and traditional Turkish dishes. Entrees range from sea bass with prawns in cream sauce to hot chili Mexican beef to sweet-and-sour chicken, but the kitchen manages to pull off this large selection with aplomb. Upstairs terrace seating (summer only) has a great view over the harbor, and there’s a lounge on the ground floor where you can stop in for a coffee or cocktail.

    Hasan Altan Cad. No: 47, Kalkan, Antalya, Turkey
    242-844–1555

    Known For

    • Sultan’s chicken with apple-and-onion brandy sauce
    • Bonfile sauté
    • Lamb chops with mint sauce

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon.–Thurs. in winter
  • 7. Kirtil Cafe

    $

    This homey lokanta is a good-value place to grab a quick bite after visiting the nearby castle. Choose from the daily array of traditional Turkish stewed or sautéed meat and vegetable dishes displayed at the counter, or order a grilled kebab or spit-roasted döner. It’s in the maze of streets below the citadel on the inland side, next to Eski İbrahim Ağa Cami.

    36. Sok., No: 69, Marmaris, Mugla, 48700, Turkey
    252-413–4321

    Known For

    • Döner kebab
    • Moussaka
    • Kuru fasulye (stewed white beans in tomato sauce)

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
  • 8. Kukina Caferia

    $$

    A tranquil, stylish break from options in the sometimes tacky hustle and bustle of Fethiye’s bazaar area, Kukina serves up a distinctive (and delicious) international menu of dishes like falafel tacos, fried chicken burgers, and popcorn shrimp. Standbys like burgers and pizza are available, as are plenty of vegetarian options. The greenhouse-like courtyard and cheery, plant-filled interior are both comfortable places to linger over an afternoon coffee or a glass of wine.

    95. Sok., No. 17, Fethiye, Mugla, Turkey
    0532-558–0301

    Known For

    • Pastas
    • Homemade brownies
    • Smoothie bowls
  • 9. Paul's Place

    $

    A homey, peaceful retreat on the southern edge of the old city serves great coffee, fruit smoothies, homemade American cakes, and home-cooked lunches that include both Turkish and Asian dishes. Part of the St. Paul Cultural Center, it's one of the rare inexpensive eateries in central Antalya with distinctive and high-quality food. There's a library of exchange books on-site, as well as a gift shop with some lovely and unusual offerings (notably traditional jewelry from eastern Turkey) and a garden so quiet it's hard to believe you're so close to Kaleiçi's main drag.

    Yenikapı Sok., No. 24, Antalya, Antalya, 07100, Turkey
    242-244–6894

    Known For

    • Cashew chicken
    • Carrot cake
    • Mantı (Turkish dumplings in yogurt sauce)

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed weekends and last 2 wks of Aug. No dinner

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