261 Best Restaurants in Turkey

With ornate Arabesque decorations and mosaic lamps, this centrally located café is an atmospheric place to spend a long morning. The picturesque breakfast spread is expansive and includes a mixture of Turkish and Lebanese dishes. Arada has two other outposts, one a five-minute walk up the hill from this one and the other in Üsküdar.

The place to be on a busy Bursa weekend evening, this irrepressible meyhane is a local institution, serving a delectable selection of fish fresh from the open-air market on the corner. In the early 1930s, a veteran of the War of Independence nicknamed "Arab" Şükrü opened a fish restaurant here on Sakarya Caddesi, a narrow side street just south of Altıparmak Caddesi; now the whole area carries his name, and his descendants run both this venue and a competing establishment just opposite. The entire street is a lively and popular dining spot, with affable musicians wandering around the many tables.

This busy, counter-serve spot is the place for pide (stone-baked dough with savory toppings). The kavurmalı version, topped with slow-cooked chunks of lamb is especially recommended or, if you can't decide go for the üçlü option, which has three toppings.

An old Urfa stone house looks out over the city's citadel and the fish-pool complex. Sit on the terrace or in one of the several çardaks, small private rooms where you can recline on pillows. The food, the usual mix of kebabs and pides, is unexciting, but the location makes up for it and they have live local traditional music most nights.

Sitting by the old harbor, this classic fish and mezes restaurant exudes an Aegean air with its blue and white chairs and tables. It offers a wide selection of mezes, including stuffed zucchini flowers and yogurt with hot red peppers, as well as grilled fresh fish and meats chosen from their cold cabinet, complemented by a generous list of raki brands, and a shorter beer and wine list. In high season, the outside tables are usually full of Turks and foreign visitors alike, enjoying the view over the old harbor and boats while waiting for the occasionally slow service. Bedecked with blossoms, and steps away from neighboring bars and restaurants, it adds to the summer holiday bustle.

Rather small and with a sophisticated design, Areni serves a variety of dishes, with simple and delicious twists, from Anatolia and beyond. Topik, a local favorite, is almost like a stuffed vegetarian meatball: a mixture of caramelized onions and spices inside a ball of chickpea paste. The friendly, knowledge staff are happy to recommend one of Areni’s impressive selection of local wines.  

In the heart of town, Arzu has inexpensive, simple, and satisfying Turkish fare that is popular with locals, especially at lunchtime. The pide, lahmacun, and lentil soup are particularly tasty, and the staff is friendly. The restaurant's interior is a bit cramped, but there are more tables on the sidewalk outside—perfect for watching the goings-on in town.

You have to pass through a small door off one of Diybarbakır's narrow old city lanes to get to this simple restaurant in a restored historic stone home with a shaded courtyard—there's a sign but you may need to ask for directions. The small menu includes delicious sac tava, chunks of beef sautéed in a woklike pan with tomatoes and green peppers; it's served in the pan, with a mound of flatbread to soak up the tasty juices. This is also a pleasant spot to enjoy a cup of coffee or tea.

Travelers craving a change from the usual Turkish fare will be happy to find this establishment right smack in the middle of Pammukale. Catering to the growing number of Asian tourists in the area, it turns out surprisingly authentic versions of mostly Chinese, Taiwanese, and Korean specialties, including noodle dishes, soups, and stir-fries. Service can be slow and there’s not much in the way of decor; no alcohol is served. The newer sister restaurant, Asian Kitchen Landscape caters to large groups and also independent travelers who want to enjoy the full view of the travertines while dining.

This romantic village garden restaurant is a highlight of Alaçatı’s dining scene, with chef Ayşe Nur Mıhçı famed for her fresh renditions of Aegean cooking using seasonal, local produce, especially the region’s wealth of wild herbs and greens. It's the epitome of farm-to-table dining, even using their own vegetable garden. There’s no menu, but the staff will help you select from the options on display in the kitchen, though beware of mezes prices adding up. Good local wines are available to accompany your meal. Reservations highly recommended.

This charming outdoor café and restaurant is just a five-minute walk from the Priene ruins and features a shaded, leafy atmosphere with gazebos and picnic tables. The menu consists of classic Turkish staples and the specialty is gözleme: savory crepes stuffed with either potato, spinach, or cheese.

There's no menu at this friendly, family-run spot in Behramkale's tiny main square: Just pick from the selection of mezes on display (don't miss the crunchy, garlicky greens called deniz börülcesi), and let one of the waiters tell you which meat dishes are available that day. The covered terrace looks over the village and down to the sea—it's a wonderful spot to watch the sun set—while a few seats out front let you watch the comings and goings on the square. Alcohol is served.

Ata is a down-to-earth, traditional Turkish restaurant in often tourist-oriented Kalkan, and known for its tender, flavorful kebabs. The menu also includes pide cooked in a wood oven and the classic array of mezes, salads, and hot starters. The casual seating is on a patio overlooking the main road into town.

Upgraded to a modern Türkbükü vibe in all white, but with a few fishnets on display, this second-generation laid-back fish restaurant on the waterfront delivers excellent seafood meals. Seating is either indoors or on the white tables filling the timber deck on the water under the signature string of lights. Start your meal with a selection of seafood or vegetable meze, then choose between the big splash on lobsters or King crab, or simply cooked sea bass. But save room for the house special dessert, helva sarma (phyllo-dough rolls filled with tahini paste, flavored with cinnamon, and served with ice cream and chocolate sauce).

The menu at this harbor-front eatery focuses on wide-ranging international classics: think anything from chicken kievs to Asian stir fries. Despite the lack of focus, the restaurant offers tasty dishes, with big portions. The restaurant caters predominantly to the British expat crowd (hence the rather ambitious prices), and offers a nightly happy hour and a legendary party on New Year's Eve. All the desserts are made on site. It's worth calling ahead to reserve a table right by the water.

This Antakya-style meyhane draws a lively crowd of diners with its atmospheric setting and delicious local cuisine. Tables are arrayed in the courtyard (avlu) and on overlooking balconies in a restored mansion, making the place feel like one big dinner party. If you don’t fill up on meze like hummus, mütebbel (eggplant dip with tahini), olive salad with sour pomegranate molasses, or atom (yogurt laced with spicy peppers), there are kebabs and other grilled meats aplenty—and crispy candied pumpkin with tahini and walnuts for dessert.

Hearty traditional Turkish soups, stews, and meat and vegetable dishes are arrayed buffet-style at this cheery lokanta (a casual home-style eatery), which is always bustling at lunchtime. At the top of Alaçatı village near the minibus stop, it offers a reasonably priced and reliable alternative to the increasingly expensive fare found farther into town.

The Ayasoluk Hotel’s restaurant offers meals in a pleasant dining room and romantic courtyard, both with a bucolic sunset view, and features local and organic ingredients for a light, fresh take on Turkish favorites. It's one of the more intimate and sophisticated dining options in town.

In good weather, the place to sit is the stone-lined terrace with wooden picnic tables that look over the mountains and the waterfall. The kitchen turns out trout and local dishes such as stuffed cabbage and turşu kavurması (roasted pickled vegetables), as well as meat options, and serves an open buffet breakfast every day.

Fresh delicious food at reasonable prices in atmospheric surroundings—this is a real find tucked away inside a peaceful stone-walled courtyard amidst the chaotic energy of Kemeraltı Bazaar. Make your own plate (cost is by weight) from the colorful variety of lovingly displayed salads, vegetarian dishes, savory pastries, and other home-cooked dishes for a bargain lunch. It closes early, at 6 pm, so it's not a practical dinner option unless you are bringing your food home.

This little shop inside a spice bazaar is considered by many Turks nationwide to have the best baklava in the country. Run by a fifth-generation baklava maker, this humble store turns out a delicious version of the classic dessert, as well as other phyllo-and-nut-based sweets.

Fresh-grilled fish with raw onions encased in a lightly grilled, oily wrap is the perfect lunch-to-go, and while the seaside is dotted with many balık dürüm (fish wrap) vendors, this small storefront on a Karaköy side street is the best of the bunch.

There are many popular seafood restaurants along the Kordon waterfront in Alsancak, but this one, with indoor and outdoor seating areas and a relaxed feel, is especially busy. It features a good selection of appetizers, including the decadent sütlü karides (shrimp sautéed in butter, then topped with béchamel and mozzarella), as well as the usual seasonal seafood choices.

This relaxed restaurant on a side street in the town center serves fish, seafood, and meze and is popular with locals, who prefer fresh, unfussy fare to a river view. Its small dining room would be utterly austere were it not for the decorative tile accents; most seating is outside, at tables decked out in a classic Mediterranean blue-and-white color scheme. There’s no menu, so ask the prices before ordering, especially for fish.

The most popular and probably the most expensive of the waterfront restaurants on Cunda serves a selection of mezes and prepared seafood that is a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach. Many options are original creations based on Greek and Turkish cuisine—squid in saffron sauce, sole in yogurt, akuvadis in whiskey sauce, and cured fish pastırma are among the unusual specialties. There's no menu, so ask to see the mezes and fish before ordering, and inquire about prices—be prepared to pay a lot.

A warehouse built in 1909 for a tobacco merchant is now a spot for diners to enjoy their meals in either a large outdoor courtyard or the cool stone-vaulted chambers at the back. There are excellent mezes, quality incarnations of standard kebabs, and a good sampling of local dishes like smoky eggplant kebabs and fantastic yavulama (meatball-and-yogurt soup). This is not only one of the nicest places in town, but is also one of the few that serves alcohol.

Alongside a 16th-century hammam in downtown Bergama, this casual room serves around 20 dishes—stews, casseroles, grilled meats, and soups (fewer options are available at dinnertime). Try the kadın budu köfte (ground meat mixed with rice and parsley and lightly fried in egg batter) and the kemalpaşa, a traditional sweet served with kaymak (clotted cream) and tahini, for dessert. No alcohol is served. Restrooms are outside.

Almost opposite the Antalya Museum, but hidden a little down the hill towards the sea, this restaurant may well have the best view in town from its beautiful stone wall terrace. The menu focuses on usual fare—meat, pasta, pizza, and burgers—and regulars praise the steak. Owned by an Antalyan former basketball player (aka the Big Man), it's a popular place for locals to come for a special meal. 

Bitez Dondurma's creamy ice cream concoctions full of fresh fruit have proved so popular that the shop now has branches all over the Bodrum Peninsula, and as far away as Istanbul. The waterfront location in Bodrum's town center is a convenient spot to grab a scoop or two as you stroll along the promenade. Sit down for coffee, waffles, and more ice cream.

A pleasantly old-fashioned eatery popular with locals and tourists alike, this cozy, casual restaurant a short walk back from the beachfront offers a range of Turkish-style grilled meats, plus a smaller selection of appetizers and meze. Tables are along the street front on the corner, or closely arranged inside. Meat portions are small, but quality is high. Mezes are classics, done well. A choice of wine, beer, and raki is served by attentive waiters.