261 Best Restaurants in Turkey

There are few regions in the world as passionate about anchovies as Turkey's Black Sea coast. Many claim Sinop's best version is served just behind the port at Okyanus Balikevi. Breaded and fried, the fish most commonly whets the appetite for larger entrées of sea bass, red mullet, and scorpion fish, but the menu changes daily according to the catch. Dining takes place on floors above the ground-floor fish market, and up on the roof, which has views of the sea. Visits to the kitchen are possible if it's not too busy, and you may glean a few cooking tips from the chefs.

In the sleepy village of Mustafapaşa, about 5 km (3 miles) from Ürgüp, the charming Old Greek House serves delicious home-cooked specialties and decadent desserts. Portions are generous, and the set menus are a genuine feast. Seating is on floor cushions around low, round tables or at regular-height ones in the atmospheric, vine-covered central courtyard. The 250-year-old building—still with original frescoes on the stone walls and original paint on the wooden ceilings—doubles as a simple but comfortable inn.

The location, in the covered market by Ulu Cami, is charming, and köfte (meatballs) is the thing to order, served with grilled peppers and tomatoes. Among the salad options, piyaz (bean salad with vinegar) accompanies köfte best. The soups are delicious, and there are also grilled meat options. The restaurant has the same architectural features as the hans, with brick and stone walls and two domes in the ceilings painted in floral patterns. The place closes at 8 pm.

The menu at this well-established Göreme restaurant is extensive and diverse, with typical mezes and grilled kebabs in addition to a range of well-prepared steak and lamb options, chicken with spinach or a saffron sauce, and even pastas. But the best deal is the four-course set menu, with several choices of appetizers, mains, and desserts that provide excellent food at an unbeatable value. The lanterns hanging from the traditional wooden ceilings and the carved stone walls decorated with copper trays create an ambience that's attractive and cozy.

Above the Spice Bazaar, this well-established restaurant has distinct turquoise tiled walls, white tablecloths, and low hanging chandeliers. The menu features local meat and fish dishes, including balık köfte (fish meatballs) and hünkar begendi (slow-roasted lamb over eggplant puree), as well as a selection of hot and cold starters.

Tucked away on a quieter street in the rowdy cluster of Karaköy cafes, Parsa has an elegant study hall vibe, complete with batch brew coffee. The cafe offers a selection of cakes and tarts as well as a menu of non-caffeinated beverages to complement its extensive coffee menu.

Located in the heart of Kadıköy, this welcoming patisserie has windows full of colorful cakes and traditional sweets. It's the perfect place to have a cup of tea and a sweet or savory Turkish pastry.

Set in the heart of Balat, this relaxed, two-story café has a small balcony overlooking the lively streets and a long coffee menu, along with a selection of local teas.

This restaurant on the Netsel marina has a lot more style and dignity than you would guess from the name, and it's a great escape from the mass tourism of Marmaris. The house specialty is tender, oven-cooked, Anatolian lamb; however, the chef also prepares octopus, pasta, pizza, steak, Turkish grills, and divine desserts.

Prokopi offers a local take on both regional and international cuisine. The setting is simple but elegant, with tables in a long rectangular stone room that has a fireplace or on an enclosed terrace with sweeping views of Ürgüp. The presentation may be somewhat elaborate, but it is not intended to make up for any shortcomings—the food is excellent.

With a huge variety of baked goods and desserts, excellent house-made ice cream and chocolates, this pastry shop has been popular for decades. This branch of the legendary patisserie, in the heart of trendy Alsancak, is also a sit-down café serving coffee and Turkish-style breakfast.

Since 1945, the Rumeli bakery has been the place in Çeşme for treats like sakızlı dondurma (thick, chewy Turkish-style mastic ice cream) in flavors such as karadut (black mulberry) and tarçın (cinnamon), as well as jams, sweet mastic paste, and other traditional goodies, such as Kazandibi pudding. It's on the main shopping street, not far from Ayios Haralambos church.

This calm cafe-restaurant on a quiet street in Arnavutkoy doubles as a shop for locally produced food products, including jams and olives. The food is healthy gourmet, and there is also a large selection of beautifully presented and freshly made pastries.

Sitting just beneath Ankara Castle and with an incredible panorama of Ankara, this Turkish-style brasserie couples excellent food with first-rate service. The menu offers a blend of Turkish and contemporary cuisine, with local specialty Ankara tava, slowly cooked lamb over a bed of bed of seasoned rice. Starters include shrimp casserole with porcini mushrooms. An open kitchen gives way to an elegantly furnished dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows, and the views continue on the restaurant’s large outdoor patio, where guests sit before white tablecloths and underneath oversized umbrellas.

Follow the narrow stairs up Saklı Konak Hotel and you'll find its restaurant—a small and long room with a terrace overlooking Üçhisar Castle. The rotating menu consists of exceptionally rich and well prepared local dishes, Turkish classics, and modern takes on the two, all prepared by none other than a former resident of the stone house the hotel now occupies. Food is sourced locally and cooked over a wood fire. Try the beef sheet pan or the Konak meatballs, but be sure to leave room for dessert.

By day a popular spot for a fast, fresh lunch, this homey restaurant on the waterfront by the Pasaport pier turns into a lively meyhane-style eating and drinking establishment at night. A heaping mixed plate of vegetarian dishes like stuffed mushrooms, falafel, and fried cauliflower with yogurt is an affordable way to fill up midday; the evening set menu is equally delicious, and good value.

On the corner of Hamdibey and Değirmenlik streets, Sardalye is the place to go for fish if you are looking for quality food in a dramatically less fancy—and expensive—atmosphere than Canakkele's waterfront meyhanes. The simple menu consists of a rotation of fish options that are fried, grilled, or served in a sandwich. A seat at the bar is the perfect place to enjoy a meal and watch the action on the street, though if you're coming for lunch, be prepared to wait for a bit.

In a century-old former house on Fetvane Sokak, Sardunya serves home-style Turkish cooking at very reasonable prices. There’s no menu; you simply choose several items from the counter displaying that day’s meat and vegetable dishes, which might include meatballs with potatoes, eggplant in a garlicky yogurt sauce, green beans cooked in olive oil, or saffron rice. The interior rooms are pleasantly decorated, and the tiny back courtyard evokes an Aegean island thanks to its overhead vines, white and turquoise wooden tables and chairs, and whitewashed walls with street-scene murals.

The meze, meatballs, salads, grilled fish, and other mainly Turkish fare are fresh and well prepared, but the hospitable service and lovely, secluded setting are what really make this restaurant attached to the Ada Palas hotel stand out. Seating is in a quaint, greenhouse-style structure or the lush garden, where one outdoor table is romantically draped in a filmy canopy. A lavish breakfast spread and assorted coffee and alcoholic drinks are also available.

The restaurant in the Argos in Cappadocia hotel features contemporary adaptations of Turkish dishes that bring together local ingredients and international cooking techniques. Creative appetizers include traditional Turkish pastırma (beef pastrami) with goat cheese and melon sauce, while meat-heavy mains range from lamb loin with eggplant and plum sauce to beef cheek with rosemary. A vast wine list has an extensive Turkish selection as well as some foreign vintages. Prices are a bit high for what's being served, but the excellent service and ambience—white tablecloths, candlelight, soft music—and splendid views nonetheless make this place a treat.

Blissfully lacking the touts trying to lure tourists into the restaurants around Cengiz Topel Caddesi, this tiny, friendly pide shop is conveniently located near the Selçuk Museum. In addition to the crisp, tasty pide offerings, there is also a selection of güveç (casserole) dishes on the menu.

Tucked away on a quiet street in Balat, this sophisticated restaurant is best known for its creative take on local seafood, with impeccably plated dishes that draw on seasonal ingredients. The multi-floor building opens up to a rooftop with views over the neighborhood.

Located next to a 19th-century Ottoman house at the edge of the harbor, Smiley's has been a favorite 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. Head downstairs to see the restored Lycian cistern.

A cheerful busy staff serve this popular steakhouse, with an international style menu that includes slow-cooked lamb and beef dishes, pasta, chicken, fish, and a basic choice of mezes. There are no desserts on the menu, but it is opposite the upscale Yalikavak Marina, home to some good ice cream and dessert cafes. However, the live music and bar service in Sofi's can keep people lingering until past midnight, enjoying the breeze in summer, and cozy in winter with the enclosing windows.

By far the most unique restaurant in Konya, Somatçı is the project of a passionate local chef who spent several years recreating dervish cuisine from Rumi’s time through historical and ethnographic research and a bit of improvisation. The menu features combinations not typically seen in modern Turkish cuisine; some dishes are downright unusual, but all are worth trying. The interior is decorated with stylized illustrations of Sufi symbols, and, in summer, there is additional seating in an enclosed back patio.

There are no obsequious waiters at Sultanahmet Fish House and no fancy dress code—just a friendly, cozy atmosphere with well-prepared seafood, including sardines, octopus, fish dishes such as mackerel in olive oil, and a few kebabs. The preparations go beyond the standard grilling and frying: sea bass with saffron, cooked in a terra-cotta casserole, is a particular standout.

These wooden gazebos set on the edge of a small river are a fine spot to have lunch or dinner after visiting Sumela, a 15-minute drive away. There is a wide selection of mezes, along with regional specialties such as tereyağlı alabalık, trout baked in butter, and kaygana, an omelet made with Black Sea anchovies. On the weekends, the place is filled with families from Trabzon on country outings.

Italian-inspired pizzas, pastas, and salads are served alongside traditional Turkish chicken and beef dishes. It's always packed with local families and tourists sitting back at wooden tables filled with the enormous portions. Alcohol is served, and not at a ludicrous markup. There's also a branch in Turgutreis.

This beautifully restored han served as an inn for traveling traders for centuries. Today you can eat outside by a fountain in the large courtyard or in one of the small private dining rooms, where you sit on rugs and eat from low tables, reclining on pillows when you're done. The kebabs and other grilled meats are tasty and served with a tangy chopped tomato salad and a refreshing cold yogurt soup that has wheat berries in it. If you call a day in advance, they can prepare the Syrıac speciality, dobo (lamb stuffed with rice and pistachios).