261 Best Restaurants in Turkey

Like pizza for New Yorkers, humble köfte (grilled meatballs) inspire countless arguments among Istanbullus about who makes the best. Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi wins with a simple menu—meatballs, lamb kebab, lentil soup, piyaz (boiled white beans in olive oil), rice, and salad—that has remained virtually unchanged since 1920. Service is somewhat perfunctory, and this bustling place is not somewhere to linger, but the location just steps from the Blue Mosque and Ayasofya makes it ideal for a quick lunch.

This popular bakery on Bodrum's main pedestrian shopping street is known for classic puddings, cheesecakes, pastries, luxurious fruit-and-cream parfaits, and more sweets than you can name. Tea and coffee are also available, which you can drink at the side bench. It's open long hours, making it ideal for night revelers or early starters from 6:30 am to 3:00 am

Manti, Turkey's version of the dumpling, gets the focus at this small, unassuming restaurant next to Baris Manco park. Success has moved them into this shiny new space, which loses some of the hominess of the previous incarnation but alleviates the waits for tables and meals. More importantly, "Aunty," whom the restaurant is named after, still rolls and folds the manti herself. in full view. Traditionally stuffed with meat and topped with garlic-tomato yogurt sauce, aunty's specialty comes with crushed walnuts.

This local favorite, with seating inside and outside of a traditional Greek house, is packed nearly every night. Despite the crowds, the staff is attentive, kind, and happy to provide recommendations for Tik Mustafa’s rather impressive selection of meze and zeytinyağlı—cold appetizers served in olive oil. While the fish is fresh and can be prepared in a number of ways, saving room for a main course may prove challenging considering the exceptionally delicious appetizers.

Situated in winding back alley of the old bazaar, Tiritci Mithat is the place to try Konya’s lesser-known specialty: tirit. Consisting of tender, thinly sliced meat and spices atop a bed of diced bread and yogurt and covered in melted butter, tirit is similar to Iskender kebab, though, if possible, even richer. It's best to visit Tiritci Mithat for lunch—tirit is the only one thing on the menu, and the restaurant closes when they’re out, usually around 4 or 5 pm.

Ankara may be landlocked, but Trilye serves such impressive fish and seafood dishes that you wouldn’t know it. Opened in 2002 by Turkish food writer Süreyya Üzmez, the stylish restaurant has an extensive menu of creative mezes—such as prawn in avocado sauce, or marinated artichoke hearts with sesame seeds—and well-prepared main courses. The hot appetizer of grilled octopus, brought to the table still smoking inside a glass, is a sight to behold—and taste. The rather expensive menu comes with prices of most seafood dishes listed by the kilo, so make sure you know what you’re ordering.

Fitting for a restaurant housed in the Çırağan Palace, dinner here is a refined, luxurious affair, with formal service, rich Ottoman and Turkish specialties, and one of the most high-end wine lists in Turkey (Chateau Pétrus, anyone?). The pricey menu features cold and hot meze, and entrées emphasize fish and meat dishes, such as in the signature külbastı, lamb escalope served with pureed eggplant.

This no-frills spot is a good place to grab a quick bite en route to the travertines and it attracts more of a Turkish clientele than most Pamukkale eateries. Wind chimes, strands of dried peppers, and a couple of chatty pet birds liven up the simple patio seating.

This attractive garden café is a relaxing place to take an afternoon break over a cappuccino and dessert, or to nibble on a sandwich or other light fare, accompanied by a glass of Lamin Cabernet Sauvignon, Üzüm's own house wine. It's a bit on the pricey side, but very pleasant.

The large, relaxing back garden is the star attraction at this restaurant-café-bar in the midst of bustling central Kadıköy. A broad, mixed menu of Turkish and international fare has something for everyone: from salads and meze to fajitas and steak. The house wine is perfectly drinkable and not expensive.

Continue up the hill beyond Tlos to the nearby village of Yaka Köyü (it's signposted) and you'll reach the vast but peaceful Yakapark, which is on the site of a now-demolished windmill and which has become an attraction in its own right, with accommodation, activities, a restaurant, and more. The enormous space, which seats up to 600 people, has its own trout farm, which guarantees diners the freshest fish. Water is everywhere here, gurgling around traditional Turkish wooden platforms where diners sit—there's even a little channel in the bar where fish can swim around your chilled beer. If you're feeling brave bring a bathing suit—the waters of the wading pool are so icy, owners promise a free drink to anyone who can withstand them for five minutes. If you can manage a full 15 minutes, your drink and entire meal are free.

Perched on the corner of a bridge overlooking the thundering Fırtına River, this smart restaurant is a great lunch stop before heading farther into the mountains. It serves local specialties with delicious desserts including laz böreği (thin pastry layers filled with custard) and a type of helva, which is a semolina-based dessert.  

Head here for a break from kebabs and to get a taste of classic Gaziantep home cooking. A local woman who returned to Gaziantep after living in Europe for several years rotates her menu on a regular basis, but the food is consistently good. Dishes to try include kapamala firik pilavı (roasted cracked wheat topped with tender lamb) and çacıklı arap köfte (balls of fried bulgur wheat served on a yogurt and purslane base). For dessert try the local specialty zerde sutlaç (rice pudding with a saffron topping). The restaurant is bit difficult to find— but it's one block east of Fevzi Çakmak Caddesi, which runs north from the Gaziantep Museum.

On a hot, hectic day in the Kemeraltı bazaar, you’ll be happy to stumble on this little şerbet (sherbet) stall that’s been selling ice-cold and very delicious fruit juices and nectars since 1971. They sell jars of their own fruit jams, too.

On a small side street in Kuşadası's main bazaar area, "My Nest/Home" truly lives up to its name, offering the kind of food you'd find in a Turkish home. It's open only at lunch, and items can sell out quickly, so get there early to enjoy daily specials such as meatballs in sour sauce, baked chicken with rice, or bamya (okra) in a tomato-olive oil sauce. Alcohol is not served.

For most Turks, dining in Adana means trying the Adana kebab—minced lamb slow grilled over charcoal on a long, wide metal skewer. Everyone in town has an opinion on where to find the best one, but one traditional favorite is Yüzevler. Obviously, Adana kebabs are the star of the show, but the pide is good, too.

This casual lokanta in the center of town is a reliable place to get satisfying home-cooked food at reasonable prices. Choose from the array of daily dishes—different varieties of meatballs, casseroles, stews, and vegetables cooked in olive oil—under the glassed-in counter at the entrance, and then grab a seat in the simple dining room or at one of the sidewalk tables.

A broad, mostly reasonably priced menu of well-executed dishes—both Turkish and international—is offered in a setting that encourages leisurely lingering over a summer meal with sea views. It's famous for its generous breakfast available throughout the year. Tables are scattered throughout a peaceful, beautifully landscaped garden featuring, of course, the olive trees of its name, and along the beach itself. Though there are no sunbeds on the beach, you can swim if you want to cool off.

Housed in a historic building not far from Istiklal Caddesi, Zeytuna serves elegant Middle Eastern dishes that are made for sharing. You can choose to eat in the dining hall or at the adjacent bar, with its low-slung couches and moody lighting, for a more casual experience.

This ocakbaşı, or grill house, is popular for its delicious food, authentic feel, and especially lively atmosphere. The kebabs are cooked on a special grill over hardwood coals—part of the fun here is watching the chefs at work—and include some cuts of meat not found on the average kebab menu, such as kaburga (lamb ribs).