9 Best Restaurants in Antalya, The Turquoise Coast

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.

If you are kebabed out, this old town restaurant has some of the best contemporary cuisine on the coast and serves it in an appropriately stylish setting. The menu changes regularly, though it's basically modern European with a touch of Asia and includes items (like foie gras) that you don’t see too often in Turkey. There's also a stylish lounge area where you can order coffee during the day or cocktails at night. It's on the pricey side for Turkey, but so is most of Kaleiçi—and this is some of the best food you'll find here.

One of Antalya's flashiest restaurants serves seafood carpaccio, lobster, duck, chocolate soufflé, and warm chestnut cake, along with a full range of foreign spirits and cigars from a humidor. Its spectacular location halfway up the main road from the old harbor gives it a panoramic view of the old town and the sea. Inside, airy stone arches give it elegant style despite the fact that this was once the port's petroleum depot.  At 11 pm, the dance club alongside swings into action.

Serving up tasty home-cooking in a contemporary setting, this friendly, good-value option near Hadrian's Gate has a small menu focused on meatballs and other grills, traditional Antalya-style bean salad, and meat- or potato-filled mantı (dumplings). Don’t be put off by the entry through a narrow passageway: it opens up into a pleasant café-style dining area that's bright, airy, and filled with plants.

Situated in the heart of Kaleiçi, this meyhane that bears the same name as its neighborhood serves up the best mezes in Antalya, as well as an array of hot appetizers and the freshest seafood. Expect great service in a spacious outdoor atmosphere.

At the eastern end of the harbor, the Mermerli has decent prices and a broad menu that includes fish, steak, pastas, burgers, Turkish grills, and all-day breakfasts. But the location is its best asset: a spacious, breezy terrace offers excellent views of the sea and the otherworldly looking mountains. It's a good place to eat if you want to relax on Mermerli Beach—the bathing spot is just down the steps, and the restaurant controls access.

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.

Every Turkish village has a fırın: a tasty, unpretentious bakery that churns out a daily bounty of smooth puddings, flaky pastries, fresh bread, and sweets. The amazing thing about this one is that it's survived in the heart of touristy Kaleiçi—and with reasonable prices. Options include spicy spinach börek and incirli cevizli muhallebisi, a milk pudding flavored with local figs and walnuts.

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. The menu focuses on meat, pasta, pizza, and burgers, and though the quality can be hit or miss, regulars praise the steak—plus the portions are, well, big. Owned by an Antalyan former basketball player (aka the Big Man), it's a popular place for locals to come for a special meal.