3 Best Restaurants in Dalyan, The Turquoise Coast

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.

A homey little spot offering home-style fare, this is a good place to have a satisfying and inexpensive meal before or after embarking on excursions from the nearby minibus stop and riverside docks. Choose from a daily selection of meze behind the counter or a heartier traditional dish like pan-fried meat with peppers and onions. In the evening, there’s more of a mini-meyhane vibe, with beer and rakı available at its handful of tables, mostly outside.

A well-chosen selection of high-quality coffees, pleasant baristas, and cool jazz on the stereo make up for this little spot’s odd location in a small shopping mall. It's one of the rare places in town making a wide range of proper espresso drinks. Dal doesn’t stay open late (only till 8 pm), but it’s a mellow alternative to the often noisy tourist hang-outs lining Maraş Cad.