Must-see restaurants in Türkiye

  • Yöruk Restaurant

    Turquoise Coast

    Just after the bridge into Çıralı, this is the best place for Turkish food: behind a counter heaving with mezes and seafood, the open kitchen turns out…

  • Traditional Cappadocian dish called Gozleme

    Cappadocia Home Cooking

    Cappadocia

    Tolga and his family have swung open the doors to their home – surrounded by their organic garden and overlooking Ayvalı's deep gorge – to offer a taste…

  • Kilye Suvla Lokanta

    Thrace & Marmara

    Suvla's 60 hectares of certified organic vineyards are located near Kabatepe on the opposite side of the peninsula, but its winery, complete with an ultra…

  • Dibek

    Göreme

    Diners sprawl on cushions and take a taste-bud tour of village food at this family restaurant. Take our advice and order the tadım (tasting) menu plus a…

  • Kebapçı İskender

    Bursa

    If you eat one meal in Bursa, have it here. This refuge for serious carnivores is famous nationwide – it is one of two Bursa restaurants claiming to be…

  • Karaköy Güllüoğlu

    Beyoğlu

    This much-loved baklavacı (baklava shop) opened in 1949 and was the first İstanbul branch of a business established in Gaziantep in the 1820s. There are…

  • Rain Garden Restaurant

    Eastern Mediterranean

    This much-welcome new addition to Kızkalesi's beachfront is in an attractive old building in the shade of an enormous 50-year-old rubber tree. The rainbow…

  • Limon

    Bodrum Peninsula

    A rustic escape in the hills above Gümüşlük, Limon sprawls across garden terraces and a whitewashed farmhouse, with stunning views over a ruined Roman…

  • İzela Restaurant

    Turquoise Coast

    This lovely restaurant is located in the lush grounds of Günay's Garden, with its poolside bar for aperitifs. It specialises in Mediterranean cuisine,…

  • No 10 Restaurant

    Cappadocia

    Upmarket, contemporary dining, with modern tweaks to Turkish classics and a fun approach to dish presentation, is the name of the game here. Order the…

  • Balıkçı Sabahattin

    Sultanahmet

    Balıkçı Sabahattin is an enduring favourite with discerning Turks from near and far, who enjoy the limited but delicious menu of mezes and seafood. This…

  • Evvel Zaman

    Black Sea Coast

    This lovingly restored Ottoman house is like a joyously jumbled museum, displaying such an endless selection of ancient copperware, swords, old rugs etc…

  • Fatih Damak Pide

    Istanbul

    It's worth making the trek to this pideci overlooking the Fatih İtfaiye Park near the Aqueduct of Valens. Its reputation for making the best Karadeniz …

  • Okyanus Balık Evi

    Black Sea Coast

    Above the co-owned family fishmonger, the 'Ocean Fish House' is quite possibly the best fish restaurant on the Black Sea coast (for flavour not for decor)…

  • Garag'e

    Black Sea Coast

    With half a car chassis over the door, this spacious, contemporary bistro overlooks the Hopa waterfront and has a wide-ranging iPad menu of cafe food…

  • Ziggy Cafe

    Ürgüp

    Ziggy's has nailed the essence of casual-yet-classy dining. The pastırmalı börek (pastry filled with preserved beef) and lush yaprak ciğer (lamb liver…

  • Neolokal

    Beyoğlu

    Chef Maksut Aşkar has been wowing diners with his exciting rifts on traditional Turkish food since 2014, gaining an entry on the San Pellegrino World's…

  • Mürver

    Beyoğlu

    A notable recent addition to the local restaurant scene, this rooftop restaurant at the Novotel is sustaining its initial hype. The menu is dominated by…

  • Hatay Haskral Sofrası

    Istanbul

    In 'Little Syria', this barn-like eatery offers a marvellously varied range of mezes, salads and kebaps. Specialities include tuzda kuzu kol and tuzda…

  • Kaplan Dağ Restoran

    South Aegean

    'Tiger Mountain' offers superbly prepared local dishes with lashings of olive oil and wild herbs. Seasonal mezes like fish in soya oil and stuffed…

  • White House

    Pamukkale

    Bucking the trend of Pamukkale's ho-hum food, White House packs its dishes with flavour. The sigara boreğı (deep-fried cigar-shaped pastries, often…

  • Çiya Sofrası

    Kadıköy

    Known throughout the culinary world, Musa Dağdeviren's lokanta (eatery serving ready-made food) showcases dishes from regional Turkey and is an essential…

  • Küff

    Kadıköy

    Ticking all of the hipster boxes (third-wave coffee, vegan food, tattooed baristas, indoor plants), this hugely popular cafe spreads over spaces on both…

  • Metanet Lokantası

    Gaziantep

    Your lips will tingle and your eyes will tear up as you spoon this oily broth into your mouth. Beyran is a mutton and rice soup made viciously red by the…

  • Cemilusta

    Trabzon

    Enthusiastic locals don't believe you've really been to Trabzon till you've eaten Akçaabat köfte (local meat patties) on Cemilusta's jam-packed meydan…

  • Somatçi

    Konya

    Rekindling old recipes from the Seljuk and Ottoman age, this restaurant uses the finest ingredients and cooks everything with panache. Dig into more…

  • Hayvore

    Beyoğlu

    Notable lokantas (traditional eateries serving ready-made dishes) are rare in modern-day Beyoğlu, so the existence of this bustling place next to the…

  • Cafe Privato

    Beyoğlu

    Located in an enclave off Galipdede Caddesi in Galata, this friendly, slightly ramshackle cafe is much loved for its exceptionally delicious and huge köy…

  • Kalamaki Restaurant

    Kalkan

    A modern venue with a very stylish minimalist pub on the terrace and a restaurant upstairs, serving superb Turkish dishes with a European twist. Try the…

  • Çeşka Anne Mutfağı

    Çeşme

    Operated by a local women's cooperative, this humble spot a short stroll from Çeşme's busy main street specialises in homestyle cooking. The ever-changing…

  • Bumba Breakfast Club

    Alaçatı

    Bumba's table-covering breakfasts are packed with local and seasonal herbs, cheeses and fruit. Highlights of 15 small plates could include yoghurt with…

  • Salloura Oğlu

    Istanbul

    Transplanted from Aleppo to İstanbul in 2014, this 150-year-old institution is known for speciality sweet cheese desserts such as kadayıf and peynirli…

  • Zübeyir Ocakbaşı

    Beyoğlu

    Every morning the chefs at this popular ocakbaşı (grill house) prepare fresh, top-quality meat – spicy chicken wings and Adana kebaps, flavoursome ribs,…

  • Pașalimanı Bistro

    Eastern Mediterranean

    Our favourite new place to eat in Adana is this stylish bistro just north of Atatürk Parkı in the well-heeled Kurtuluș district. In addition to the…

  • Bitlisli

    Sultanahmet

    Those keen on robust flavours and the liberal application of chilli in their food will be instantly enamoured of the dishes served at this bustling eatery…

  • Ayşa

    İzmir

    Serving Bosnian food that is remarkably similar to Turkish home cooking, this stylish lokanta (eatery with ready-made food) in the pretty Abacıoğlu Han…

  • Deniz Kızı Balık Lokantası

    Eastern Mediterranean

    The kind of fish restaurant you hope for when visiting the Med, the 'Mermaid' does superfresh fish, simply and with real generosity of spirit. Housed in a…

  • Ayna

    İzmir & the North Aegean

    We love everything about this extremely chic eatery behind Taş Kahve at the liman (harbour). Owned by the Kürsat olive-oil mill, it offers a delicious…

  • Cuma

    Beyoğlu

    Banu Tiryakioğlu's laid-back foodie oasis in the heart of Çukurcuma has one of the most devoted customer bases in the city. Tables are on the leafy…

  • Can Can Pide ve Kebap Salonu

    Antalya

    For authentic local food at cheap prices, Can Can (jan jan) certainly has lots of can (soul) with street tables and locals buying güveç (stews) well into…

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