Turkey is an absolute revelation for anyone who takes their food seriously. You’re feasting on dishes that show the history of centuries of trade with East and West. Warm stews that use fragrant spices that’ll transport you straight to an Ottoman palace, and the next day you are transported to the Aegean coast, gorging on the freshest seafood you’ve ever tasted. It’s a gastronomy traveller’s dream destination.
The thing about Turkey is that mealtimes are proper events, think of them as edible theatre. And because this brilliant country sits right between Europe and Asia, you get the best of both worlds on your plate. Fancy a culinary adventure with more plot twists than a BBC drama? You’ve come to the right place.
Before You Go: A Few Handy Tips
Breakfast like a Turk: Forget your sad bowl of cornflakes. Turkish breakfast is a proper feast. There’s usually multiple cheeses, olives glistening with olive oil, homemade jams, perfectly cooked eggs, and bread so fresh especially served when still warm from the oven. It’s brunch goals, every single day.
Get stuck into street food: This is where the magic happens, mate. Forget posh restaurants for a moment, the real flavours are happening on street corners where locals queue up for food made with ingredients so fresh they were probably growing yesterday. Plus, it won’t cost you an arm and a leg.
Turkish ice cream sellers, you can’t miss this street theatre. The ice cream sellers put on a great show of stretching the ice cream and putting it on a cone and make a big show of handing it over (but I won’t spoil the surprise of what he does next.)
Sort your connectivity: I know we’re here for the food, but you’ll want to share those Instagram-worthy dishes on the go. Consider grabbing an eSIM for Turkey so you can discover new Turksih dishes and make share them on social media for your audience without getting stung by roaming charges.
Learn some Turkish: One thing I like to do before visiting a new country with a different language is to learn a few phrases. You don’t need to become fluent, but a cheeky “teşekkür ederim” (thank you) or “çok lezzetli” (absolutely delicious!) will have the locals eating out of your hand.
Do what the locals do: Pay attention to what Turkish people around you are ordering. It’s a shortcut to find authentic dishes.
Gaziantep: The Pistachio Capital
Gaziantep is a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. It holds a special place in Turkish cooking, especially for its baklava and pistachios.
The city’s food heritage goes back to its Silk Road days, when merchants brought exotic spices and cooking techniques from across the known world. Walk through the old quarter and you’ll be hit by the most incredible aromas, pistachios roasting away, stews bubbling for hours, the works.
You absolutely must try the beyran çorbası, it’s a lamb soup that’s spicy enough to wake the dead, and locals often have it for breakfast. Then there’s lahmacun, which is basically Turkish pizza but infinitely better than anything you’ll get from your local takeaway. If you want a taste of this, head to Green Lanes in London where you will find these in many local restaurants.
Istanbul: Where Two Continents Meet on Your Plate
Istanbul is a unique citey that sits between two continents, Europe and Asia, so naturally the food scene is diverse and absolutely massive. You can find pretty much any cuisine you fancy here, but don’t miss classic Ottoman dishes and seafood so fresh it was probably swimming this morning.
Head to Karaköy for fresh fish sandwiches that’ll ruin all other sandwiches for you forever. And definitely find yourself a proper meyhane, a traditional Turkish pub meets sophisticated wine bar. You’ll spend hours working your way through meze (think Turkish tapas) whilst sipping rakı, which tastes like liquid aniseed and goes down far too easily.
Hatay: Where Turkey Gets Spicy
Down in Turkey’s deep south, Hatay does things differently. The food here has serious Middle Eastern and Levantine influences, which means everything’s richer, spicier, and uses unique ingredients you’ve probably never heard of.
The star of the show is kunefe, imagine shredded pastry stuffed with special unsalted cheese, baked until golden, then absolutely drenched in syrup. It sounds like it shouldn’t work, it’s incredible. Find a little local spot where they make it fresh in front of you and it’s like dinner and a show rolled into one.
Adana: Kebab City
Adana takes its kebabs seriously and they have perfected their version. We’re not talking about your post-pub mystery meat here. This is proper, hand-minced lamb that’s juicy, slightly spicy, and will spoil you for kebabs anywhere else.
The street food scene is brilliant too. Try şırdan if you’re feeling brave (it’s stuffed lamb tripe, and it’s much better than it sounds), or stick to the incredible fresh salads made with local ingredients that actually taste of something.
Izmir: Aegean Elegance
Izmir’s, a lively city on Turkey’s Aegean coast, has a completely different vibe. It’s all about that Mediterranean lifestyle with lighter, fresher food that makes the most of being right by the sea. Think lots of olive oil, fresh herbs, and seafood that’s been swimming in the Aegean just hours before it hits your plate.
Don’t leave without trying boyoz. It’s a flaky pastry that’s perfect for breakfast with a hard-boiled egg and a glass of tea. The local markets are brilliant too, packed with herbs so fragrant you can smell them from streets away and cheeses that’ll make you want to pack an extra suitcase just to take some home.
Ready to embark on your Turkish food adventure? Start planning your culinary journey through these incredible destinations. Your taste buds will thank you later.
