Top 11 Tastiest Dishes in Turkey

Turkey is a country with an incredibly rich history and heritage, famous not only for its magnificent beaches but also for its unique traditions. Positioned between Europe and Asia, this country spent several centuries under the influence of legendary empires, yet managed to preserve its own distinctive character. It was itself an empire, a cradle for a wide variety of cultures and civilizations. Ancient cities with classical temples and towering minarets, bustling eastern bazaars with emotional yet warm-hearted merchants, and the hospitality and generosity of the local people - this is the Turkey that stays in travelers' memories. And, of course, there's the famous Turkish cuisine, capable of impressing even the most discerning food lovers.

Turkish cuisine: a harmony of flavors and aromas

Turkish cuisine has a truly unique quality: it has remarkably combined refined recipes from around the world while remaining unlike any other culinary tradition. A melody of flavors carrying Arabic tunes, Mediterranean motifs, Caucasian notes, and Balkan flourishes comes together into a classic Turkic score, generously seasoned with masterful eastern touches.

You could talk endlessly about the diversity of local cuisine. So what must you try when it comes to food in Turkey? Here's our ranking of dishes and drinks.

For breakfast, lunch, and dinner

The main dishes are a wealth of color and flavor, able to satisfy hunger and deliver real culinary pleasure.

Mercimek çorbası

Soups are eaten quite readily in Turkey, and puréed soups are especially popular. Mercimek çorbası is a lentil soup with mint, without which no traditional meal is complete. It was once called a poor man's dish, since the soup is made from the most affordable ingredients. This thick, hearty broth satisfies hunger very well. To make it even tastier, add a bit of butter or cream before eating.

Dolma

Dolma means "stuffed". Even though it's considered a national dish in many countries, in Turkey it's prepared in its own special way. What's the secret of Turkish dolma? The filling, of course, and here you'll find a rich range of choices: a base of rice and minced veal seasoned with spices, pine nuts, or dried fruit; fragrant sweet peppers; or zucchini... It's no wonder dolma is called a culinary monument of Turkic ethnic cuisine.

Kokoreç

This is a truly authentic Turkish national dish, a classic of local street food. You're unlikely to find it on restaurant menus - kokoreç is prepared by street vendors on a spit. And it's best not to ask the colorful cook for the recipe - he won't reveal the secret of preparation before you've tried this fragrant snack. Such are the intriguing traditions of the East... Only once the seller sees that you've enjoyed the taste will he tell you that kokoreç is made from lamb offal, wrapped in intestine and grilled on a spit. Inside are lamb heart, kidneys, and lungs, grilled over coals and seasoned with herbs, vegetables, and spices. The perfect snack with beer!

Balık ekmek

Turkey's national cuisine also includes a wide variety of fish and seafood dishes. One of them is balık ekmek. Its aroma is enough to drive anyone crazy who happens to be near a gathering of fishermen - say, by a bridge or a harbor. Mackerel or trout is grilled on a barbecue and served with bread: the juicy grilled fish and fresh vegetables are layered between fluffy slices, all drizzled with lemon juice. Balık ekmek is very filling, so a single portion is more than enough for two people.

Menemen

A traditional Turkish breakfast, similar to our scrambled eggs. It's made from eggs, tomatoes, onion, and sweet peppers cooked in olive oil. In taste it's something between an omelet and a vegetable stew. Cheese and spicy sucuk sausage are often added to give the dish some extra kick.

İmam bayıldı

A Turkish vegetable masterpiece made from ripe eggplant, tomatoes, onion, and garlic. This simple-to-prepare dish is wrapped in mystery and legend, as is so much in the East. İmam bayıldı translates as "the imam fainted". Why exactly the imam fainted after tasting this dish is not known for certain. Perhaps he was overcome by the wonderful taste of eggplant fried in olive oil.

Kebab

Want to know what a real culinary quest looks like? Try to sample every type of kebab in Turkey. İskender kebab, Adana kebab, şiş kebab, çiğ köfte - the list of names could go on for a long time. Kebabs are most often cooked on a skewer or a spit. The classic version uses lamb, less often beef. The finished meat is served with vegetables, bean-based flatbreads, wrapped in lavash, or in lettuce leaves.

Sweet indulgences

Want to know what lovers of sweets and pastries eat in Turkey? A week's vacation isn't enough time to appreciate the full variety of sweet desserts - not even if you sample them twice a day, ordering some for lunch and dinner. Don't believe it? Step into the nearest Turkish pastry shop.

Baklava

This is one of the most famous masterpieces of Turkish pastry-making. A rich, delicate dessert in which layers of dough alternate with nuts, soaked in fragrant syrup. Some use walnuts and serve baklava as a pastry square, while other pastry chefs roll it into a tube and fill it with pistachios. Each version is delicious in its own way.

Dondurma

Tired of the exhausting heat? Be sure to try Turkish ice cream. It's not quite like the sweet scoops we're used to, but you're guaranteed to love it. Dondurma is a little show that begins the moment you order it. The trickster behind the counter - the vendor or the server - will juggle it like a circus performer, playing games with you by hiding the scoop behind their back, tossing the ice cream in the air, and spinning it on a stick. Holding the coveted dessert out to the buyer only to snatch it back at the last moment is a mandatory part of the show. Naturally, you'll get your ice cream in the end, made from fresh goat's milk, mastic gum, and ground wild orchid tubers. These are the very ingredients that give the dessert its stretchy texture and delicious flavor. Dondurma is refreshing but doesn't melt in your hands - it's chewy and delicate.

Tulumba

Golden, crispy little pastries, deep-fried and soaked in fragrant syrup, made from choux pastry. Tulumba is served in almost every restaurant, and you can also buy it from street vendors. This vibrant dessert is especially popular with children, so treat yourself to a bag of these sweet pastries to take along on a walk through Istanbul.

Turkish tea and coffee

It's hard to picture a local sitting at a street café without tea. It's the favorite drink, consumed morning, afternoon, evening, and sometimes even at night - and almost always with sugar. Strong, well-steeped, and piping hot tea is served in distinctive tulip-shaped glasses or cups. If you find yourself among Turks, don't offend them by refusing the traditional drink - especially if it's offered alongside eastern sweets.

Prefer coffee to tea? In Turkey, this drink is prepared according to its own method, with sugar added straight into the brewing process. You'll be served a thick coffee with a rich flavor and a fluffy foam, its spicy aroma staying in your memory for a long time.

Setting off on a trip, every traveler thinks ahead about where they absolutely must go and what they must try when it comes to food in Istanbul. Believe us, there's no shortage of culinary delights in Turkey, just as there's no shortage of sights. So make the most of your vacation! Enjoy the local beauty and traditional cuisine. And don't forget to pick up a few souvenirs and some coffee as gifts for loved ones back home.

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