Turkish cuisine is a delightful mosaic of flavors, and reflects a rich culinary heritage shaped by centuries of cultural exchange. It is celebrated for its use of fresh ingredients, bold spices, and a balance of sweet and savory flavors. We love experiencing a country through its food! Here are our favorite flavorful experiences while visiting this beautiful country this summer. Who's hungry??
Traditional Turkish Breakfast
Known as kahvaltı, a traditional Turkish breakfast is a leisurely and delightful meal that typically consists of a spread of small dishes and allows diners to sample various tastes in one sitting. Central to a Turkish breakfast is simit, a circular bread encrusted with sesame seeds (similar to a bagel).
Commonly served alongside is an assortment of white cheeses (ezine, edirne, lor), black and green olives, diced cucumber and tomato salad, pastirma (pastrami), acuka (tomato paste with nuts and spices), bal kaymak (honey and clotted cream…nice and sweet), hazelnut paste with tahini, and a variety of jams.
Eggs also play a key role…the most common being menemen (scrambled eggs with tomato, green peppers and spices) and sujuk (fried eggs with beef sausage). Lastly, this feast is accompanied by flavorful Turkish tea.
Street Food/Quick Bites
On the go? You can find simit available on most street corners, subway stations and bakeries throughout the country…in many cases with various fillings: cheese, olive paste, Nutella, or cinnamon.
Lahmacun is a simple meal of thin dough topped with a minced meat (usually lamb or beef), an onion-red pepper mixture, and slid in the oven for a few minutes and served piping hot. Let it cool a bit, roll it up into a tube and enjoy it with your hands. Simple, yet delicious! Great at the end of a late night.
Midye Dolma are stuffed mussels with aromatic rice, herbs and spices, and a national favorite. You can find these throughout Istanbul and the coastal areas. Simply break off half of the shell, squeeze on some lemon juice and enjoy. We had tasted delicious midye dolma on the Asian side during a food tour!
We must say that gozleme is our favorite street food. These are Turkish pancakes (think of a crepe) made in a few minutes and come with a variety of fillings…. cheese, spinach, potatoes, beef or lamb. They go very nicely with the local beer (Efes). Yum!
Soups
We tried a few soups - tomato (domates corbasi), lentil (mercimek corbasi)- both very good. However, our favorite was lamb shank soup. Slow cooked tender bits of lamb in a light creamy broth with some chili powder for an extra kick. What’s not to like?
Main Dishes
Hunkar Begendi (Sultan's Delight) was our favorite dish. An age-old Turkish recipe of tender lamb, cooked in a richly flavored stew served over a blend of roasted eggplant and Turkish cheese sauce. This is truly outstanding. Enjoy this dish at one of the many nice restaurants offering panoramic views of Istanbul and you will feel like a Sultan yourself!
Grilled Meats
Turkish cuisine is renowned for its flavorful grilled meat dishes. Here are our favorites:
Kebabs are perhaps the most famous Turkish grilled meat dish and come in various forms. The şiş kebab features skewered and grilled chunks of marinated meat, often lamb or chicken, while the Adana kebab is made of hand-minced lamb seasoned with spices.
Köfte are Turkish meatballs, typically made from minced beef or lamb mixed with spices, onions, and herbs… often served with rice, salad, or in sandwiches(köfte ekmek).
Döner originates from Ottoman cuisine and consists of thinly sliced layers of seasoned meat (usually lamb, beef, or chicken) stacked on a vertical rotisserie. The meat rotates slowly as it cooks, and slices are shaved off and served in various forms, such as in sandwiches (döner ekmek) or as a plate with rice and salads. All are accompanied by sides of grilled vegetables, yogurt-based sauces and freshly baked bread.
Manti
Turkish manti are tiny, dumpling-like parcels of dough (think of small ravioli) filled with seasoned ground meat, vegetables, or cheese, served with yogurt and a drizzle of buttery sauce infused with spices. We were pleasantly surprised at how good this was, and it pairs nicely with a glass of Turkish rosé.
Pastries and Desserts
Baklava is arguably the most popular sweet pastry in Türkiye. It’s a pistachio based layered pastry made of filo dough and sweetened with honey and can be found anywhere in the country…a national treasure and source of pride. Fabulous!
Izmir bombasi originates from the Turkish city of Izmir, and these cookies are filled with a chocolate spread that leave a chocolatey explosion in your mouth. They are also called Bomba for good reason!
Boyoz (also from Izmir) is a simple, small round pastry made with flour and sesame oil. Boyuz are a little harder to find, but if you come across them, grab them. They’re tasty little pillows of goodness.
Turkish ice cream … While dondurma may translate as "ice cream," this frozen sweet Turkish treat isn't like any other gelato, sherbet or ice cream you're likely to find. Dondurma has a thick, dense and stretchy texture, and instead of licking it from a cone, you eat it on a plate with a knife and fork sprinkled with crushed pistachio. Sounds odd, but trust us, it’s very good.
Turkish Coffee & Tea
If you like your coffee strong, this is for you! Turkish coffee is very finely ground and usually favored with a hint of cardamom. It is always prepared in a special long-handled pot called a cezve and traditionally served in a small cup with a small cube of sugar on the side.
Many street vendors prepare Turkish coffee the ancient way by placing the cezve (filled with coffee and water) in a large flat pan filled with hot sand, which is heated over an open flame. This hot sand quickly heats the cezve and lets the coffee foam to the top almost immediately. The heat can also be adjusted by the depth of the cezve in the sand. This process is usually repeated three to four times and then the coffee is finally served in small cups. The more foam, the more experienced the barista!
Turkish tea is a strong and very flavorful tea that is brewed in a special double teapot called a çaydanlık. The tea is typically brewed using black tea leaves and is often served with sugar cubes. It has a rich and bold flavor that also promotes good heart health. Drink up!
Turkish cuisine offers a robust variety of flavors and textures. Hopefully, this inspires you to include Türkiye (Turkey) in your travels, allowing you to sample everything this wonderful country has to offer. We hope that our foodie favorites in Turkey become yours as well. Enjoy!
Keep dreaming, keep exploring,
and keep making memories.
All my best,
Deb
Deb Pentek is the Owner / Travel Agent of Vacation Memories by Deb, LLC. She is a member of ASTA (American Society of Travel Advisors) and CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association). Born and raised on the east coast, she relocated to the Chicago area with her family. She and her husband have enjoyed traveling with their two (now adult) children, from Disney to Europe, South America, Africa and Japan. She and her husband now travel together to check off their never-ending bucket list. Deb's extensive travel has taught her much, and she loves sharing travel tips and booking exciting trips for her clients. She strives to create amazing vacation memories to last a lifetime.
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