Documenting places through food, neighborhoods, and daily life
Taste your way through the best restaurants in Turkey—from Michelin-starred fine dining in Istanbul to hidden Aegean gems, traditional kebab houses, and coastal seafood spots that locals love.
Planning More Food Adventures in Turkey?
Turkey is not a “one great dinner and we’re done” country. Absolutely not. We start with kebab, then somehow we’re chasing seafood in Bodrum, street food in Istanbul, breakfast spreads, Michelin tasting menus, coastal restaurants, and that dangerous little phrase: “Maybe we should book another table.” Use these guides to keep eating your way through Turkey like this is serious cultural research — because, frankly, it is.
- Traditional Turkish Food — the best next click if you want to understand the dishes behind all those excellent restaurant decisions.
- Best Restaurants in Istanbul — perfect for citywide dining, from classic Turkish kitchens to modern restaurants worth booking ahead.
- Istanbul Street Food — for simit, kumpir, kokoreç, balık ekmek, midye dolma, and snacks that make “we already ate” sound ridiculous.
- Istanbul Michelin Restaurants — ideal if you want polished tasting menus, serious chefs, and Turkish cooking with a fine-dining glow-up.
- Best Restaurants in Istanbul with a View — useful for rooftop dinners, Bosphorus tables, sunset meals, and the kind of view that makes dessert feel compulsory.
- Best Restaurants in Bodrum — handy if your Turkey food trip needs seafood, seaside dining, elegant dinners, and Aegean holiday energy.
- What to Do in Kaş — great for pairing Mediterranean beaches and boat trips with relaxed coastal restaurants and slow, sunny meals.
- Ultimate 10-Day Turkey Itinerary — the practical one if you want to connect Istanbul, Cappadocia, Pamukkale, Antalya, and more food stops into one route.
- Turkey Packing List — because restaurant-hopping still requires comfortable shoes, layers, sun protection, and clothes that survive both bazaars and dinner.
Table of Content
Best Restaurants in Turkey
1. 7 Mehmet, Antalya
7 Mehmet Restaurant is what happens when a kitchen takes the calendar seriously. Seasonal fruits, vegetables, meat, and fish aren’t just “nice to have” here—they’re the whole point, and the menu shifts around whatever is at its absolute best right now. Chef Mehmet Akdağ (third generation at the helm) threads ancestral techniques and craftsmanship with modern methods, reworking Mediterranean and traditional Turkish cuisine in a way that feels both rooted and refreshingly current—like the region’s flavors, turned up to full volume.
Meltem District, Atatürk Culture Park, Dumlupınar Boulevard No:201, Muratpaşa/Antalya | instagram.com/7mehmetrestaurant/
2. Oburus Momus, Kaş
In Kaş, we go looking for something light… and end up staying for something bold. Oburus Momus is a vegan-vegetarian restaurant that politely (and deliciously) demolishes the idea that meatless means “missing something.” Run by Zeynep and her husband Ürün Çakırca, it comes with a roomy garden and a menu inspired by both the Far East and the Mediterranean. Expect homemade sauces and bread, plus playful plates like fried rice with vegetables sautéed in sesame oil—food that’s creative, satisfying, and absolutely not here to be boring.
Andifli Mah. Hukumet Cad. No:10 Kaş; | instagram.com/oburusmomus/
3. Çiy Restaurant, Aydin
Tucked into leafy Kuşadası, Çiy is the kind of Mediterranean restaurant that makes you slow down without even trying. The menu evolves over time, but the core promise stays the same: fresh ingredients with a natural, just-picked quality. People come for the atmosphere—greenery, scenery, music—and then stay for the food, because each dish, from starters to desserts, is meticulously prepared and filled with unforgettable flavors. It’s peaceful, yes… but it’s also seriously delicious (which is the best kind of calm).
Caferli, Zeybekler Sokak, No: 6, 09430 Kuşadası/Aydın |instagram.com/ciyrestaurant/
4. Çiya Sofrasi, Istanbul
Over in Kadıköy Caferağa, Çiya is basically a love letter to Turkey’s regional food—written across three floors, with a rooftop terrace for good measure. The menu is famously wide-ranging, built to keep every kind of eater happy, and it’s not shy about geography: dishes from a diverse range of regions, spanning from Mesopotamia to the Ottoman Empire, from the Balkans to the Caucasus, and from Asia to the Arabian Peninsula. If you want one meal that feels like a culinary atlas, this is it.
Caferağa, Güneşli Bahçe Sok, Kadıköy/İstanbul | https://www.ciya.com.tr/index_en.php
5. Kebabçı Halil Usta, Gaziantep
Master Halil started his kebab journey back in 1972—then did the real legacy move: passing the craft to his son, İbrahim Halil, while continuing to work, teach, and build. He even had a stone oven constructed and kept producing while training apprentices along the way. Master Halil’s philosophy is simple and stubborn (in the best way): baklava, especially, lives or dies by the chef’s skill and the ingredients, and he’s committed to serving customers the most natural and authentic version of baklava.
Mithatpaşa, Karşıyaka Mah Tekel Cad, Ocukoğlu Sk. No:6, Şehitkamil/Gaziantep | instagram.com/kebapcihalilusta/
6. Sibel’s Beycik Restaurant, Kemer
Sibel Hatapoğlu opened this unique open kitchen in a big garden in Beycik, and it feels like someone turned “home cooking” into an art form without losing the warmth. The kitchen is run with her siblings, Zuhal and Hilal Hatapoğlu, and the focus stays beautifully clear: healthy, home-cooked meals built around seasonal produce and natural ingredients. On top of that, the place doubles as a cooking workshop—so you can eat well and actually learn something. Do not leave without their freshly baked tandoor bread and those bright, comforting fruit desserts. The menu runs wide, from breakfast all the way to dinner, which is dangerously convenient.
Beycik Village No: 3 Kemer | instagram.com/sibelsbeycikrestaurant/
7. Hışvahan, Gaziantep
Hışvahan, the oldest inn in Gaziantep, delivers a unique and nostalgic experience—perfect if you want your meal to come with a heavy dose of atmosphere. Picture a romantic dinner inside a 550-year-old historical inn, or a breakfast that leans hard into Gaziantep’s rich food culture. The space is known for its stylish decor and a delectable menu that harmoniously blends local flavors with modern culinary twists. And if you decide you are not ready to leave (very possible), Hışvahan also runs as a boutique hotel with ten cozy rooms.
Karagöz, Handan Bey Sk No:23/1, Şahinbey/Gaziantep | instagram.com/hsvhn/
8. House of Kamer, Adana
At House of Kamer, owned by Kamer Kıraç, we get one of those meals that feels carefully curated but still wonderfully human. The idea is a distinctive dining experience that brings together the finest local, traditional, and international flavors—and it’s wrapped in an atmosphere that looks like a lovingly assembled collection. Kamer Kıraç and his wife Necati Kıraç fill the space with vintage and antique pieces from around the world, sweating the small details so the room feels calm, elegant, and almost home-like. The menu is rich with traditional dishes prepared daily—comfort food, but done with intention.
Reşatbey, 62031. Sok. No: 9 ,01120 Seyhan/Adana | instagram.com/houseofkamer/
10. L’apero, Kaş
L’apéro is our kind of Kaş evening: a Mediterranean beach restaurant with a big garden, an inviting bar, and wooden tables that basically demand you linger. The menu is a diverse Mediterranean spread full of light, bright flavors—the kind that makes you order “just one more plate” repeatedly. Chef and partner Paul Moisson is French, with a family-deep love of food, and the dishes lean into that confidence: tomato tart, starter plates built for sharing, honey chicken, cherry artichoke, French onion soup, escargot… and then the real danger: excellent cocktails and wines that make you forget you promised yourself an early night.
Andifli Mah, Doğruyol Cd. No:1, 07580 Kaş/Antalya | facebook.com/laperokas/
11. Gusto Celepoğlu Konagi, Kırklareli
Gusto Celepoğlu Konagi, founded by Jülide Başkur, is where we go when we want tradition—but with a little cross-cultural sparkle. The kitchen leans into fresh, satisfying dishes inspired by the Turkish and Greek culinary traditions, and the menu has serious personality: Bosnian ravioli, pastries, Rumelian-style groom’s trotter, black zucchini “Tikfinik,” and a range of offal dishes for the adventurous eaters among us. They also host wine tastings and curated wine-pairing menus, and the historic mansion itself is used for special events like weddings and celebrations—because if you are going to celebrate, you might as well do it somewhere memorable.
Yayla, Yayla Cd. No:50, 39000 Kırklareli Merkez/Kırklareli
12. Season’s Restaurant by Mutlu Şevket Yılmaz, Alanya
Season’s, owned by Mutlu Şevket Yılmaz—a two-time winner of the Bocuse d’Or Turkey competition (2015 and 2017)—keeps things elegant without trying too hard. The decor is simple, the garden is lovely, and the restaurant stays open year-round, which we appreciate when travel dates get weird. The concept is clear: a menu built on natural ingredients and tropical flavors, executed with a confident, straightforward hand. Expect dishes like veal tail, hot smoked salmon, tenderloin, and sushi—proof that “simple” does not mean “predictable.”
Cumhuriyet, Sanayi Cd. No:3, 07425 Alanya/Antalya | instagram.com/mutlusevketyilmaz/
13. Kalkanoğlu Pilavi, Trabzon
Right in the heart of Trabzon, Kalkanoğlu Pilavi is the kind of place we love most: a family-run business passed down through generations, still proudly itself. Step inside and you’ll notice the details—an authentic atmosphere decorated with items unique to the Black Sea region. The menu is best known for its pilaf (yes, it deserves the reputation), but it doesn’t stop there: roasted meat, compote, pickles, and a lineup of desserts to finish things properly.
Pazarkapı, Tophane Cami Sk. No:3, Merkez/Trabzon | instagram.com/kalkanoglupilavi/
14. Plato’da Mola-Pokut, Rize
Up in Pokut, Yasemin Şişman and her family are doing something quietly impressive: restoring a 200-year-old wooden house and turning it into a hostel called Mola in Plato. And yes—this is one of those places where the view alone could keep you seated for hours. Mola’s terrace offers a one-of-a-kind panorama of the plateau, perched on the slope of Pokut and looking out toward Kaçkar. They make their own cheese and yogurt from milk, and grow their vegetables and herbs right here. The result is breakfast that tastes like the plateau itself: muhlama, stuffed kale, kardabak, pastries, and kete—fuel for mountain air and slow mornings.
Pokut Plateau, Çamlıhemşin Rize | instagram.com/platodamola
15. Fauna
Fauna began small—five tables, back in 2003—and grew into a neighborhood favorite with 22 seats and an open kitchen in Ataşehir by 2014. The philosophy is refreshingly direct: they work with organic farmers and producers, and everything is prepared or cooked to order, so the plates arrive exactly as they should—fresh, intentional, and not fussed-up for show. If you like food that’s honest, seasonal, and served on healthy, simple plates, this is absolutely your stop.
Küçükbakkalköy, Işıklar Cd. No:9 D:B, Ataşehir/Istanbul | instagram.com/faunarestoran/
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