Turkish cuisine is one of the most famous and appreciated all over the world. It was forged by the fusion of the culinary traditions of the territories of the vast Ottoman Empire: the Caucasus, the Balkans, Anatolia, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean.
By virtue of this, the gastronomic landscape of Turkey is characterized by the presence of many regional cuisines that are very different from each other: the cuisine of the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts makes extensive use of olive oil, fish and vegetables; many Black Sea dishes are based on fish (especially anchovies) and corn; kneaded specialties such as mantı and gözleme come from central Anatolia; the cuisine of southeastern Turkey, closely related to that of the Middle East, is known for the best kebabs, meze (appetizers) and desserts.
Many regional dishes are now widespread throughout the country, let alone in a megacity like Istanbul, where a large part of the population is made up of immigrants. By going to the many restaurants that offer regional cuisine, in Istanbul it is possible to taste practically all the specialties of Turkey.
10 typical dishes not to miss in Turkey
Köfte
Balls or patties of ground beef or lamb, and can be served stewed, in sandwiches, over salads, or plain with yogurt.
Shish kebab
Pieces of meat threaded on a skewer and grilled. Can be dipped in yogurt or eaten it on its own.
Dolma
Vine leaves or vegetables stuffed with pine nuts and currants.
Mantı
Small beef or lamb dumplings boiled or fried and served with yogurt or butter, and often accompanied with a range of spices.
Börek
A savory pastry that comes in many varieties, most popularly filled with minced meat or spinach and cheese. Börek can be rolled, served as puffs, or layered like lasagna, and served for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snack.
Lokum
Nougaty dessert originally made from dates, honey, roses, and jasmine bound by Arabic gum and designed to sweeten the breath after coffee.
Baklava
Dessert pastry made of layers of filo filled with chopped nuts and sweetened and held together with syrup or honey.
Ayran
A refreshing yogurt drink.
Çay
Tea, usually drunk black and strong and served in small tulip-shaped glasses.
Turkish coffee
Traditionally brewed over hot coals and served very sweet.
Raki
Anisette, which clouds when water is added. Drinking raki is a ritual and is traditionally accompanied by a variety of meze.
