Turkish Cuisine

Say what you will about its politics, but Turkey is a delicious country. From kabobs and complimentary appetizers to spices and seasonal drinks, Turkey offers a variety of flavorful foods. 

BREAKFASTS

 

Picture this: an assortment of high quality cheeses, spicy sausage links, hard boiled eggs, warm toast, fresh fruit jams, sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, green and black olives, and finger-sized meat pastries. Are you hungry yet? Known as kahvalti, literally meaning "before coffee", this is the quintessential Turkish breakfast. Hot chai is served alongside the meal, which is ended with a cup of Turkish coffee. Gooood morning!

If you prefer a smaller breakfast though, menemen is another traditional choice. Cooked with eggs, onions, tomatoes, green peppers and spices, menemen is served inside the piping hot metal pot it was cooked in & typically comes served with a basket of warm bread rolls. While most Turkish families do not eat kahvalti or menemen every day, both are absolutely worth a try for any traveler!

 

LUNCHES

Carnivores live it up with doner kabobs, raw meatballs and spicy sheep intestine sandwiches called kokorec. Does the photo of doner kabob above seem foreign? It shouldn't - you may already know it as "shawarma" (especially in Arabic countries) or "gyros" (in Greece).

Other popular lunches include more familiar American foods like hamburgers, wraps, sandwiches and pizza. Some upscale restaurants also feature Chinese, Japanese and Mexican food. But why bother traveling to Turkey if all you eat is American food?

 DINNERS

Kabob restaurants are commonplace and cheap, often serving either an assortment of free bread / rice / yogurt / onions, or soup / salad / fries as complimentary appetizers. Most kabob houses are half upscale restaurant and half fast food - you're seated in a fancy booth but served quickly.

All kabob dishes are plated with bulgur rice and salad for ~15-30 TL (~$7-$15) depending on the type of meat ordered. Turkish tea, called chai, is typically served after meals although you can order specialty black or fruit teas if you prefer. Whatever foods you choose, afiyet olsun (bon appetit)!

* Note: none of the pictures in this post belong to me