Turkey is known for its fantastic architecture, historical sites, and world-class food options, which often lures tourists’ to the country from across the world. Today, the country hosts millions of tourists each year and is home to some of the most iconic historical landmarks, Michelin-star restaurants, and museums. But most of the people visiting Turkey become great fans of the food and end-up visiting the country again and again. Lots of tourists’ on their journey to Turkey do not precisely know the traditional foods of the country and what they should try during their time in Turkey.
Today’s guide explores the best foods served across Turkey and gives the readers exciting information on why these foods are savored across the country. From Turkish snacks to some of the most famous Turkish desserts, the guide covers it all. In case you’re planning your visit to the country anytime soon. Ensure that you go through the article and taste each dish mentioned here once to make the most of your time in the country and give yourself and your loved ones the best flavors of what the country has to offer to your taste buds. Let’s get started.
- Iskender Kebab: It is one of Turkey’s most enjoyed meat dishes and is very popular among the locals and tourists as well. It is made up of thinly sliced lamb, served with warm tomato sauce over traditional pieces of bread. It might leave you overwhelmed and craving for more.
- Manti: This dish is also known as Turkish ravioli, and if you are a pasta-lover, in that case, it will give you a good kick. It does take a lot of time to prepare and is worth waiting as well.
- Mezze: Mezze has gained popularity across the world because of its variety of tastes offered in a single place. The dish is a small selection of words which is commonly served with drinks before a meal. You will find different ingredients that will leave your mouth watered for sure, including hummus, meatballs, herbs, etc.
- Turkish Delight: This might not be the first time you hear about Turkish delight, but you will be tasting the one served in Turkey for the first time, as they are a lot different from the ones served at foreign places. Ensure that you get your hands across this fantastic form of traditional Turkish desserts during your time in the country.
- Shish Kebab: It can be found on most of the menus of Turkish restaurants. Traditionally made with beef, lamb, or chicken and is served on a skewer. You can enjoy it by combining the Shish Kebabs with rice, salad, and fries. It will give you the best flavor of Turkey in one place.
- Turkish Apple Tea: This might be the first time you have heard of this tea, but the traditional Turkish Apple tea can be found in every cafe. Sit down for a warm cup of Turkish tea and enjoy the sunset to make your evening beautiful at any of the bars or the restaurants of the country and make your time wonderful.
- Baklava: This rich and sweet pastry is one of the most greatly enjoyed foods of Turkey. With its origin from Ottoman Empire, the dish can today be found on every street corner of the country, and during your time here, you can make the most of your money by enjoying the traditional Baklava. It is often served as one of the most favored Turkish desserts as well. Make sure that you do try it once during your time in Turkey.
- Gozleme: The next in the list is Gozleme, which is one of the most accessible foods to find in Turkey. It is a Turkish flatbread developed with hand-rolled dough and is then filled with various kinds of topping, including potatoes, meat, cheese, etc. Make your way to Gozleme during your lunch or dinner and enjoy your time with these fantastic Turkish snacks with your friends and family.
- Kumpir: It is a form of a baked potato that is cut down in the middle, and then the soft insides of it are mixed with generous butter lathering and piles of cheese. You can enjoy the dish with different available choices such as ketchup, yogurt, sausages, etc.
- Simit: Simit is another form of traditional turkish desserts that is very popular across the country and is enjoyed by the tourists. It is the cheapest snack and comes in the form of circular bread, which is typically encrusted with sesame seeds. Ensure that you try one of these on your journey to Turkey and keep your sugary needs fulfilled.
- Dondurma: The last in the list is Dondurma, which is a form of Turkish ice cream. It might look like typical ice cream in case if you’re seeing it for the first time but believe us; it is not. The ingredients added to give the ice cream a sort of chewiness and provide a distinct flavor to the tastebuds.