where/what should we eat in turkey?
i am going to istanbul, cappadocia, and antalya in a couple of weeks and i was wondering if any serious eaters had suggestions for restaurants?
also, any recommendations for local specialities i should try, please let me know!
i hear the street food and desserts are fabulous. will definitely check those out. also will be hitting up the spice market and taking a cooking class while there.
thanks in advance for your help.
Add a comment:
Previewing your comment:
HTML Hints
Some HTML is OK: <a href="URL">link</a>, <strong>strong</strong>, <em>em</em>
Comment Guidelines
Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more at our Comment Policy page.
If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment.
Start Talking!
Need a question answered? Have advice to share? Start a Talk topic now!
Sign up to get your questions answered and share advice.
9 Comments:
definitely get desserts -- and try the turkish delight from a reputable source, it's quite different than the mass marketed cadbury version. i could not stop eating the baklava. you could try borek and other phyllo dough savory concoctions, as well as doner -- but that didn't really float my boat. you will of course be drinking tea often and everywhere... you could maybe accompany the tea with a simit (a circular, sweetish, sesame bread). try the ayram (salty traditional yogurt drink) -- it's similar to kefir, and supposedly incredibly healthy for you and your gastrointestinal tract. and when in istanbul, cross over to the asian side via ferry and go a meyhane (tavern) for the AMAZING, AMAZING fish selection. often, they bring a tray over of the dozens of fish and seafood they can prepare for you. accompany this with friends, and the traditional beverage for the seafood binge -- raki -- and it will be a wonderful istanbulli evening... i loved my time in turkey -- and gained 6 lbs while i was there!
emmeleau at 4:52AM on 06/25/09
emmeleau - thanks so much for your thoughtful response. i can't wait for the trip. i will definitely take your advice and try the fish!
kristin314 at 1:04PM on 06/25/09
If you go down to the ferry station in the harbor around rush hour, there's a guy who stands there with a little table full of stuff mussels and clams - it's delicious and very cheap! You hand him a coin and he squeezes some lemon juice on it, and it's delightful. I've also heard that some of the fishing boats in that area will grill fish and make fish sandwiches for you fresh on the boat.
There's a street near there (not exactly sure which one it is, but it's only about a 5 minute walk) that's not very big, but it's lined with cafeteria-style eateries where you take a tray and pick out different things you want to eat. My friend got a plate of plain rice once and it was one of the sweetest, most flavorful things I've ever eaten without any sort of sauce or accompaniment. There's also a lamb duner stand that's near there where a guy will slice off little pieces of roasted lamb meat and let you sample it - it's wonderful!
Have fun and don't forget to have fresh-squeezed orange juice! It's available every where and fantastic!
syannelevovna at 10:05AM on 06/26/09
I forgot to add that I was talking about Istanbul!
syannelevovna at 10:06AM on 06/26/09
in istanbul there's a restaurant called asitane which serves traditional turkish cuisine. it's a nice change from the modern turkish food found all over the city. there's also haci bekir, which claims to be the place where turkish delight was created. in antalya there are plenty of beach front cafes -- not all of them are great, but you're literally feet from the ocean so it's all good. there's one restaurant (don't remember the name) which has tables at the top of the cliff overlooking the harbor.
hrwalf at 10:15AM on 06/26/09
In Taksim Square there is a little burger place (it's packed at night) on the corner. You just walk up to the window and order. We always called them Taksim Burgers, but they were also featured on "A Hamburger Today." Try stuffed mussels from a street vendor if you come across them.
In Ortakoy, make sure to make time for dinner outside with a view of the Bosphorus. They have great fish - my favorites were a plate of fried Istavrit and Levrek (seabass). Mackerel is wonderful and sold under the bridge between old town and new town.
Most places you go in Istanbul, even if it's just a stall on a street, you will be served with great hospitality. Just try everything!!
And if you have even a few extra hours, please please PLEASE go on a ferry ride all the way up the Bosphorus. I think it cost the equivalent of $8, they leave from under the Bridge (Galata, maybe?) At the end you land in a beautiful fishing village off the Black Sea for lunch and can climb up to an old castle on the Asian side for the best views of your life. I did it on a whim and it is my fondest memory of my trip. Also, you get a good feel of the stark differences b/t the European and Asian sides.
Emsev333 at 10:32AM on 06/26/09
thanks everyone for the great suggestions. i will definitely be trying stuffed mussels!
@ emsev333 - those hamburgers look so interesting and different! also, i am planning a ferry ride on the bosphorus but i did not know about the fishing village at the end. thanks for the tips!
kristin314 at 3:53PM on 06/26/09
Kofta... definitely kofta, I'm still looking for a good version here in NYC.
Turkish Delight is absolutely fantastic... we wandered the bazaar but the restaurant that the guidebook suggests wasn't all that it was made out to be.
http://feistyfoodie.blogspot.com/search/label/istanbul
Scroll down a bit and there's the name of the restaurant for best kofta in Istanbul... It was near the Blue Mosque. Or was it near Hagia Sophia... well, it was off a square. Sorry!
feistyfoodie at 12:27PM on 06/29/09
Go to Doy Doy in Istanbul and avoid the Orient Restaurant in Cappadocia. I wrote about all my eating in Turkey on my blog, which you can check out starting here:
http://unvegan.com/updates/international-travel-reviews/turkish-food-week-part-i-pide/
alphazack at 9:25PM on 06/29/09