The Atlas · Nº 15 ·Turkiye

Most Popular Turkish Food

Turkish food is the old Ottoman table stretched across a country: lamb turning on kebab spits, mantı dumplings under garlic yogurt, a tray of pistachio baklava glinting in a shop window. It runs from long-simmered eggplant stews to lentil soup and mezze, and few cuisines take their sweets as seriously.

184 dishes ranked·42 in the global top 1,000 ·18,710 diner ratings·Best rank Nº 18

Plate I — The Origins

Fig. 1 Where 184 ranked turkish dishes were born. Dish origin

Drag to pan · Double-click or +/− to zoom · Select a marker for its entry

The Signature Dishes

The twelve highest-ranked Turkish dishes, by global position.

Tombik Döner, sandwich from Turkiye
Plate IISandwich · Turkiye

1 Nº 18 worldwide

Tombik Döner

Sandwich · Tombik · Gobit kebab

The best-ranked Turkish dish on our map, a döner sandwich: shavings of slow-roasted meat stuffed into a round, crisp-edged pide bun with tomato, onion, and peppers. Handier than a plate of döner and every bit as good, it is fast food done the Turkish way.

★ 4.6|89% positive |466 ratings

Fırın sütlaç, pudding from Turkiye
Plate IIIPudding · Turkiye

2 Nº 49 worldwide

Fırın sütlaç

Pudding

Turkish rice pudding, baked in the oven until the top browns and blisters over a cool, milky set beneath. Made simply from milk, rice, and sugar with roots in the Ottoman kitchen, it is served chilled in its little dish, one of the gentlest sweets in the repertoire.

★ 4.5|92% positive |136 ratings

Tantuni, wrap from Turkiye

3TantuniNº 56

Wrap

A street-food wrap from Mersin, thin ribbons of beef or lamb cooked fast on a wide iron pan with spice and a little water, then rolled in a thin flatbread with onion, parsley, and sumac. Light, savory, and built for eating on your feet.

★ 4.5|162 ratings

Cağ kebabı, lamb dish from Turkiye

4Cağ kebabıNº 57

Lamb Dish

The horizontal ancestor of the döner, from Erzurum in the east: lamb marinated overnight with onion, stacked on a spit laid on its side, and roasted over wood, then sliced onto a skewer at the table. Older and smokier than the upright kind.

★ 4.5|205 ratings

İskender kebap, lamb dish from Turkiye

5İskender kebapNº 61

Lamb Dish · Also Bursa kebabı

A Bursa specialty and one of the country's grandest kebabs: thin slices of döner lamb laid over cubes of pide bread, drenched in a hot tomato sauce, then finished at the table with sizzling melted butter and a side of yogurt. Named for the butcher who devised it.

★ 4.5|281 ratings

Manti, dumplings from Turkiye

6MantiNº 64

Dumplings

Tiny Turkish dumplings, each pinched around a little spiced ground meat and boiled, then drowned in garlicky yogurt and doused with butter reddened with pepper and dried mint. Traditionally so small that a good cook fits dozens on a single spoon.

★ 4.5|268 ratings

Mercimek çorbası, vegetable soup from Turkiye

7Mercimek çorbasıNº 67

Vegetable Soup

The red lentil soup you meet everywhere in Türkiye, smooth and golden, cooked from lentils, onion, and carrot and seasoned with cumin and paprika. Served with a wedge of lemon to squeeze in and bread to dip, it opens meals and cures cold mornings alike.

★ 4.5|438 ratings

Hünkar beğendi, stew from Turkiye

8Hünkar beğendiNº 68

Stew · Also Hünkârbeğendi

Sultan's delight, a tender lamb stew ladled over a purée of smoke-roasted eggplant beaten smooth with cheese and butter. The story sends it back to an Ottoman palace kitchen and a visiting empress, and the pairing of soft, smoky cream and rich meat still tastes the part.

★ 4.5|138 ratings

Shish kebab, meat dish from Turkiye

9Shish kebabNº 103

Meat Dish · Also Şiş kebap

The kebab the world knows, cubes of marinated lamb or beef threaded onto a skewer and grilled over fire. Its origins lie with the nomads who cooked meat on their swords over open flames, and it remains the plainest and most universal of the Turkish grill.

★ 4.4|230 ratings

Lahmacun, snack from Turkiye

10LahmacunNº 118

Snack · Also Lahmajun

Often called Turkish pizza, though the name undersells it: a paper-thin round of dough smeared with spiced minced lamb, tomato, and pepper, baked fast and blistering hot. You roll it up around parsley, onion, and a squeeze of lemon and eat it by hand.

★ 4.4|326 ratings

Gaziantep baklavası, sweet pastry from Turkiye

11Gaziantep baklavasıNº 121

Sweet Pastry

Baklava from Gaziantep, the southeastern city that is Türkiye's sweet capital and home to its famous pistachios. Wafer-thin sheets of yufka layered with ground pistachio and butter, baked, then soaked in syrup and cut into glinting, green-centered diamonds. The benchmark all other baklava chases.

★ 4.4|312 ratings

Adana kebap, lamb dish from Turkiye

12Adana kebapNº 158

Lamb Dish

A long skewer of hand-minced lamb and tail fat, spiced with hot red pepper and pressed onto a wide flat skewer to grill over coals. Named for the southern city of Adana, it is the fiery, juicy heavyweight of the kebab family, served with grilled tomato, onion, and flatbread.

★ 4.4|402 ratings

The Departments

Every Turkish dish in our ranking, grouped the way you'd order them.

The Complete Ledger

All 184 Turkish dishes in the world ranking. Every entry, leaf by leaf.

184 entries
  1. 18 Tombik Döner Sandwich Turkiye ★ 4.6
  2. 49 Fırın sütlaç Pudding Turkiye ★ 4.5
  3. 56 Tantuni Wrap Mersin ★ 4.5
  4. 57 Cağ kebabı Lamb Dish Erzurum ★ 4.5
  5. 61 İskender kebap Lamb Dish Bursa ★ 4.5
  6. 64 Manti Dumplings Turkiye ★ 4.5
  7. 67 Mercimek çorbası Vegetable Soup Turkiye ★ 4.5
  8. 68 Hünkar beğendi Stew Istanbul ★ 4.5
  9. 103 Shish kebab Meat Dish Turkiye ★ 4.4
  10. 118 Lahmacun Snack Turkiye ★ 4.4
  11. 121 Gaziantep baklavası Sweet Pastry Gaziantep ★ 4.4
  12. 158 Adana kebap Lamb Dish Adana ★ 4.4
  13. 220 Alinazik kebab Lamb Dish Gaziantep ★ 4.3
  14. 257 Kebab Meat Dish Turkiye ★ 4.3
  15. 262 Sarma Ground Meat Dish Turkiye ★ 4.3
  16. 291 Gözleme Flatbread Turkiye ★ 4.3
  17. 298 Katmer Sweet Pastry Gaziantep ★ 4.3
  18. 303 Dondurma Ice Cream Kahramanmaraş ★ 4.3
  19. 317 Çöp şiş Lamb Dish Aegean Region ★ 4.2
  20. 357 Döner kebab Street Food Bursa ★ 4.2
  21. 379 Menemen Spread İzmir Province ★ 4.2
  22. 414 Ramazan pidesi Flatbread Turkiye ★ 4.2
  23. 417 Kazandibi Pudding Turkiye ★ 4.2
  24. 461 Imam bayildi Vegetable Dish Turkiye ★ 4.2
  25. 462 Çilbir Egg Dish Turkiye ★ 4.2
  26. 463 Şiş tavuk Chicken Dish Turkiye ★ 4.2
  27. 469 Beyran çorbası Meat Soup Gaziantep Province ★ 4.2
  28. 504 Karnıyarık Ground Meat Dish Turkiye ★ 4.2
  29. 528 Şöbiyet Sweet Pastry Turkiye ★ 4.1
  30. 535 İzmir köfte Meatballs İzmir ★ 4.1
  31. 601 Bal kaymak Breakfast Turkiye ★ 4.1
  32. 684 Beyti kebab Ground Meat Dish Istanbul ★ 4.1
  33. 686 Etli ekmek Snack Konya ★ 4.1
  34. 730 Baklava Sweet Pastry Turkiye ★ 4.1
  35. 776 Kısır Salad Mersin ★ 4.1
  36. 788 Haydari Dip Turkiye ★ 4.1
  37. 790 Tutmaç çorbası Soup Turkiye ★ 4.1
  38. 865 Ispanaklı yumurta Egg Dish Turkiye ★ 4.0
  39. 884 Kuzu kapama Lamb Dish Turkiye ★ 4.0
  40. 959 Cacık Dip Turkiye ★ 4.0
  41. 966 Kalamar tava Squid Dish Turkiye ★ 4.0
  42. 972 İncir uyutması Pudding Turkiye ★ 4.0
  43. 1,004 Fıstıklı sarma Sweet Pastry Turkiye ★ 4.0
  44. 1,019 Börek Phyllo Pastry Turkiye ★ 4.0
  45. 1,085 Düğün çorbası Soup Turkiye ★ 4.0
  46. 1,088 Kuzu şiş Lamb Dish Turkiye ★ 4.0
  47. 1,089 Çökertme kebabı Veal Dish Çökertme ★ 4.0
  48. 1,095 Domates çorbası Vegetable Soup Turkiye ★ 4.0
  49. 1,101 Sucuk Sausage Turkiye ★ 4.0
  50. 1,109 Yuvarlama çorbası Meat Soup Gaziantep ★ 4.0
  51. 1,145 Kumru Sandwich İzmir Province ★ 4.0
  52. 1,151 Paçanga böreği Savory Pastry Istanbul ★ 4.0
  53. 1,183 Etli pilav Rice Dish Turkiye ★ 4.0
  54. 1,266 Tavuk göğsü Pudding Turkiye ★ 4.0
  55. 1,320 Kadayıf dolması Sweet Pastry Erzurum ★ 3.9
  56. 1,323 Simit Bread Turkiye ★ 3.9
  57. 1,329 Çerkez tavuğu Chicken Dish Turkiye ★ 3.9
  58. 1,333 Şakşuka Side Dish Turkiye ★ 3.9
  59. 1,409 Sigara böreği Savory Pastry Turkiye ★ 3.9
  60. 1,420 Eggplant Kebab (Patlıcanlı kebap) Ground Meat Dish Gaziantep Province ★ 3.9
  61. 1,525 Köfte Meatballs Turkiye ★ 3.9
  62. 1,542 Islama köfte Meatballs Adapazarı ★ 3.9
  63. 1,577 Pita bread Flatbread Turkiye ★ 3.9
  64. 1,587 Çiğ börek Savory Pastry Turkiye ★ 3.9
  65. 1,630 Semizotu salatası Salad Turkiye ★ 3.9
  66. 1,704 Zeytin piyazi Salad Turkiye ★ 3.9
  67. 1,731 Çiğ köfte Appetizer Şanlıurfa ★ 3.9
  68. 1,734 Harput köftesi Meatballs Elazığ Province ★ 3.9
  69. 1,750 İslim kebabı Beef Dish Turkiye ★ 3.9
  70. 1,767 Domates dolmasi Ground Meat Dish Turkiye ★ 3.9
  71. 1,790 İç pilav Rice Dish Turkiye ★ 3.9
  72. 1,793 Yufka Flatbread Turkiye ★ 3.9
  73. 1,796 Kaygana Egg Dish Turkiye ★ 3.9
  74. 1,844 İrmik helvası Dessert Turkiye ★ 3.9
  75. 1,848 Burma kadayıf Sweet Pastry Turkiye ★ 3.9
  76. 2,034 Bülbül yuvası Sweet Pastry Turkiye ★ 3.9
  77. 2,044 Ekşili köfte Meatballs Turkiye ★ 3.9
  78. 2,045 Acılı ezme Appetizer Turkiye ★ 3.9
  79. 2,085 Patlıcanlı pilav Rice Dish Turkiye ★ 3.8
  80. 2,090 Kuru fasulye Stew Turkiye ★ 3.8
  81. 2,120 Midye dolma Mussel Dish Turkiye ★ 3.8
  82. 2,139 Kumpir Snack Turkiye ★ 3.8
  83. 2,367 Boşnak böreği Savory Pastry Turkiye ★ 3.8
  84. 2,378 Yayla çorbası Soup Turkiye ★ 3.8
  85. 2,423 Mercimek köfte Appetizer Turkiye ★ 3.8
  86. 2,445 Tokat kebabı Meat Dish Tokat ★ 3.8
  87. 2,459 Supangle Pudding Turkiye ★ 3.8
  88. 2,483 Barbunya pilaki Appetizer Turkiye ★ 3.8
  89. 2,526 T Tepsi böreği Phyllo Pastry Turkiye ★ 3.8
  90. 2,547 Chickpea Wraps (Nohut dürümü) Wrap Gaziantep Province ★ 3.8
  91. 2,815 İnegöl köfte Meatballs İnegöl ★ 3.8
  92. 2,864 Kebab in Parchment Paper (Kağıt kebabı) Lamb Dish Antakya ★ 3.8
  93. 2,896 Kuymak Cheese Dish Black Sea Region ★ 3.8
  94. 2,916 Tuzda tavuk Chicken Dish Hatay Province ★ 3.8
  95. 2,932 Kestaneli baklava Sweet Pastry Marmara Region ★ 3.8
  96. 2,977 Piyaz Salad Antalya Province ★ 3.8
  97. 2,991 Içli köfte Appetizer Turkiye ★ 3.8
  98. 2,999 Vişneli baklava Sweet Pastry Turkiye ★ 3.8
  99. 3,025 Enginar dolmasi Vegetable Dish Turkiye ★ 3.8
  100. 3,028 Patlıcan dolmasi Appetizer Turkiye ★ 3.8
  101. 3,040 Şiveydiz Soup Gaziantep Province ★ 3.8
  102. 3,466 Ezogelin çorbası Vegetable Soup Dokuzyol ★ 3.8
  103. 3,496 Kol böreği Savory Pastry Turkiye ★ 3.8
  104. 3,497 Yumurtalı pide Breakfast Kayseri ★ 3.8
  105. 3,518 Dilber dudağı Sweet Pastry Turkiye ★ 3.8
  106. 3,529 Tarhana çorbası Soup Turkiye ★ 3.8
  107. 3,531 Midye tava Mussel Dish Turkiye ★ 3.8
  108. 3,626 Mahluta Vegetable Soup Turkiye ★ 3.7
  109. 3,931 Ş Şambali Dessert İzmir ★ 3.7
  110. 3,976 T Tire köftesi Ground Meat Dish İzmir ★ 3.7
  111. 4,152 Kelle paça çorbası Offal Soup Turkiye ★ 3.7
  112. 4,224 Turşu Pickling Turkiye ★ 3.7
  113. 4,227 Su böreği Savory Pastry Turkiye ★ 3.7
  114. 4,236 Patlıcan salatası Salad Turkiye ★ 3.7
  115. 4,282 Akçaabat köftesi Meatballs Akçaabat ★ 3.7
  116. 4,312 Orman kebabı Stew Bolu ★ 3.7
  117. 4,333 Ankara tava Lamb Dish Ankara ★ 3.7
  118. 4,346 A Antakya künefesi Sweet Pastry Antakya ★ 3.7
  119. 4,399 Etli bamya Stew Turkiye ★ 3.7
  120. 4,433 Toyga Vegetable Soup Turkiye ★ 3.7
  121. 4,525 Perde pilavı Rice Dish Turkiye ★ 3.7
  122. 4,652 Bazlama Flatbread Turkiye ★ 3.7
  123. 4,733 Gül böreği Savory Pastry Turkiye ★ 3.7
  124. 4,758 Büryan kebabı Goat Dish Bitlis Province ★ 3.7
  125. 4,793 Tas kebabı Stew Turkiye ★ 3.7
  126. 4,808 Zerde Pudding Turkiye ★ 3.7
  127. 4,824 Sütlü nuriye Sweet Pastry Turkiye ★ 3.7
  128. 4,968 P Praline stuffed cookies (İzmir bombası) Cookie İzmir ★ 3.7
  129. 5,045 Keşkül Pudding Turkiye ★ 3.7
  130. 5,061 Kadınbudu köfte Meatballs İzmir ★ 3.7
  131. 5,065 Kabak mücveri Deep-fried Dish Turkiye ★ 3.6
  132. 5,116 Kızartma Vegetable Dish Turkiye ★ 3.6
  133. 5,185 Bayramiç tahin helvası Dessert Bayramiç ★ 3.6
  134. 5,313 Lahana çorbası Vegetable Soup Turkiye ★ 3.6
  135. 5,325 Kalburabastı Sweet Pastry Turkiye ★ 3.6
  136. 5,586 Karsambaç Frozen Dessert Çamlıyayla ★ 3.6
  137. 5,595 Biber dolması Ground Meat Dish Turkiye ★ 3.6
  138. 5,707 Bulgur pilavı Rice Dish Turkiye ★ 3.6
  139. 5,712 Kabak tatlısı Dessert Turkiye ★ 3.6
  140. 5,803 Un helvası Dessert Turkiye ★ 3.6
  141. 5,960 Muhallebi Pudding Turkiye ★ 3.6
  142. 6,088 Mıcırık aşı Stew Gaziantep Province ★ 3.6
  143. 6,144 Mısır ekmeği Corn Bread Black Sea Region ★ 3.6
  144. 6,188 Etli taze fasulye Stew Turkiye ★ 3.6
  145. 6,511 Beyin salatasi Salad Turkiye ★ 3.5
  146. 6,624 Kokoreç Offal Dish Turkiye ★ 3.5
  147. 6,754 Lokma Sweet Pastry Turkiye ★ 3.5
  148. 6,756 Kabak dolması Appetizer Turkiye ★ 3.5
  149. 6,774 Kavut Porridge Trabzon ★ 3.5
  150. 6,784 Zeytin salatası Salad Hatay Province ★ 3.5
  151. 6,809 Ayva tatlısı Dessert Turkiye ★ 3.5
  152. 6,859 Sulu köfte Stew Turkiye ★ 3.5
  153. 7,070 Fasulye pilaki Appetizer Turkiye ★ 3.5
  154. 7,098 Nokul Sweet Pastry Black Sea Region ★ 3.4
  155. 7,114 Ekmek kadayıfı Dessert Afyonkarahisar ★ 3.4
  156. 7,132 Dolma Ground Meat Dish Turkiye ★ 3.4
  157. 7,141 Çoban salatası Salad Turkiye ★ 3.4
  158. 7,239 Kaymaklı kayısı Dessert Turkiye ★ 3.4
  159. 7,250 Tulumba Deep-fried Dessert Turkiye ★ 3.4
  160. 7,251 Açma Sweet Pastry Turkiye ★ 3.4
  161. 7,289 Kemalpaşa Dessert Mustafakemalpaşa ★ 3.4
  162. 7,350 Nohutlu pilav Rice Dish Turkiye ★ 3.4
  163. 7,457 Acıbadem kurabiyesi Cookie Turkiye ★ 3.4
  164. 7,468 Keşkek Stew Central Anatolia Region ★ 3.4
  165. 7,480 Boyoz Savory Pastry İzmir ★ 3.4
  166. 7,612 Arnavut ciğeri Side Dish Turkiye ★ 3.3
  167. 7,825 Hanım göbeği Sweet Pastry Turkiye ★ 3.3
  168. 7,948 Şekerpare Dessert Turkiye ★ 3.2
  169. 7,954 Pestil Dessert Turkiye ★ 3.2
  170. 7,964 Güllaç Sweet Pastry Turkiye ★ 3.2
  171. 8,055 Hamsili pilav Rice Dish Black Sea Region ★ 3.2
  172. 8,114 Cezerye Dessert Mersin ★ 3.2
  173. 8,322 Haşlama Lamb Dish Turkiye ★ 3.1
  174. 8,387 Kandil simidi Sweet Pastry Turkiye ★ 3.1
  175. 8,464 Höşmerim Cheese Dessert Turkiye ★ 3.0
  176. 8,494 Aşure Dessert Turkiye ★ 3.0
  177. 8,537 Türlü Stew Turkiye ★ 2.9
  178. 8,543 Hoşaf Dessert Turkiye ★ 2.9
  179. 8,623 İşkembe çorbası Offal Soup Turkiye ★ 2.8
  180. 8,681 Kuzu kelle Offal Dish Turkiye ★ 2.7
  181. 8,696 Lokum Dessert Istanbul ★ 2.6
  182. 8,742 Macun Dessert Turkiye ★ 2.5
  183. 8,746 Kapuska Stew Turkiye ★ 2.5
  184. 10,763 K Kahvaltı Assorted Small Dishes or Ritual Turkiye
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Gazetteer

A Regional Tour of Turkish Food

Where Turkiye's ranked dishes were born, and what to order there.

Questions, Answered

Turkish food, frequently asked. Answered from the data.

What is the most popular Turkish food?
Kebabs and sweets top the list. Our best-ranked Turkish dish is the Tombik Döner, a döner-stuffed bun, at #18 of 10,833 worldwide. By ratings the favorites are the honeyed pastry Baklava, the ubiquitous Döner kebab, and Sarma, vine leaves rolled around seasoned rice. All 38 Turkish meat dishes →
What food is Türkiye known for?
Grilled meat and serious sweets. Türkiye is kebab country, its ranking thick with lamb dishes like İskender kebap, Adana kebap, and Cağ kebabı. Its other great strength is the pastry counter, above all Gaziantep baklavası, the pistachio baklava that sets the world standard. All 50 Turkish desserts & sweets →
What is Türkiye's national dish?
No single dish holds the title, but the kebab in its many forms is the closest thing, from the fiery Adana kebap to the buttery İskender kebap of Bursa. Others would name Manti, the tiny yogurt-topped dumplings, or a simple Shish kebab. Grilled meat is the through-line either way.
What is the most famous Turkish dessert?
Baklava, layers of flaky yufka pastry and ground nuts soaked in syrup, is the most-rated Turkish sweet by far. The finest comes from Gaziantep, where Gaziantep baklavası is made with the city's prized green pistachios. For something lighter, Fırın sütlaç, baked rice pudding, is the everyday favorite.
What should I eat in Gaziantep?
Gaziantep is Türkiye's culinary capital, famous for pistachios and pastry. Its baklava, Gaziantep baklavası, is held to be the country's finest, and the city is known for meat-heavy specialties like its kebabs and the rich tripe soup Beyran çorbası eaten for breakfast.
What Turkish dishes do locals love that tourists miss?
The eggplant and egg dishes beyond the kebab shop. Karnıyarık stuffs eggplant with spiced minced meat, while Imam bayildi fills it with onion and tomato and serves it cold in olive oil. For breakfast, Çılbır sets poached eggs over garlicky yogurt under a drizzle of pepper butter.