Visiting Turkey allows you to experience the diversity and longevity of Turkish food, as well as the legacy of the imperial cuisines of this country. So there is no doubt that it is one of the best cuisines in the world.
The 11 best Turkish foods presented next should help you get a good idea of what to do if you’re new to the country.
Kofte
In its simplest form, kofte is made with ground meat (usually other meats) combined with onion, herbs and spices. There are almost 300 types of kofte in Turkish cuisine. The most famous are the kuru kofte, the sulu kofte, the cig kofte, the kofte on the spit.Meze platters
There is a multitude of appetizers called meze served in Turkey, Greece, the Balkans, North Africa and the Middle East. Among the dishes are mashed potatoes, salads, meatballs, pastries, stuffed grape leaves, dips, and cheeses. You can find meze platters almost everywhere in Turkey as a snack or as an appetizer.Simit
The street food cart that sells simit is ubiquitous in Istanbul and is one of its most popular foods. Simit is a thin and crunchy bread, encrusted with sesame seeds. It’s a great inexpensive snack and a healthy, effective way to get protein. It is especially popular at breakfast time.Pide
A pide is a flatbread baked in an oven made of bricks, stone or wood. It can be garnished with an unlimited number of ingredients such as cheese, onion, tomato, pepper, sausage and eggs. Pide is a dish of Turkish cuisine that is commonly found in restaurants of all types, as well as on street carts.Lahmacun
The lahmacun is a type of wrap that looks like a pizza without cheese and is usually topped with minced meat (usually lamb or beef), vegetables, herbs, onions and spices. To eat, the lahmacun is rolled up with vegetables like pickles, peppers, tomatoes, onions, lettuce and eggplant. It is cooked to be crisp on the edges and crunchy in the center, like a pizza.Borek
It is often made with phyllo dough or yufka, including meat, cheese or vegetables. The boreks are popular in the Ottoman cuisine. Water borek, pen borek, and palate borek were some of our favorite foods in Turkey. There are even boreks made from sweet potato.Gozleme
The gozleme is a tasty pastry made of unleavened dough lightly brushed with butter or oil and stuffed with meat, vegetables, mushrooms, and cheese. The different types of gozleme – like borek – vary from region to region. Below is a photo of a kiymali gozleme.Balik ekmek
Balik ekmek is a fried or grilled fish sandwich, served with various vegetables, in a Turkish bun. It is mostly served in Eminönü Square, a district of Istanbul, directly from the boat on which it is prepared.Durum
Durum is a type of packaging made from ingredients commonly found in the döner. Our favorite Turkish dish is durum wheat. We’ve tasted it a few times, but our favorite was from Durumzade store in Istanbul. Turkey kebabs are often grilled on these vertical rotisseries that resemble an inverted cone where lamb, beef or chicken are slowly stacked and turned. Cooked for a few minutes, the outermost layer of the skin is served on a platter or wrapped in a paper towel. The doner kebab is said to have inspired similar dishes like Greek gyros, Arabic shawarmas, and Mexican tacos al pastor.Island Burger
This burger soggy and greasy, orange-coloredis dipped in a garlic tomato sauce and steamed in a glass hamam-type container. Its name comes from the fact that it is steamed in a hamam. Despite their unappetizing appearance, the island’s burgers are tasty, especially after drinking a few beers.Lamb
Turkey’s favorite meat is lamb. When someone refers to meat in Turkey, it is usually lamb. Many people eat lamb in Turkish cuisine, which consists of kebabs, lahmacuns, pides, stews and casseroles. The culinary and gastronomic specialties which abound in Turkey are as numerous as the special places of this country. And those discussed here are only a tiny part of it. Make the most of your stay in Turkey to taste as many of these delicacies as possible. And why not accompany them with a good glass of lemon or orange juice according to your taste?