What to Eat in Antalya?

—

by

ebrupelin
in

Antalya is a food-lovers paradise with delicious traditional Turkish cuisine, mouthwatering street food, fresh seafood, and decadent desserts. This guide covers the best food to try in Antalya, along with recommended restaurants to experience authentic Turkish flavors.

1. Traditional Turkish Food

Turkish food beautifully combines vegetables, grains, cheeses, and meats into rich and complex dishes. Some highlights to try in Antalya include:

Kebabs

  • Adana kebab – Spicy hand-minced lamb or beef mixed with Turkish spices and grilled on a skewer. The juicy, seasoned meat has a wonderful smoky flavor ($6-10). Try at Antalya Kebapçısı.
  • Iskender kebab – Thin slices of doner lamb layered over pita bread and topped with a rich tomato sauce and yogurt. The cool yogurt perfectly balances the savory lamb ($8-15). Try at Meğri Lokantası.
  • Chicken şiş kebab – Cubes of chicken breast marinated in thyme, oregano, and olive oil. The chicken is nicely charred on the outside while remaining tender and juicy inside ($5-8). Try at Öz Urfa Kebap.
  • Lahmacun – A thin, crispy Turkish pizza topped with spiced minced meat, onions, peppers and tomatoes. Lahmacun is tasty, quick to eat, and a popular food. Pasabey Kebapcısı serves one of the best Lahmacun in town for around $2-3.

Meze

  • Hummus – A smooth and creamy chickpea dip flavored with tahini, olive oil, and lemon juice. It’s tangy, nutty, and addictive ($3-5). Try at Gül Restoran.
  • Haydari – A refreshing and cooling yogurt dip with fresh mint and hints of garlic. It’s the perfect accompaniment to grilled meats ($3-4). Try at Vanilya Restaurant.
  • Dolma – Grape leaves stuffed with a savory filling of rice, currants, dill and pine nuts. They have a wonderful herbal flavor ($4-6). Try at Club Arma.

Börek

  • Sigara böreği – Crunchy phyllo pastries filled with salty feta cheese, parsley and dill. These savory ‘cigars’ are fun to dip in yogurt ($3-5). Try at Kaleici Meyhane.
  • Su böreği – Layers of phyllo dough baked with mild white cheese and fresh parsley. The phyllo becomes wonderfully flaky and crisp ($4-6). Try at Vanilya Restaurant.
  • Kol böreği – Phyllo rolls stuffed with spiced ground meat or spinach and feta. They make a hearty and satisfying snack ($4-7). Try at Öz Urfa Kebap.

2. Street Food

Antalya’s street food stalls called “tezgah” serve quick and tasty bites like:

Döner Kebab

  • Meat roasted on a vertical spit served in bread with veggies. The juicy meat has a smoky, savory flavor ($2-4). Try at Kral Döner.
  • Lamb and chicken are common döner meats, slow-roasted to perfection.

Köfte

  • Grilled meatballs, often made with lamb or beef. They are full of Turkish spices and served with bread, rice, or salad ($2-3 per meatball). Try at Tantuni Durum.
  • Köfte is a flavorful and filling snack, with many regional varieties.

Gözleme

  • A stuffed savory flatbread, with fillings like cheese, potato, or spiced meat. Gözleme is grilled fresh when ordered ($2-4). Try at Gözde Gözleme.
  • Its grilled exterior is crispy while the interior stays soft and warm.

Midye Dolma

  • Plump mussels stuffed with aromatic spiced rice and herbs. They’re briny, flavorful, and often sold near the harbor ($3-5 for 5 mussels). Try at Midye Tezgahı.

Simit

  • A ring-shaped bread coated in sesame seeds with a crispy crust and soft interior. Simit is a popular breakfast bread or snack ($0.50-1). Try at Simit Sarayı.

3. Seafood

With fresh catches from the Mediterranean daily, Antalya excels in seafood. Highlights include:

Fish

  • Sea bass – Served grilled, fried, or in stew. Sea bass has a clean, mild flavor that takes well to Mediterranean herbs ($10-15). Try at Club Arma.
  • Bluefish – A flavorful oily fish, grilled with lemon and olive oil. Bluefish has a strong taste and firm texture ($8-12). Try at Öz Urfa Kebap.

Meze

  • Grilled calamari – Tender rings of squid, simply seasoned and grilled until lightly charred. They have a delicate sweetness ($6-10). Try at Gül Restoran.
  • Fried mussels – Plump mussels in a light crispy batter, served with tarator sauce for dipping. They are juicy and briny ($5-8). Try at Vanilya Restaurant.
  • Shrimp salad – Sweet shrimp tossed in olive oil, lemon juice and fresh dill. It’s a refreshing and flavorful seafood salad ($7-10). Try at Meğri Lokantası.

Seafood Mains

  • Fish kebab – Diced fish like sea bass or salmon skewered and grilled. The fish stays moist and takes on wonderful charred flavors ($10-15). Try at Antalya Kebapçısı.
  • Shrimp casserole – Plump shrimp baked in a tomato and cheese sauce until bubbling. It’s rich, savory and delicious ($12-18). Try at Club Arma.
  • Mixed seafood grill – An assortment of fish, calamari, shrimp, and mussels chargrilled together. It captures the essence of Mediterranean seafood ($15-22). Try at Ayar Meyhanesi.

4. Desserts

Indulge your sweet tooth with traditional Turkish desserts in Antalya like:

Baklava

  • Layers of flaky phyllo pastry stacked with pistachios and infused with floral syrup. Baklava has the perfect balance of textures and flavors ($3-5). Try at Vanilya Pastanesi.

Künefe

  • A sweet cheese pastry soaked in aromatic rose syrup, crispy on the outside and meltingly soft inside. The contrast of textures is divine ($4-6). Try at Antiochia.

Dondurma

  • Stretchy, chewy Turkish ice cream flavored with mastic resin. Vendors playfully tease customers when serving this fun treat ($3-5). Try at Cin Cin Ice Cream.

Fruit Desserts

  • Quince dessert – Slow-cooked quince fruit topped with lightly sweetened cream. It’s smooth and floral ($3-5). Try at Vanilya Restaurant.
  • Fig pudding – Stewed figs with hints of cinnamon, clove, and vanilla cream. It’s warm and comforting ($4-6). Try at Club Arma.
  • Kazandibi – A light and creamy milk pudding with a delicious caramelized surface. It’s sweet and comforting ($3-5). Try at Club Arma.

In this Turkish food paradise, Antalya offers a bounty of bold flavors from kebabs to seafood, balanced by syrupy desserts. With so many options, food lovers will be delighted.