Food and Drink, Turkey

Beachfront bars

Beachfront bars are dotted around the whole of Turkey, allowing tourists and locals alike to sip on ice cold drinks or savour traditional Turkish cuisine with vast scenic views.

Admire the stunning sunset at Buzzbar. A hit with tourists, this bar serves up beautifully presented salads, tasty seafood and steak to enjoy. Try one of the famous cocktails from the drinks menu, while you admire the idyllic views of the ocean. After finishing your meal, you can discover unique finds in the quirky boutiques which surround this popular bar.

Stella Beach Restaurant & Bar in Marmaris offers holidaymakers a spectacular brunch, lunch and dinner menu. Although there is a takeaway menu, the food wouldn’t quite be the same without the mesmerising view of the rippling waves and sunny skies. The fish skewer here is a must try, as is the ice-cold, home made lemonade.

Boom Bar

Boom Café Bar in Bodrum is a cosy drinking spot, without outdoor and indoor seating available. Head over here just before the sun sets, to truly enjoy the spectacular skyline while you sip on an ice cold beer or tangy cocktail. The pizza is a popular choice, as are the cooked meatballs. Despite most restaurants serving up traditional Turkish food, this bar offers English cuisine, too. The nearby marina provides diners with dreamy views while they indulge in a Boom club sandwich, a feta cheese omelette, or a full English breakfast.

The ambience is sublime, particularly at night, when tourists flock to enjoy the fresh air of the marina and the cosy inside lighting. There’s a bar filled to the brim with local spirits, as well as popular spirits and beers you can drink back home. What’s even better is the music scene at this cosy bar, offering some of the best music at D-Marine in Bodrum.

Cheap places to eat

Holidaymakers flock to Turkey to try plates of the tasty local cuisine, served up with an affordable price tag. There are plenty of cheap places to eat in Turkey, which offer not only great food and cheap prices, but perfect ambience, too.

Try a dish from one of many street food stalls in Taksim Square, Instanbul, with many stalls and small takeaway restaurants offering delicious food at affordable prices. This vibrant location is a hit with foodies, and provides tourists with an insight into Turkey’s local cuisine and culture. Whether you’re fancying a seasoned kepab or a spicy Dürüm, there’s plenty of dishes to choose from. Expect to pay around 4-8 Turkish lira for a Dürüm, a delicious wrap consisting of chicken and lamb strips, onion, pickle, tomato and chips, too!

The family-owned restaurant, Konya Ugurlu in Gumbet, offers delightful food on a budget and is famous for its fish dishes. The food here caters for all palettes, ranging from plates of sizzling fish, to fresh bread with an accompanying chilli and aubergine dip.

Family Door Restaurant

In beautiful Gumbet, you can find the Family Door restaurant, offering diners tasty local cuisine and flavoursome dishes for both meat eaters and vegetarians.

Whether you take a visit to Family Door for breakfast or dinner, you won’t be disappointed with the tasty cuisine this restaurant has to offer. Try one of the flavoursome curries, freshly prepared with local Turkish spices and served with delicious, homemade naan bread. Every dish is mouth watering and arrives perfectly presented on your plate. With affordable prices, great ambience and fine food, there’s every reason to take a trip up to Gumbet to visit this remarkable restaurant.

The food here is excellent quality and even better, the sociable atmosphere means you feel at ease while you eat. The staff are friendly and cater to your every need, as well as serving up large portions that will keep you full for hours on end.

Gardners Bar

On your trip to Turkey, you can enjoy the taste of home at Gardner’s Bar in Belek. Traditional British food is served here all night long. This fantastic Brit-bar even offers diners

steak and Guinness pie, accompanied with chunky chips and mushy peas. Although, unlike eating in Britain, you can enjoy this tasty food while soaking up the sizzling sun and admiring the beautiful scenery surrounding the restaurant. Even Strongbow cider is served here, so you can enjoy all of the luxuries of home, while holidaying in Turkey.

After eating, enjoy a friendly game of pool, or if you’re a football fan, watch the game while you sip on an ice cold beer. The atmosphere here is electric, with music blasting from every speaker on a night. Pop here before or after a shopping trip, whether it’s for a quick drink, or a tasty evening meal.

Local cuisine

Take your taste buds on an adventure and Indulge in the delicious local cuisine served up in Turkey. Döner kebaps actually originate from Turkey and since becoming such a popular dish, has made its way over to many restaurants and takeaways in the UK.

Çiya Kebap restaurant in Istanbul is a local and tourist favourite, serving up large portions of Döner kebaps, as well as a wide range of other tastes of Turkey’s local cuisine. Try the shrimps sautéed in garlic at Kale Panorama Restaurant, in Alanaya, a Turkish restaurant famous for serving up top-quality local cuisine. What’s even better about this eatery is you can eat your food while overlooking the magical terraces and rich surrounding scenery.

There’s plenty for vegetarians to enjoy too, as Turkish cuisine consists of various vegetables cooked, grilled, fried or sautéed to pull together authentic flavours and delectable dishes, without the need for meat.

Sat Beach Club

Overlook the calm waves and breathe in the salty sea air at Sat Restaurant Beach Club, a sophisticated fine-dining restaurant located right at the end of Calis Beach. This popular eating spot is prized on its superb beach location, overlooking the beautiful crystal clear waters which divide Calis and Fetihye. It’s actually famous in Turkey for being one of the most exclusive eateries within the Fethiye area. In fact, the restaurant is a well sought after spot, with many couples from all over the world travelling here to get married.

The À la carte menu offers diners an array of choice, from traditional Turkish breakfasts, to freshly cooked evening meals. Opt for the delicious prawns and the sumptuous calamari and enjoy a romantic meal as a couple, or a sophisticated night out with friends and family. If you’re looking to dine in style and soak up the sun’s rays or watch the sunset while you eat, Sat Restaurant Beach Club is the bistro for you.

Seafood restaurants

The local cuisine is delicious in Turkey, as is the seafood and with plenty of seafood restaurants to dine out in, you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to eating on an evening.

Take a trip to Fish Point in beautiful Istanbul, for fresh fish and enchanting views while you eat. The seafood is so tasty here, visitors stay for five courses and return year after year. Ask for a seat upstairs, where you can indulge in your dinner while watching spectacular boats soar across the ocean. Try the sea bass, carefully prepared with local seasoning and cooked to perfection.

Coastal eatery, Kıyı Restaurant, is another great seafood spot. Described by tourists as a “hidden gem”, this fantastic restaurant serves up traditional Turkish fish, seafood and other tasty delicacies, such as eggplant salad. The ambience here is spectacular, with a friendly vibe and various paintings, photographs and other art pieces featuring on the restaurant walls.

Tea Garden

Tea Gardens are a unique and quirky part of Turkish culture, providing a space to meet friends and socialise over different flavoured teas. Due to religious reasons, many locals do not drink alcohol in Turkey, instead tea is the main drink to enjoy and socialise over.

Drink flavoursome blends out of fine teapots and clear glasses of hot, boiled tea to really admire the different colours of tea available. Instanbul is a top spot for Tea Gardens, with two of the best situated in Ortakoy district and Camlica district, offering fine flavours, brilliant sea views and a friendly atmosphere to meet friendly locals or socialise with your friends and family.

Try out different flavours of tea like you’ve never experience before, as these Tea Gardens offer Turkish black tea, apple tea and ayran tea. Firuzağa Kahvesi in Instanbul is a trendy tea spot, neatly tucked behind the ancient Firuzağa Mosque.