The most delicious dishes of Turkish cuisine

Which delicious Turkish dishes you should try;

What you must try in Turkey to get acquainted with the culture through food;

And finally, what you must try in Turkey no matter what

Lahmacun — a thin flatbread covered with a mixture of ground meat, minced vegetables (tomatoes, onions, peppers) and spices, baked until crispy. Lahmacun is often called "Turkish pizza," but its taste is more spicy thanks to the addition of hot pepper paste and cumin.

Menemen — this is a traditional Turkish dish that consists of eggs cooked with juicy tomatoes, sweet peppers, and aromatic spices. Sometimes cheese or sausage (sucuk) is added to make the flavor even richer.

Börek — a crispy layered pastry with fillings for every taste: cheese (peynirli), spinach (ıspanaklı), or meat (kıymalı).

Baklava — an exquisite dessert made of paper-thin layers of pastry, nuts (usually pistachios — fıstıklı), and sweet syrup that melts in your mouth.

Mücver — these are zucchini fritters from Turkish cuisine, prepared with aromatic spices. Mücver is usually cooked at home, so trying it allows you to experience the atmosphere of a Turkish family table. It's a simple and satisfying dish that works well for both breakfast and light dinner.

Sarma — these are grape leaves stuffed with various fillings. One variation is sarma with cherries and meat (Vișneli Etli Sarma), where sweet cherries successfully combine with meat to create an unusual taste. Another version is sarma with rice (Zeytinyağlı Sarma), which is prepared without meat and often served with olive oil. This light dish is especially loved in the Aegean region and frequently appears on family and holiday tables throughout Turkey.

Red Lentil Soup (Mercimek Çorbası) — an essential element of Turkish breakfast or lunch. It's eaten in practically every home and restaurant. This soup nourishes, warms, and reflects the culture of practicality and hospitality, where delicious food can be made without complex ingredients.

Ayran — this is a traditional Turkish fermented milk drink made from yogurt diluted with cold water and salt added. It's refreshing, with a characteristic salty taste and slight tanginess. This drink accompanies almost every meal in Turkey. It's an ideal complement to meat dishes and kebabs, helping to balance their taste. Drinking ayran means embracing part of the Turkish gastronomic ritual that makes a meal complete.

Rakı — an anise-flavored alcoholic drink, similar to Greek ouzo or French pastis. When water or ice is added, rakı takes on a characteristic milky-white color, which is why it's often called "lion's milk." It's more than just alcohol; it's an entire philosophy. It's drunk slowly, savoring it, and always in the company of friends, accompanied by appetizers — meze, for example, various types of pickles, hummus, or cheeses from different regions of Turkey.

Shish kebab (Şiş Kebap) — meat on skewers, grilled over charcoal.

Adana kebab (Adana Kebap) — spicy meat twisted on a spit. This dish originates from the city of Adana, located in southern Turkey, and is famous for its rich flavor thanks to the use of spices such as red pepper and cumin.

Iskender (İskender) — this dish with thinly sliced meat, served with yogurt, tomato sauce, and flatbread, has become popular throughout the country.