Food news
HeritageThe National Museum of the Philippines Iloilo capped off its 2026 ‘Magbasá Kita: A Reading Program for Young Learners’ with an immersive storytelling session at the museum’s Book Nook on September 23, 2026. The activity introduced the localHeritage21st Sunchang Jangryu Festival to Welcome the World With K-Food and Cultural ExperiencesHeritage21st Sunchang Jangryu Festival to Welcome the World With K-Food and Cultural ExperiencesStreet foodMan dead, 3 in custody after shooting outside Piada Italian Street Food in Mayfield HeightsStreet foodBrick-and-Mortar Restaurants Need to Stop Blaming Street VendorsFarm and marketYour guide to Harvest Fair 2026 at Wisconsin State Fair ParkFarm and marketOct. 3 Harvest of Harmony Parade available to view in livestream broadcast during paradeFarm and marketSouthington Apple Harvest Festival kicks off tonightWorldBon Appétit editor-in-chief explores food’s role in culture, media at MSUFarm and marketDetroit Harvest Fest adds movies, more food trucks in year 6HeritageThe National Museum of the Philippines Iloilo capped off its 2026 ‘Magbasá Kita: A Reading Program for Young Learners’ with an immersive storytelling session at the museum’s Book Nook on September 23, 2026. The activity introduced the localHeritage21st Sunchang Jangryu Festival to Welcome the World With K-Food and Cultural ExperiencesHeritage21st Sunchang Jangryu Festival to Welcome the World With K-Food and Cultural ExperiencesStreet foodMan dead, 3 in custody after shooting outside Piada Italian Street Food in Mayfield HeightsStreet foodBrick-and-Mortar Restaurants Need to Stop Blaming Street VendorsFarm and marketYour guide to Harvest Fair 2026 at Wisconsin State Fair ParkFarm and marketOct. 3 Harvest of Harmony Parade available to view in livestream broadcast during paradeFarm and marketSouthington Apple Harvest Festival kicks off tonightWorldBon Appétit editor-in-chief explores food’s role in culture, media at MSUFarm and marketDetroit Harvest Fest adds movies, more food trucks in year 6
Thali

🇹🇷 The food of Turkey

86 dishes from Turkey, best known first, across 24 cities and regions.

Turkish cooking blends Central Asian roots with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern touches, shaped by centuries of Ottoman influence. Meals are built around vegetables, grains, and bread, with moderate use of spices and a wide range of dairy, especially yogurt and cheese. Regional differences are marked, from olive oil-rich Aegean dishes to spicy southeastern kebabs.

  • Yogurt is central, even giving its name to the English word.
  • Olive oil dominates cooking in western Turkey.
  • Baklava and künefe are signature Turkish desserts.
  • Menemen is a classic Turkish breakfast dish.
  • Anchovies are a staple in the Black Sea region.

The cooking of Turkey

Turkish cuisine draws from a long history, combining Central Asian, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern traditions, especially through the legacy of the Ottoman Empire. The food is known for its balance—spices are used with restraint, and vegetables, grains, and legumes are central. Olive oil is a key ingredient in the west, while the southeast is famous for its kebabs and sweet pastries. Yogurt and cheese are common, and many dishes are named after their place of origin. Meals are often home-cooked, starting with soup and followed by vegetable or meat dishes, usually with rice or bread.

Staple foods in Turkey

Bread, rice, and bulgur are everyday basics, often served with vegetables or legumes. Lamb, chicken, and beef are the main meats, though fish is common along the Black Sea. Eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and pulses like lentils and beans appear in many dishes. Olive oil and yogurt are widely used, and nuts such as pistachios and walnuts are important, especially in desserts.

Breakfast in Turkey 16 dishes

A Turkish breakfast is varied and generous, featuring cheeses, olives, eggs, tomatoes, cucumbers, jams, honey, and kaymak (clotted cream). Breads like simit and börek are common, along with spicy sausage (sucuk) and cured beef (pastırma). Menemen, an egg dish with tomatoes and peppers, is a specialty. Tea is always served.

Sweets and drinks in Turkey

Baklava, kadayıf, and künefe are well-known desserts, often made with nuts and syrup. Yogurt is used in drinks like ayran, a salty, tangy beverage. Fruit, both fresh and dried, is common in side dishes or desserts, but fresh fruit is rarely found in sweets. Helva, made from semolina or tahini, is enjoyed year-round, with lighter versions in summer.

From region to region in Turkey

Regional cooking varies widely. The Aegean and Mediterranean coasts use olive oil and fresh vegetables, while the Black Sea region relies on fish, especially anchovies, and maize. The southeast is known for spicy kebabs, meze, and syrupy desserts. Central Anatolia features dishes like mantı (meat-filled dumplings) and gözleme (stuffed flatbread). Cheese varieties and preparation styles also differ by region.

Where this page comes from

The facts in this overview come from the Wikipedia article "Turkish cuisine", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Thali rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

Cities and regions of Turkey

Gaziantep 4Mersin 4Kahramanmaraş 3Adana 2Bursa 2Hatay 2Istanbul 2Kayseri 2Tarsus 2Afyonkarahisar 1Anatolia 1Ankara 1Artvin 1Çukurova 1Eastern Thrace 1Eminönü 1İzmir 1İzmir Province 1Kars 1Menemen 1Rize 1Şanlıurfa 1Urfa 1Vefa 1
MealBreakfastLunchTea timeDinnerSupperSnacks
KindMain dishStreet foodSoupStew or curryRice dishNoodle or pasta dishDumplingBreadGrill or roastSandwich or wrapPie or savoury pastrySalad or sideCheese or dairy foodSausage or cured foodSauce, pickle or fermentSweet or dessertDrink
DietVegetarianVeganFish and seafoodMeat
Halvaحَلَاوَة 🇮🇷 Iran and 5 moreDense sweet made from seeds, grains, or vegetables, found across Asia, Africa, and Europe Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time BaklavaVegetarianباقلوا 🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreThin pastry filled with nuts and soaked in sweet syrup Sweet or dessert, Tea time, Snacks Turkish delightVegan 🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreSoft, chewy cubes of starch and sugar, often flavored or filled with nuts or fruit Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time Qamar al-DinVeganقمر الدين 🇸🇾 Syria and 3 moreThick apricot fruit leather and drink, especially served during Ramadan Drink, Snacks SharbatVeganشربت 🇮🇷 Iran and 5 moreSweet fruit or flower drink, served chilled or as a syrup Drink, Snacks KnafehVegetarianكنافة 🇵🇸 Palestine and 5 moreShredded pastry layered with cheese and soaked in sweet syrup Sweet or dessert, Breakfast, Snacks Kaymak 🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreThick, creamy dairy spread made from slowly simmered milk Sauce, pickle or ferment, Breakfast, Snacks DondurmaVegetarian 🇹🇷 Turkey and 2 moreTurkish ice cream thickened with salep and mastic for a chewy, stretchy texture Sweet or dessert, Snacks Boortsog 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan and 5 moreGolden fried dough pieces from Central Asia and Mongolia, often served with tea or honey Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time AshureVeganAşure 🇹🇷 Turkey and 3 moreSweet porridge of grains, dried fruits and nuts shared for festivals and remembrance Sweet or dessert Muhallebiمهلبی 🇮🇷 Iran and 5 moreA smooth milk pudding thickened with rice flour or starch, served cold Sweet or dessert Qatayefقطايف 🇪🇬 Egypt and 5 moreSweet stuffed pancakes, folded and filled with nuts or cream, served for Ramadan Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time LokmaVegan 🇮🇶 Iraq and 4 moreSmall fried dough pieces sweetened with syrup or honey Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time Ma'amoulVegetarianمعمول 🇸🇾 Syria and 4 moreSemolina cookies filled with dates or nuts, shaped in moulds for festive occasions Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time Tres leches cakeVegetarianTres Leches 🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 moreAiry sponge cake soaked in three types of milk and topped with cream Sweet or dessert, Tea time, Snacks GalaktobourekoVegetarianγαλακτομπούρεκο 🇬🇷 Greece and 4 moreCustard-filled filo pastry soaked in syrup Pie or savoury pastry TavukgöğsüMeat 🇹🇷 TurkeyTurkish milk pudding thickened with finely shredded chicken breast Sweet or dessert Kazandibi 🇹🇷 TurkeyCaramelized Turkish milk pudding with a browned base Sweet or dessert TsourekiVegetarian 🇬🇷 Greece and 2 moreBraided sweet bread flavored with spices, made for Easter and Christmas Pie or savoury pastry, Breakfast, Tea time GüllaçVegetarian 🇹🇷 TurkeyA Turkish dessert of milk-soaked pastry with walnuts and pomegranate, served at Ramadan Sweet or dessert, Dinner ZerdeVeganزرده 🇮🇷 Iran and 2 moreA golden rice pudding with saffron, rose water and dried fruit, served cold Sweet or dessert

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

The weekly plate

Every Monday: seven dishes you may not know, what the world is cooking this week, and one way of eating.