Whenever we talk about Turkey, mouth-watering Turkish cuisine is bound to come up in the conversation. The varied and diverse Turkish cuisine complements the culture, history, and diversity of the country.

Turkish delicacies have countless Ottoman, Mediterranean, Balkan, Central Asia, and Middle Eastern influences. It is so vast and varied that it is just unfair to put it into one category.

Turkish Cuisine in Different Regions

Turkey has seven different regions and the locals prefer food particular to that region with different Turkish Restaurants.

• Marmara Region – This region is renowned for small fish, mezes, raki, white wine, and puddings.
• Aegean Region – This region has some of the largest cities and has an abundance of wines, olives, salads, herbs, wild weeds, and seafood.
• Mediterranean Region – Most vegetables and fruits are grown in this region, it is also rich in large fish, salads, oranges, lemons, and figs.
• Southeastern Region – This region is famous for kebab, desserts, and a meat-rich diet.
• Eastern Region – Here, you will find cheeses, dried fruits, grains, and lamb in abundance.
• Central Region – Locals prepare food with butter instead of olive oil and the popular dishes are borek pastries, lamb casseroles, beef pastirma, and fruit molasses.
• Black Sea Region – People of this region prefer hazelnuts, corn, salad greens, tea, and pide bread.

Three Meals a Day

Here’s what most Turks prefer to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Breakfast

Breakfast on weekdays and weekends is quite different, on weekdays, it will be a light meal with tea, giving enough energy to carry out the tasks of the day.

Weekend breakfasts are large and hearty, combined with the favorite ingredients of the country including olives, tomatoes, cheese, jams and spread, butter, and bread.

Lunch

Lunches in Turkey do not require much preparation due to the predominance of soups and salads. Sulu yemek (dishes with water) are prepared with whatever is available during the season.

Dinner

Being the most important meal of the day, the dinner table is adorned with delicious and lavish dishes. Firstly, soup is served followed by a vegetable dish, legumes, or boiled meat.

After dinner, families eat fruits, fried, and nuts at around 10 pm. This meal called Yatsilik includes plums, figs, almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, roasted pumpkin seeds, roasted chickpeas, and others.

Popular Ingredients in Turkish Cuisine

• Nuts – You will find many dishes flavored with chestnuts, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, and pistachios.
• Grains – Rice and Bulgur are the most commonly used grains in many Turkish specialty dishes.
• Oils – Mostly olive oil is used for cooking dishes in Turkey. Besides this, butter, sunflower oil, and hazelnut oil are also vital traditional Turkish oils.
• Spices – Common spices include red pepper, thyme, mint, coriander, black pepper, saffron, nigella seeds, rosemary, coriander, cumin, sumac, poppy seeds, and cloves.
• Meat – Lamb, chicken, beef, and fish.

In Summary

When visiting Turkey, it is good to know what the country has to offer in terms of food. The vastness and diversity of Turkish cuisine are known to many, therefore, restaurant hopping is the best way to taste rich, flavorful delicacies.