Cappadocia is not just about fairy chimneys and hot air balloons—it’s also a fantastic destination for food lovers. The region offers a rich culinary scene, blending authentic Turkish flavors with local specialties unique to Cappadocia. From cozy cave restaurants to panoramic terrace cafés, there’s no shortage of places to indulge in delicious meals while enjoying stunning views.
Whether you’re craving a traditional Testi Kebab (pottery kebab), freshly baked Turkish pide, or a fine dining experience in an atmospheric cave setting, Cappadocia has it all.
You’ll also find hidden gems serving homemade dishes, local wineries offering Cappadocian wines, and rooftop cafés perfect for sipping Turkish tea as you watch the sunset.
In this guide, we’ll take you through the best places to eat and drink in Cappadocia, along with insider tips to help you make the most of your dining experience. Get ready to explore local flavors, top-rated restaurants, and must-try dishes that will make your trip to Cappadocia even more memorable!
Traditional Tastes
While numerous restaurants offer international cuisine, we recommend sampling some dishes from Central Anatolian cuisine, a modern showcase of traditional skill.
Traditional favorites like manti, a type of dumpling filled with spiced beef or lamb, is served with a drizzle of garlic yoghurt sauce and a sprinkle of fresh herbs for extra flavor.
Another popular dish, karniyarik—or “stuffed eggplant”—is bursting with local ingredients such as ground beef, onion, tomato and dried zestandere.
In addition to meat-based dishes, visitors can try a variety of lighter fare that are prepared using fresh vegetables and herbs. In addition to its kebabs, taste the dishes that have not infiltrated the city life, such as stuffed quince, kombe, and sizgit.
From stuffed tomatoes to roasted mushrooms in olive oil and thyme or cottage cheese with honey spoon sweets—there’s something enjoyable for everyone in this vibrant culinary destination.
Whether it’s sampling regional specialties or exploring the wide array of freshly-baked breads topped with regional spices–a gastronomic tour through Cappadocia is sure to leave lasting memories of delicious food.
Travelers may also eat fish and mezes at the popular restaurants set on the banks of the Red River (Kizilirmak). The dessert named “Asede”, roasted flour and butter, mixed with sugar and egg and cooked with water or milk on low fire, is a popular traditional dessert in Cappadocia.
Best Places to Eat & Drink in Cappadocia
Whether you’re looking for an authentic Turkish breakfast, a romantic fine-dining experience, or a local eatery serving Testi Kebab, here are some of the best places to eat and drink in Cappadocia.
Top Fine Dining Restaurants in Cappadocia
For those seeking a high-end dining experience, Cappadocia offers a selection of gourmet restaurants with cave interiors, panoramic terraces, and candlelit atmospheres.
️ Best Fine Dining Restaurants:
✔️ Millocal Restaurant (Ürgüp) – A fine-dining restaurant inside a luxury cave hotel, offering a modern twist on Turkish cuisine. Try their grilled lamb and saffron-infused mezes.
✔️ Seki Restaurant (Argos in Cappadocia, Uçhisar) – One of the most famous luxury dining spots, featuring a wine cellar and locally inspired dishes.
✔️ Lil’a (Üçhisar) – A Michelin-star-worthy spot offering Ottoman and Anatolian fusion cuisine with breathtaking views.
Tip: Many fine-dining restaurants require reservations, especially for sunset dinners.
Best Traditional Turkish Restaurants
If you’re looking for authentic Turkish food, Cappadocia has plenty of family-run restaurants and historical eateries serving dishes made from centuries-old recipes.
Where to Try Traditional Turkish Cuisine:
✔️ Ziggy Café (Ürgüp) – A cozy spot known for mezze platters, stuffed grape leaves, and homemade hummus.
✔️ Seten Restaurant (Göreme) – Located in a renovated stone house, serving Testi Kebab cooked in clay pots and slow-roasted lamb dishes.
✔️ Elai Restaurant (Uçhisar) – Specializes in Central Anatolian dishes, including Turkish manti (dumplings) and savory pies.
✔️ Inci Cave Restaurant (Göreme) – A hidden gem inside a cave, famous for homemade soups, grilled meats, and fresh salads.
Tip: Don’t miss the Testi Kebab experience, where the dish is slow-cooked inside a sealed clay pot, then cracked open at your table.
Best Breakfast & Brunch Spots
Turkish breakfast is an unmissable experience in Cappadocia, featuring fresh cheeses, olives, jams, honey, eggs, and traditional breads. Many cafés offer rooftop views, making breakfast even more memorable.
Best Places for Breakfast:
✔️ Topdeck Cave Restaurant (Göreme) – A small, family-run spot serving homemade jams, cheeses, and traditional breakfast spreads.
✔️ Pumpkin Göreme Restaurant (Göreme) – Known for its freshly baked bread, honeycomb platters, and eggs cooked in traditional pans.
✔️ Aravan Evi (Ortahisar) – A farm-to-table breakfast experience with organic produce and homemade dairy products.
✔️ Kadıneli Restaurant (Ürgüp) – Run by local women, serving authentic homemade pastries, gözleme (Turkish flatbread), and fresh teas.
Tip: Try Menemen, a flavorful dish made with scrambled eggs, tomatoes, peppers, and Turkish spices.
Best Restaurants with Views in Cappadocia
For a romantic dining experience, Cappadocia has plenty of restaurants with terraces overlooking the valleys, fairy chimneys, and hot air balloons.
Where to Enjoy a Meal with a View:
✔️ Museum Hotel’s Lil’a Restaurant (Uçhisar) – Dine with panoramic views of Pigeon Valley and Mount Erciyes.
✔️ Saklı Konak Restaurant (Uçhisar) – Offers sunset views over Göreme National Park, with a menu featuring grilled meats and handmade pasta.
✔️ Haruna Restaurant (Göreme) – A rooftop spot where you can watch hot air balloons during sunrise while enjoying your meal.
Tip: Book a sunset dinner reservation for the best golden-hour views of Cappadocia’s landscape.
Best Places for Wine Tasting & Drinks
Cappadocia is one of Turkey’s oldest wine-producing regions, offering high-quality local wines from volcanic vineyards. There are several wine bars and vineyard restaurants where you can enjoy a tasting session.
Where to Taste Cappadocia’s Best Wines:
✔️ Turasan Winery (Ürgüp) – The largest winery in Cappadocia, offering tastings of Öküzgözü and Boğazkere wines.
✔️ Kocabağ Winery (Uçhisar) – A boutique winery specializing in small-batch, high-quality wines.
✔️ Vinkara Wine House (Nevşehir) – Known for premium Turkish wines, offering wine pairings with Anatolian cheeses.
✔️ Mahzen Cave Bar (Göreme) – A cozy cave bar serving Cappadocian wines, craft cocktails, and Turkish raki.
Tip: Take home a bottle of Cappadocian wine as a unique and flavorful souvenir.
Best Local Street Food & Budget Eats
For travelers looking for quick, affordable, and delicious meals, Cappadocia offers great street food and budget-friendly eateries.
Best Street Food & Budget-Friendly Restaurants:
✔️ Fat Boys (Göreme) – A casual eatery serving Turkish wraps (dürüm), kebabs, and lentil soups.
✔️ Dibek Restaurant (Göreme) – An authentic spot for slow-cooked pottery kebabs and homemade mantı (Turkish dumplings).
✔️ Bistro Cappadocia (Ürgüp) – Known for Turkish flatbreads, gözleme, and stuffed pastries.
✔️ Ürgüp Pidecisi (Ürgüp) – Specializing in wood-fired Turkish pide (Turkish-style pizza).
Tip: Try pide, a boat-shaped flatbread filled with cheese, minced meat, or vegetables—one of Turkey’s most loved comfort foods.
Must-Taste Food
Testi Kebab
The traditional lamb dish named“testi kebab”which means“pottery kebab”is the most renown dish in the Cappadocia region. This lamb dish is made with lamb and vegetables like aubergine and potato that are put inside a pot (pot’s mouth is closed with dough) and than cooked about 2 hrs.
The Cappadocia’s rich culture is seen in its delicious slow-cooked testi kebab, the most famous food of Cappadocia, accompanied by vegetables in Avanos pots. It usually takes 2 hours to prepare this yummy testi kebab, which has an excellent presentation. Once the pot is placed on the table, the waiter breaks it and serves it. Remember to experience this dish once you’re there.
Urgup meatballs
The Urgup meatballs are made with potatoes, which is a bit different from the meatballs you may have eaten until now, don’t forget to taste this delicacy!
Kayseri ravioli (manti)
There are loads of great eateries where you can taste the famous tiny ravioli (Kayseri mantis)—one of the local cuisines you must try. You surely won’t be disappointed!
Aside Dessert
Aside Dessert is among the famous and most practical tastes of Göreme, and it is originally from Kayseri.
This light dessert is prepared with flour, butter, and molasses, in pudding texture and consistency. Don’t forget to add this dessert to your food bucket list, and eat as much as you want, as it has no sugar!
Wanna learn more about the Local Dishes and Flavors of Cappadocia?
Dried Fruits
We recommend you taste and buy from the variety of different types of dried fruits such as pear, mulberry, strawberry, pineapple, pepino and kiwi that are all create a riot of colors and attract guests. You are able to find them at the tourist zones, especially in Uchisar and Ortahisar towns.
Restaurants
Majority of the touristic restaurants in Cappadocia are cave restaurants designed to be carved into the rocks. We recommend you to have a dinner in these restaurants that reflect the authentic structure of the region.
Find out the best Cappadocia restaurants
Wineries and Wines
Explore Cappadocia’s wines, too, and don’t fly back home without trying the classic local Turasan wines. The local winemakers are waiting for you in the heart of Cappadocia to share with you the secrets of the regional wines with a fantastic wine tasting day out.
Want to know the tidbits about “How is wine tested?” and learn more about its quality with confidence? Then, you’re on the right page! Doing it in the magical Cappadocia area, blended with culture, history, art, and many more perks, will give you unforgettable memories you will carry all your life.
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Gourmet Tour & Cooking Class for a Day
Through Gourmet Tour & Cooking Class for a Day in Cappadocia, you’ll feel the incredible balance between the fabulous traditional food and the fascinating history of Cappadocia, heading back to your hotel after a unique and unforgettable experience.
This food tour is an authentic opportunity to find out why Cappadocia is so unique in the hearts of its visitors. Like other cities in Turkey, Cappadocia has its ethnic cuisines with exotic flavors. Cappadocia’s kitchen is based on the cuisine prepared in Central Anatolian of Turkey, with legumes, vegetables, and red meat, which will stay on your palate for a long time.
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