Gaziantep Cuisine

Considering traditional foods, soups and tasty desserts of Turkey, Gaziantep is one of the first cities that comes to mind. Commonly recalled as Antep around common folk, Gaziantep shines with its tasty and delicate cuisine. With more than 300 different original tastes, Gaziantep manages to furnish every table in Turkey. As it has some renowned types of special desserts and bakeries, Gaziantep cuisine is mainly made out of meat products. Spicy foods and healthy soups are some of the well-known elements of Gaziantep cuisine.

Located in the southeastern Anatolia region of Turkey, Gaziantep is stationed in the middle of the cradle of many cultures and civilizations. Due to its cultural diversity and rich historical heritage, Gaziantep establishes a synergy that is reflected upon its cuisine as well. As Gaziantep proves to have strong agriculture opening the possibility of growing every kind of plant, the types of food that could be found in Gaziantep cuisine are limitless. Let us look at some of the most refined tastes of Gaziantep Cuisine.

Alinazik

Roasted eggplants successfully combined with tender meats with the help of delicious strained yoghurt is the qualities that Alinazik possesses. Puree made out of different valuable spices, garlic, strained yoghurt and roasted eggplants give Alinazik a unique taste. The tenderness of the meat sprinkled over the puree establishes a harmony of different flavours.

Lahmacun

With countless variations, Gaziantep is among the best cities making the best kind of lahmacun. A round, thin piece of dough topped with the combination of minced meat, vegetables and spices are the essentials of lahmacun, also known as Turkish pizza. As Gaziantep has its own interpretation of this exceptional food, it’s a typical taste that everyone should taste.

Katmer

One of the most known bakeries of Gaziantep is katmer. This bakery filled with hashish and tahini is made out of a thick dough folded four or five times and cooked in a special oven, reaching exceptional levels of taste. As it is sometimes presented as a dessert after the main dish, it may be seen in some breakfasts as well.

Beyran

Essentially a soup made out of various types of meat and grains, beyran is one healthy drink curing numerous diseases. There are different variations of beyran, but it usually comes with lamb meat, rice, oils, garlic, and broth. The unique taste that Beyran has with its chilliness makes it one of the most special soups in Turkey.

Baklava

One can find the best kind of baklava in Gaziantep, the special taste of many cultures in regions such as the Middle East, Caucasia, South Asia, Balkans, and Anatolia. As Gaziantep is home to its unique pistachio (Antep fıstığı), baklava made with this pistachio has no rival. Thin layers of dough spread over many other filled with walnuts, almonds, nuts, or pistachio. After it has been cooked at high temperatures, sugar sherbet is sprinkled over this delicious food.