- A practical guide to Cappadocia
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These are our favourite restaurants in Cappadocia and our personal view only. Some serve only traditional Turkish dishes, some include international food, all of them have vegetarian options, and prices range from everyday eating to special splurges.
You will notice in Cappadocia, as in the rest of Turkey, that alcoholic beverages are expensive and constitute a large part of your restaurant bill. This is because of the extremely high level of tax of alcohol in Turkey which increases regularly, well above inflation rate.
Do not be surprised that a bread basket always appears on your table in a restaurant in Turkey. Bread is an essential part of a Turkish meal and will never be charged extra on your bill. Likewise, a small salad or a plate of pickled vegetables will often be served free of charge.
In Ürgüp's cheerful town centre, Fidan Döner has been serving delicious döner kebabs for decades and is really something of an institution with the locals. The restaurant's fame has travelled further afield as you can see from the photos on the walls of the celebrities who have come to eat here. The menu is not limited to just the classic döner kebabs but you can eat excellent soups and salads here as well as meat dishes, stuffed aubergines and other traditional Anatolian dishes and desserts.
Top-quality meat and fresh, local ingredients prepared daily are part of the secret of its success; the rest lies in the very reasonable prices and the warm welcome from Mr. Fidan and his staff, who speak a good level of English. The restaurant is spotlessly clean and the decor is bright and pleasant. Open every day, you will understand why this place is the locals' choice. Highly recommended.
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Turkish breakfast is an institution, with all the family going out together to eat a long lazy breakfast spread especially at weekends. In my opinion, the best place to taste the traditional Turkish viallge dishes and to soak up the atmosphere surrounded by Turkish families, is Çınarlı Cafe Restaurant & At Çiftliği just outside Ürgüp centre on the road to Ulaşlı. This farm has horses and ponies and organises pony rides and you sit out in the flowery garden and relax as more and more plates are brought to the table. Different types of farm cheeses, yoghurt, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, cucumber, home-made pastries, eggs cooked with sucuk, that lovely spicy Turkish meat sausage, then of course home-made jams and honey, dried fruits, the list seems never-ending! Of course served with baskets full of crusty fresh bread and as much Turkish tea as you can drink. Really the best Turkish breakfast ever! The farm is only 5km out of Ürgüp centre, which means it is withn walkable distance for those who enjoy a morning ramble. Don't miss out on it!
Han Çırağan in the centre of Ürgüp is set in a caravanserai built around 250 years ago making it the oldest restaurant in Ürgüp. The restaurant has two levels of seating. The lower level, which includes a pleasant bar, has outdoor seating under a vine lattice as well as indoor seating. The upper level is open to the sky. The cuisine is traditional Turkish with an extensive menu. Lamb braised slowly in the traditional stone oven, delicate sole fillets in a creamy white wine sauce, braised lamb with green plums are among the many options on the menu. Foodies will appreciate the specialities served here! Tourists and locals alike favour this spot where you can visit the kitchens at any time. Cheese and wine-tasting sessions are also organised. Quite simply: one of our favourite restaurants in Ürgüp.
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Located in one of the authentic villages of Cappadocia: Mustafapaşa, Hiva Terrace Cafe was recently opened by Fahri, a French-speaking guide, who knows everything there is to know about Mustafapaşa and its surroundings. The café has been given a makeover and is a fusion of traditional and modern, whilst still remaining cosy.
Fahri serves up dishes such as: köfte - chicken or beef dumplings traditionally served with rice and salad, homemade burgers, various salads, pasta with various sauces, or simply a good breakfast. Note that all dishes are fresh and homemade.
The cafe also has a terrace that offers a breathtaking view of the village from which you can enjoy smoking the narghile... Try it, you will be pleasantly surprised, especially since there are many flavors to discover... Non-smokers will enjoy a good espresso. This is a café we highly recommend because of the warm welcome, the food is very good, and the view from the terrace is completely unforgettable. Not to be missed on your next visit!
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If you are looking for home-made traditional Anatolian dishes, this is the place to come. The menu is made up of a small selection of delicious family recipes prepared daily from fresh seasonal produce. The menu changes every day but there is always a vegetarian dish as well as a main meat dish, home-made mantı (the best!), gözleme, soups and salads. At lunchtime, this is where the locals come to eat. Serves all-day breakfast, lunch and evening meals.
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Situated in the centre of Ürgüp, you will be charmed by this little restaurant, perhaps because of Volkan's kind welcome. You can enjoy simple, authentic Turkish dishes, freshly prepared every day and at budget prices. Everything is home-made from the various soups and salads to the grilled meats and slow-cooked. Apart from the a la carte menu, there is different fixed menu every day with a main (vegetarian or meat), served with rice and a salad. Sofra Restaurant is on the main street of Urgup and therefore very easy to find. Highly recommended.
This cafe and restaurant is centrally located in Göreme and serves good wholesome food at very reasonable prices. I particularly appreciated the home-made soup, but they also serve kebabs, wraps, huge sandwiches and salads of all sorts. Friendly, rapid service. Clean, cheap and generous servings. A good place to stop for a snack.
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Centre Café & Restaurant is set in a pretty garden in the centre of Uçhisar. A pleasant place to have a long relaxing lunch and very popular with French expats and tourists. The restaurant itself is unprepossessing but the food is exceptionally good; the chef, Husseiyn, used to work for the Club Med. The steak au poivre and the chicken breast with a creamy mushroom sauce, are both delicious; much of the menu is clearly geared to French tastes but you can try Turkish delicacies like the smoked aubergine salad, the best I have ever tasted, or the lamb and artichoke tagine. Good value for money.
Teras Cafe & Restaurant in Ürgüp is run by a local family, great food, nice terrace and very affordable prices. They have recently installed a wood-fired oven in which they make their own pides, pizzas and of course home-made crusty bread which they serve with their delicious herb butter. All sorts of simple Cappadocian specialities at very reasonable prices. Great for lunch or evening meal. Relaxing atmosphere, impeccable service, situated in the center of Urgup. Open all year. English spoken.
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