You’ve likely heard of döner kebab, but thanks to its unique location straddling the border of Southeast Europe and West Asia, as well as its varied geography that ranges from mountains and beaches to deserts, there’s so much more to Turkish food.
In fact, every region in Turkey, big or small, has at least one specialty dish. Or many more, like Gaziantep, a town in the southeast that’s so food-focused that UNESCO listed it in its Creative Cities Network for its gastronomic history.
With 81 different provinces to choose from, it can be hard to know where to start (and what to order!) when visiting Turkey. Here are some Turkish dishes not to be missed.