Ankara's food scene doesn't carry the same fame as Istanbul's, but if you want to know what Turks actually eat day to day, this is the city to find out. Ankara is where you'll encounter kebabs made the way Anatolians have eaten them for hundreds of years — not versions tweaked for tourists. Flavors are direct, meat quality is high, and prices are noticeably more reasonable than Istanbul. When you visit Ankara, don't skip a meal at one of the old neighborhood restaurants where locals queue out the door.
#1 Döner Kebab
Famous worldwide, but the version you get in Turkey is something else entirely. Traditional Turkish döner uses good-quality lamb or beef marinated in yogurt, spices, and olive oil, slow-cooked on a vertical charcoal spit and sliced onto pita bread or served on a plate with rice and grilled vegetables. The Ankara version is noticeably more intense than the European adaptation — because local shops still use the original recipe without ground-meat fillers. Prices are reasonable and you'll find it on every corner.
- Order 'ekmek arasi doner' — döner in bread — for a cheap, filling option perfect for eating while you walk.
- A good shop will have the meat spit visible through the window; the outer layer should be crisp and evenly golden, not charred black.
- Add acili ezme (chopped chili sauce) if you like heat, or cold yogurt sauce for a milder flavor.
#2 Simit
A circular sesame-crusted bread ring that has been a Turkish breakfast staple for hundreds of years — records trace it back to the Ottoman period in the 16th century. The dough is chewy and soft inside, the exterior crisp and glazed with molasses before being packed with white sesame seeds. Eat it plain or pair it with Turkish white cheese (beyaz peynir) and black olives for what is effectively the national breakfast. The price is only a few lira, but it's satisfying. Travelers who try it once tend to come back every morning.
- Simit is best straight from the oven between 07:00 and 09:00 — street carts are the cheapest source.
- Pick up white Turkish cheese and olives at a local supermarket and you have a proper Turkish breakfast for almost nothing.
- Simit in malls or airports costs 3–5 times more than the street price — the red carts are what locals actually pay.
#3 Baklava
The defining sweet of Ottoman and modern Turkish culture. Traditional baklava is dozens of paper-thin phyllo layers filled with ground pistachio or walnut, soaked in sugar syrup and clarified butter until it gleams — crisp at the outside, soft within, rich and fragrant all the way through. Turkish baklava is softer and more syrup-saturated than the Greek version. Good shops in Ankara make it fresh daily with no preservatives, and the difference from supermarket baklava is not subtle.
- Any reputable Turkish sweet shop will let you taste before you buy — fresh baklava is simultaneously syrupy and crisp.
- It travels well as a gift: ask the shop to vacuum-seal the box, which keeps it good for 1 week at room temperature.
- Genuine baklava uses real pistachio (bright green filling) rather than dyed walnut — worth asking before buying a whole box.
#4 Menemen
A traditional Turkish breakfast dish beloved across the country — eggs scrambled with chopped tomatoes, sweet green pepper, onion, and olive oil, cooked in a clay or cast-iron pan and served hot alongside thick slices of fresh ekmek bread. There are two main versions: klasik, where the yolk stays in visible yellow streaks, and karismis, where everything is fully mixed. Turks have debated for decades which is superior. Both are good.
- Tell the kitchen you want 'sucuklu menemen' to add spicy Turkish sausage (sucuk) — it lifts the whole dish.
- A full Turkish breakfast spread (kahvalti) typically includes menemen alongside cheese, olives, tomatoes, cucumber, honey, and tea.
- Expect to pay 60–100 lira per portion depending on the restaurant — noticeably cheaper than hotel breakfast and considerably better.
#5 Ayran
Turkey's national drink, the default pairing for kebab and every main meal. Made by diluting Turkish yogurt with cold water and a little salt — the result is mildly tart, refreshing, and lightly tangy from the natural yogurt. It cuts through the fat of kebab and fried dishes extremely well. Ayran differs from Indian lassi in that it is not sweet and is slightly saltier. Turks drink it instead of soda or beer at meals. The best version is whipped fresh in-house until the foam on top stands up.
- The best ayran is made fresh at the restaurant (taze ayran) — not the UHT carton version from a convenience store.
- Drink it alongside kebab or pide (Turkish flatbread pizza) — the combination is a classic for good reason.
- Expect to pay 10–20 lira per glass; you can have it at every meal without guilt since yogurt provides protein and probiotics.
#6 Fırın Kebabı
A central Anatolian style of kebab that has nothing in common with döner. Whole lamb pieces are marinated in spices and yogurt, then slow-roasted in a traditional clay oven for several hours until the meat falls off the bone. No flavor enhancers beyond salt, black pepper, and native spices — just pure lamb, a faint smokiness from the oven, and cooking juices. Served with rice and a vegetable salad. This is the dish Ankara residents point to with the most civic pride as a regional specialty.
- Good fırın kebabı shops typically open only for lunch and close when the meat runs out — arrive before 13:00 to get the best pieces.
- Ask the kitchen which cut is freshest out of the oven; always choose the most recently roasted piece.
- Eat it the traditional Turkish way — with your hands, using bread to pick up the meat and soak up the cooking juices from the tray.
Where to stay in Ankara for this trip
A well-located hotel means less commuting and more sightseeing. Here are real, top-rated stays in Ankara — compare Agoda · Booking · Trip.com in one click.
Divan Çukurhan
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Radisson Blu Hotel Ankara Çankaya (เดิม Point Hotel Ankara)
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Sonno Boutique Rooms & Suites
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Latanya Hotel Ankara
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Tours, tickets & activities in Ankara
Day tours, attraction tickets and travel essentials for Ankara — book ahead on Klook with mobile e-tickets.
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Before You Pack
The best Turkish food in Ankara tends to be in mid-sized restaurants with no English menu. Point at the table next to you or use Google Translate to photograph the menu. Turks are genuinely happy to help travelers who are unsure, so don't hesitate to order something unfamiliar — most of the time the surprise is a pleasant one.