There are many restaurants in which you can eat in Cappadocia. The region has experienced a boom in visitors from all corners of the globe in recent years.
In order to serve people with such varied tastes and backgrounds, what were once small local businesses have adapted, expanding their dining rooms and opening new restaurants. They also offer proposals that can satisfy a clientele that may not always fully embrace the region’s culinary traditions.
Even so, if you want to get to know and enjoy the most personal side of Cappadocia to the full, the best thing to do is to let yourself be carried away by the local cuisine, which is rich, varied, tasty and very aromatic.
Fortunately, many places of business preserve the essence of the past, sometimes in dining rooms that penetrate surprisingly deep down into the earth, or others in sumptuously decorated old mansions.
So it’s best to choose the type of restaurant that most suits your tastes. Here are some good restaurants where you can eat in Cappadocia, with their location, specialities and main features.
Recommended restaurants
Lil’a (Uçhisar, Nevsehir)
The finest cuisine, a luxurious and comfortable atmosphere (especially at dinner, and even better at sunset); this is probably the ideal place to understand the richness of Anatolia’s cuisine and, more specifically, that of Cappadocia. Here you can eat either in the general dining room or on the terrace, which offers incredible views, or in a more private space if you’d prefer. The wine list is also very impressive (this is definitely a positive, considering that not all restaurants offer alcoholic beverages).
Seki (Argos)
The name of this restaurant in Turkish means something similar to “terraced plots”. In fact, that’s how it is laid out in a lush, plant-filled garden that once belonged to one of the region’s ancient monasteries. As for the dining experience, the tasting menu is a genuine dish-by-dish retrospective of Anatolian history. It’s a good idea to arrive with an empty stomach, as the menu is as wide-ranging as it is generous in quantity.
Sakli Konak (Merkez/Nevsehir)
This elegant and cosy restaurant features a classic style carved in part by stonemasons from Cappadocia. It’s the perfect setting for tasting the best dishes the region has to offer, prepared in the most traditional way, on a fire pit or in the traditional conical stone oven (tandoori style). Many of the dishes are made from the milk, oil, cheese, eggs, yoghurt, honey, vegetables and pulses produced by the locals themselves.
Nazar Borek & Café (Aydinli-Göreme)
The experience at this restaurant couldn’t be more authentic, which is an establishment carved into one of the area’s unique volcanic tuff pinnacles. Then, taking advantage of the good weather, they set up their tables outside so diners can eat amidst the most captivating geological spectacle imaginable in Cappadocia. As for the cuisine, what is prepared (all kinds of local produce) is as important as the way in which it’s prepared, over wood-fired grills and stone ovens, in the authentic Turkish style.
Dibek (Göreme)
Located in the historic centre of Göreme, this restaurant’s various rooms are set deep in the earth, which is the result of painstaking excavation work spanning almost five centuries. Each room exudes a traditional charm and the warmth of candles, dim lamps and carved wood. At the table (it would be surprising if this wasn’t the case), the traditional flavours of Cappadocia prevail, including homemade mantı, kuru fasulye (white beans) and, of course, testi kebap, made in an earthenware pot.
Old Greek House (Mustafapasa)
Located in one of Cappadocia’s most picturesque villages, this restaurant and the accommodation it houses are an authentic Ottoman extravaganza rescued from a bygone age of grandeur. It’s filled with antiques, embroidered silk fabrics, works of art and historical glassware and crockery. The business is owned by the Ozturk family and, in fact, the kitchen is still run by the mother, Ermine, who boasts some of the tastiest and most authentic dishes in Cappadocia.
Where to stay
In one of the most emblematic villages of this region, Ortahisar, near Nevşehir, you’ll find the Barceló Cappadocia Hotel. It’s a five-star establishment which has a very elegant design, but without ever losing sight of the aesthetics that typify this part of the country.
Of its 170 rooms, you can choose to sleep in modern rooms with views of the valley, or in cave rooms, which have been painstakingly carved into the rock and offer a very authentic experience. Facilities include a wellness centre with spa, as well as two pools, one of which is heated, ideal for when the good weather arrives.
Barceló Hotel Restaurants
The Barceló Cappadocia Hotel itself offers a wide range of restaurants. For example, in the À la Carte Terrace restaurant, with magnificent views of the surroundings, you can enjoy an interesting fusion between local cuisine and cuisines from other parts of the world, with dishes adapted for all kinds of diners.
The Main Restaurant is where you can start the day with its healthy breakfasts based on the B-LikeEat concept, dishes made from the best local or international ingredients.
The hotel’s bars (Panoramic Terrace, B-Lounge Lobby Bar and Pool Bar) also offer snacks and more informal dishes, as well as a wide range of soft drinks, cocktails and all kinds of beverages.