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As much as I love food, I rarely write foodie guides. Typically, because I think street food is always the answer + rarely can you eat enough of one city’s cuisine during a single visit to know better than the locals where the best food spots are. But when figuring out where to eat in Antalya, I had the upper hand with a few food-obsessed Turkish friends and an exceptionally helpful guesthouse host who knew all the best local spots.
This is where I ate & where I think you’ll get to sample the best food in Antalya.
Where to Eat in Antalya, Turkey
Here are my favorite places to eat in Antalya. This is by no means a FULL list of all the good places to eat but these are the locations recommended to me + that I enjoyed during my time in the city. Antalya is known for being a resort town and because of this has quite a bit of sub-par food to weed through.
Coffee or Pre-Breakfast in Antalya
First, let’s start with coffee.
Full confession: I hate Turkish Coffee. I’ve sampled it in three countries now & I truly can’t get past the silt or the teeny tiny cups. In my opinion, Jordan actually does it best with the larger size and massive amounts of cardamom to hide the coffee ground swill.
But fortunately, if tea isn’t your jam there are plenty of American coffee shops in Antalya. Istanbul is the real coffee lovers’ haven though.
We enjoyed Mackbear Coffee Co. which I think is actually an Oregon Coffee Roaster.
But the best in town is Yemen Coffee. This is definitely the most popular with locals and some real smooth bean water.
Best Breakfasts in Antalya
Cankaya Simitcisi
With street-side seating + loads of locals getting their morning tea this is a neighborhood staple. I recommend the simit (a sesame seed-covered bagel) + a smattering of other pastry offerings. Consider grabbing a borek— These were the best in town (meat-filled breakfast pastry).
Tarihi Ankara Simit Fırını
My breakfast runner-up. I actually think the Simit might be better here and the pastries were phenomenal. Both places are incredibly cheap, you can expect $2 to feed two people.
Special Shout-out to Lily Boutique Guesthouse. A very affordable private room right in the old town with an amazing host who gave us many of these recommendations.
Lunch in Antalya
Citir Balik
Crispy fried fish on a simple bun with a whole salad bar of toppings to add. It’s cheap, a local favorite, and it’s delicious.
Sirali Kebap
Kofte + Piyaz. This is an Antalya specialty. Unlike many other places on this list, the prices are a bit higher. But for this bean + tahini dish with traditional Turkish meatballs, it’s worth it.
Midye Dolma Vendors
For 1.5 lira or about 10 cents a mussel you can enjoy a spiced rice stuffed seafood delicacy drizzled in lemon juice. I picked up a bottle of wine from a shop, then a pile of mussels, and enjoyed them on the pier.
Dinner in Antalya
Can Can Pide Yemek Salonu
If I had to pick one single favorite meal in Antalya it would be this one. Pide is essentially Turkish Pizza & after spending 4 weeks in Turkey, no pide compared to this one. I also highly recommend their Kebap. Really you can’t go wrong with anything you choose.
Gunaydin Kebap + Kesap Steakhouse
For those looking for a tasty fancier dinner skip the overpriced tourist stops on the pier. Instead, head here and enjoy some delicious meat selections. For you vegetarians, Turkey is going to be difficult.
Ice Cream in Antalya
Yes, ice cream is getting its own section. Not only is it everywhere in the city (and country) it’s also exceptionally good here. Traditional Turkish ice cream is made with orchid tuber flour which creates a smoother texture than typical ice cream. & some are made with goat or buffalo milk instead.
Akdeniz Dondurma Salonu
This place is hands down the best. You must eat here. Get a scoop of the plain vanilla otherwise known as “burnt” ice cream topped with a fresher flavor like strawberry or lemon. & prepare to savor the experience. This is also a great place to try an array of Turkish desserts. Just peruse the glass cases.
Honorable Mention: The street vendors.
After watching the fez hat-adorned vendors taunt other patrons by pretending to drop their cones and balancing them on their heads I didn’t have high hopes for the actual flavor of the ice cream. Fortunately, I was wrong. Despite the weird show they put on while serving you the ice cream was deliciously smooth and just what I wanted on a hot day. My favorite flavors? Pistachio & Honey Almond for sure.
Map of Where to Eat in Antalya, Turkey
Antalya isn’t known for the best food in all of Turkey. But after a month of exploring the deserts of Egypt + Jordan, we loved the very European vibe of Turkey’s South Coast and found the city great for those who love to eat.
We spent about 3 days in Antalya which I felt was more than enough time for a relaxing city trip. Sights and attractions in Antalya are few and far between, but the food is most important. Be sure to comment if you have any Antalya eats you think I should add to this list.
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