19 Best Restaurants in The Turquoise Coast, Turkey

Located next to a 19th-century Ottoman house at the edge of the harbor, Smiley's has been an open secret among Turquoise Coast yachters since 1987. Relax in the fresh air beneath vines, flags, and fishing nets, and enjoy a reasonably priced and generously portioned meal of some of the best kebabs and seafood in Kaş, as well as some of its friendliest service. Try the Greek-style grilled calamari and brightly flavorful mezes (the reasonably priced mixed-meze plate is a good deal; make sure the roasted eggplant in garlicky yogurt is included). Head downstairs to see the restored Lycian cistern.

This restaurant in the Finike marina is famed for lamb and lambs' liver, but it serves a full menu, including fish and meze. There is a pleasant garden shaded by plane trees and acacias. Everything here is so fresh that the chef refuses to add anything but olive oil and salt to flavor his meats and grilled chicken, and he doesn't need to.

A down-to-earth, traditional Turkish restaurant in often tourist-oriented Kalkan, Ata is (as the name suggests) known for its tender, flavorful kebabs, which come in medium- and large-portion sizes. The menu also includes pide (Turkish flatbread) cooked in a wood oven and the classic array of mezes, salads, and hot starters. The casual seating is on a patio overlooking the main road into town.

This relaxed restaurant on a side street in the town center serves fish, seafood, and meze and is popular with locals, who prefer fresh, unfussy fare to a river view. Its small dining room would be utterly austere were it not for the decorative tile accents; most seating is outside, at tables decked out in a classic Mediterranean blue-and-white color scheme. There’s no menu, so ask the prices before ordering, especially for fish.

"Chill" is the perfect word to describe this relaxed spot. Popular with locals, its tables are mostly set out in the prime open area, toward the southern end of the beach. The food ranges from snacks to grilled meat, seafood, and pasta. In the evening, Chill evolves into a bar and the closest thing Adrasan has to a disco.

This is an ideal lunch spot, with a terrace shaded by bougainvillea and grapevines and traditional Turkish meats prepared using a brass-hooded charcoal brazier. The menu is exceptionally vegetarian friendly, with 20 meatless meze (starters), many concocted from local wild herbs. The vibe is tranquil, laid-back, and friendly, with beer and rakı (a Turkish liquor) on the menu, along with homemade lemonade.

Those who are tempted by Turkey's fish markets but have nowhere to cook for themselves can head to Fethiye's lively local market area. For a small charge, several casual restaurants will cook your purchase, adding mezes and salads. Non-fish eaters can buy steak instead on the same system. Everyone has their favorite spot: Hilmi and Öztoklu are both reliable choices.

A few blocks north of the fray, Flash attracts more locals than tourists and survives on word of mouth. It’s known for soups, steaks, kebabs, and meat stews cooked in a clay pot (kiremit); it also makes nice, oven-fired pide and lahmacun (wafer-thin spiced-meat flatbread). Come ravenously hungry, and you may have room for a dessert of künefe, a rich confection of cheese, strands of dough and sugar syrup sprinkled with pistachio.

Though the sweeping sea view is the star attraction of this meyhane above the harbor, the service and the food hold their own. Fresh fish, seafood, and meze are the traditional pairings with the rakı and Turkish wines on offer, but the menu include steaks, fajitas, and chicken curry as well.

Situated in the heart of Kaleiçi, this meyhane that bears the same name as its neighborhood serves up the best mezes in Antalya, as well as an array of hot appetizers and the freshest seafood. Expect great service in a spacious outdoor atmosphere.

With a prime spot right on the beach, Karakuş is one of the best places for dinner and drinks in the entire Olympos-Çıralı area. The mezes and oven-fresh flatbread are delightful, and the beachfront scene is serene.

A tranquil, stylish break from options in the sometimes tacky hustle and bustle of Fethiye’s bazaar area, Kukina serves up a distinctive (and delicious) international menu of dishes like falafel tacos, fried chicken burgers, and popcorn shrimp. Standbys like burgers and pizza are available, as are plenty of vegetarian options. The greenhouse-like courtyard and cheery, plant-filled interior are both comfortable places to linger over an afternoon coffee or a glass of wine.

This excellent, straightforward Turkish restaurant is on the western edge of the bazaar and favored by locals for its kebabs, pide (Turkish pizza), and traditional casseroles. It's open all day, morphing from a breakfast joint in the morning to a family restaurant in the afternoon to the perfect place for a late-night snack at 3 am. The same owners also operate the somewhat more upscale Meğri Restaurant in the center of the bazaar.

At the eastern end of the harbor, the Mermerli has decent prices and a broad menu that includes fish, steak, pastas, burgers, Turkish grills, and all-day breakfasts. But the location is its best asset: a spacious, breezy terrace offers excellent views of the sea and the otherworldly looking mountains. It's a good place to eat if you want to relax on Mermerli Beach—the bathing spot is just down the steps, and the restaurant controls access.

Fresh, creative mezes and salads are accompanied by a warm welcome, a good list of high-quality Turkish wines, and a bird’s-eye view over Kaş’s lively central square at this laidback restaurant on a small upstairs terrace. The vegetarian-friendly menu includes culinary combinations you won’t find elsewhere, like börek (savory pastry) stuffed with three kinds of mushrooms, mackerel with fresh ginger, and artichoke with almonds.

In a backstreet garden, a stone's throw from the gauntlet of Fethiye's bazaar area, this restaurant has earned fans with its tranquil atmosphere and tasty dishes from eastern Turkey, particularly the Hatay region. Mains include belen tava (meat-and-vegetable casserole topped with cheese) and the Mozaik kebab with grilled chicken and lamb in a yogurt sauce. The chef sometimes takes a break from the kitchen to proudly place his creation on your table. The same owners operate Motif Restaurant along the Çalış Beach waterfront.  Call ahead to make a reservation in high season.

Set in a tree-shaded garden just back from the harbor, Oburus Momus specializes in vegetarian and vegan dishes—from samosas and nasi goreng (Indonesian fried rice) to eggplant Parmesan and a black-bean burger—with excellent flavors and international flair. It’s a chilled-out place to have a meal or to linger over a cocktail, a smoothie, or a cup of masala chai.

Almost opposite the Antalya Museum, but hidden a little down the hill towards the sea, this restaurant may well have the best view in town. The menu focuses on meat, pasta, pizza, and burgers, and though the quality can be hit or miss, regulars praise the steak—plus the portions are, well, big. Owned by an Antalyan former basketball player (aka the Big Man), it's a popular place for locals to come for a special meal. 

For most Turks, dining in Adana means trying the Adana kebab, minced lamb slow-charcoal-grilled on a long, wide metal skewer. Everyone in town has an opinion on where to find the best one, but one traditional favorite is Yüzevler. Obviously, Adana kebabs are the star of the show, but the pide (flatbread with various toppings) is good, too.