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What to eat in Turkiye? Top 13 Turkish Snacks

Last update: Wed Jan 29 2025
Top 13 Turkish Snacks
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01

Flatbread

BURSA, Turkiye
4.5
Cantık pidesi
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Cantık pidesi is a traditional flatbread from Bursa. The dough for cantık pidesi is similar to other pide doughs, made from flour, water, yeast, and salt, but what sets it apart is the filling and the method of preparation.


The traditional filling for Bursa cantık pidesi includes minced meat (often beef or lamb), onions, tomatoes, green peppers, and spices such as paprika and black pepper. This mixture is spread onto the rolled-out dough, which is then folded over to encase the filling, sometimes in a half-moon shape or other times leaving a portion of the filling exposed. 
02

Snack

TURKIYE and  3 more regions
4.4
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Even though lahmacun is popularly nicknamed Turkish pizza, it's origin is disputed and can be traced to Armenia, Syria, Lebanon, and Turkiye. It can be found at numerous street stalls as well as in virtually any traditional restaurant, but also in kebab eateries where they typically serve mini lahmacuns as appetizers.


The perfect lahmacun is made by rolling a ball of sturdy semolina dough into a thin disc which is only lightly spread with meat - either lamb or beef, minced to a paste together with chili, onions, and other seasonings. The dish is then shortly baked in a super-hot (and preferably wood-fired) oven. 

MOST ICONIC Lahmacun

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03

Wrap

MERSIN, Turkiye
4.4
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Tantuni is a traditional street food dish from Mersin, consisting of thinly sliced beef or lamb that is seasoned with Turkish spices and herbs, usually cooked with onions and tomatoes. The combination is cooked in specially designed tantuni pans.


Traditionally, the dish is served rolled in lavash, with ground sumac and a lemon wedge on the side. Since every tantuni chef has his own method and secret technique of preparing the dish, it is said that the flavors of tantuni are never the same.


Tantuni was originally created as a poor man's dish - it's very nutritious because it consists of meat with a lot of fat stuffed into bread. 

MOST ICONIC Tantuni

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04

Savory Pie

TURKIYE and  2 more regions
4.4
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Sfiha, or lahm bil ajĩn (lit. meat on dough) is an Arabic specialty that dates back to the 15th century, when it first appeared in today's Eastern Lebanon. The traditional open-faced meat pie is popular throughout the Arab region, its main ingredients usually including minced lamb (or lamb), chopped onions and tomatoes, spices, olive oil, and yogurt.


Originally, the dish was prepared by stuffing ground lamb and spices in brined grape leaves, but it evolved over time. Sfiha is also popular in Brazil and Argentina, where it was brought over by Levantine immigrants. It is usually consumed hot as a snack, accompanied by tahini sauce or a bowl of yogurt, while pomegranate seeds, coriander, or chopped cucumbers are often used as garnishes. 
VARIATIONS OF Pide

MOST ICONIC Pide

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Paçanga böreği is a Turkish börek variety that's especially popular in the region of Anatolia and in Istanbul, where it's regarded as a traditional Sephardic Jewish specialty of the city. It's made by stuffing yufka or phyllo pastry with pastirma (salted, aged, dried beef) and kasar cheese.


Apart from the basic ingredients, some people also like to add peppers and tomatoes to the filling. The dough is rolled, cut into rectangles, then fried. This börek can also be baked, but frying is the traditional method. Paçanga böreği is served hot and it's typically eaten as an appetizer.

06

Appetizer

TURKIYE and  8 more regions
4.4
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MAIN INGREDIENTS

Pane e olio is an Italian phrase meaning bread and oil, referring to a simple yet classic Italian dish that highlights the quality of its basic ingredients: bread and olive oil. Traditional Italian bread such as ciabatta, focaccia, or a rustic country loaf is typically used, while extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is the oil of choice due to its superior flavor and health benefits.


High-quality, cold-pressed olive oil from regions like Tuscany or Puglia is ideal. The bread is usually sliced and may be served fresh or lightly toasted, with toasting enhancing its texture and providing a warm base for the olive oil. The olive oil is typically poured into a small dish or bowl for dipping, though some variations may include a drizzle of olive oil directly on the bread slices. 
07
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Gözleme is a Turkish flatbread consisting of flour, water, yeast, olive oil, and yogurt, which prevents the flatbread from going too brittle. The dough is filled with ingredients such as meat, vegetables, eggs, various cheeses, or mushrooms, and is then baked on a sac griddle.


Originally, gözleme was served for breakfast or as a light afternoon snack, but today it has a status of popular fast food that can be found throughout the country's restaurants, food carts, and cafés.

MOST ICONIC Gözleme

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08

Snack

KONYA, Turkiye
4.3
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Etli ekmek is a delicious Turkish pizza-like dish originating from the city of Konya. The name of the dish means bread with meat. It consists of a thin, crispy flatbread made with flour, sugar, salt, yeast, and oil, which is then topped with ground beef and finely chopped onions, tomatoes, and peppers.


Etli ekmek is sometimes additionally topped with cheese before baking. Once the baked dish develops a golden-brown color, it is served cut into smaller pieces while still warm. Pair it with a glass of refreshing ayran for the best experience.

MOST ICONIC Etli ekmek

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09
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The cylindrical sigara böreği is a famous Turkish deep-fried pastry. These small, crispy rolls of thin dough are stuffed with a creamy mixture of cheese and parsley. They are traditionally made with sheets of thin yufka dough, a common ingredient in many boregi varieties, or with a thicker phyllo dough.


Mixed with fresh parsley and (sometimes) eggs, the cheese is spread on the triangle-shaped dough, which is then shaped into a cigar. After it is fried, sigara böreği turns into a satisfying delicacy, with a crispy outer layer and a velvety filling. 

MOST ICONIC Sigara böreği

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Turkish zucchini fritters are traditionally prepared with a combination of grated zucchini, flour, and eggs, while typical additions include white Turkish cheese, onions, and herbs such as parsley, dill, or mint. The fritters are usually pan-fried until golden and are typically served with plain yogurt or yogurt-based sauces on the side.


They make an excellent appetizer or a perfect vegetarian side dish.

MOST ICONIC Kabak mücveri

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12
Sweet Pastry
TURKIYE  and  one more country
3.9
13

TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “Top 13 Turkish Snacks” list until January 29, 2025, 3,493 ratings were recorded, of which 1,556 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.

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