The Top Restaurants In Mardin, Turkey

It’s always a good idea to eat dessert first – and whether you decide to follow that guideline or save it for its traditional place at the end of the meal, go to Sadik Kunefe to make the most of the moment. The gold-tinged decor will make you feel like a high roller, and that’s even before you decide what to eat. Try their namesake kunefe, a sweet cheese pastry that was typical during the time of the Ottoman Empire, or the similar kadayif – both will be the perfect sweet finish (or start) to your day, and you’ll find yourself coming back every day you’re there to have more.

When you enter their restaurant, the owners of Bagdadi want you to feel gripped by the sense of thousands of years of history washing over you, and they only want to intensify that feeling as the meal goes on. The decor is reminiscent of a luxurious palace, and the flavors of your meals hearken back to the days of great empires and beyond. For a truly great experience, start with the Mezopotamya meze platter, which includes all of the meze options and is a great way to taste all the Turkish and Syrian food that they offer.

Kaburgaci Selim Amca is a bit off the beaten path, but you’ll realize you made the right choice in making the trek out as soon as you get there. The restaurant is very comfortable and nicely decorated, and the servers are friendly and happy to help. Of special interest are the stuffed ribs – this is the main dish that people come from miles around to sample. If you don’t feel like making decisions, just go for the fixed menu. It’ll come out in courses, and you’ll get to sample plenty of local delicacies.

A beautiful old home, an amazing view, delicious food, and one of best hotels in town – it seems as though there’s nothing that Erdoba Evleri doesn’t have. For a really special experience, have dinner or a drink on their terrace and watch the city around you. The food is all cooked fresh from the best ingredients around, and while you really can’t go wrong on their menu, the lahmacun (a Turkish take on pizza) and babaghanoush come highly recommended. Don’t forget to save room for dessert! They have a delicious Mayhirma, which is a dish made with figs and grape juice.

You’ll have to climb a bit to reach Seyr-i Merdin, but you’ll find that it’s 100 percent worth it. Between the view, the excellent service, and some of the best food in the whole region, you’re in for a very memorable meal. Their menu is long, so if you want to try more items from it, get one of their taster platters, like their local meat plate, which gives you small tastes of lots of regional specialties. The restaurant itself is absolutely gorgeous, as is the presentation of the meals – but the best views can be seen from the terrace.

Mardin has no shortages of restaurants in gorgeous old palaces, and Cercis Murat Konagi even manages to stand out among that exclusive crowd. They’ve got a beautiful view out onto the plains that once made up Mesopotamia, a perfect addition to any dining experience. If that doesn’t charm you enough, wait until the end of the meal, when they will actually wash your hands with rose water. Touches like this are just part of what will make the meal memorable – the food, of course, is still the main event.

A low-key, informal restaurant with a good view, Café Del Mar is the perfect place to while away a few hours over a slow, delicious breakfast and a strong coffee. Or if you’d prefer, come in the evening to enjoy a tasty kebap and watch the sun go down over the Mesopotamian plains. Whenever you decide to come, you’ll walk away feeling calm and completely satisfied. If you’re a single traveler, this is a good place to meet people and mingle – it’s just a place that people naturally come into and don’t want to leave anytime soon.