Where to Find the Best Köftes in Turkey

Opened in 1982 in Istanbul’s Arnavutköy neighborhood, famed for its waterfront Ottoman mansions, Köfteci Ali Baba is a pretty laid-back joint in an upscale area. Here, you’ll get a very straightforward menu of excellently grilled köfte with piyaz (bean vinaigrette salad) and ayran (yogurt drink).

One of Bursa’s best restaurants to get some real Turkish home cooking, Çiçek Izgara has been around since 1963 and happens to make pretty amazing köfte. You can choose from the classic grilled köfte and köfte with melted kaşar cheese in the middle.

As mentioned previously, every region/city is proud of its köfte, and here you’ll find Tekirdağ Köfte, which hasn’t changed since the opening of Özcanlar in 1953. With three branches to their name, the restaurant handles its own meat production, so you’ll know you’ll be getting a high-quality köfte.

A real tourist favorite, Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi Selim Usta has somehow managed to remain very authentic and true to his recipe. You’ll find the classic köfte, which hasn’t changed since the restaurant’s founding in 1920, along with piyaz and ayran.

One of Istanbul’s most well-known grilled meat restaurants, Beyti, which has been around since 1945, is famous for its namesake Beyti Kebab. However, like all the other grilled meat varieties on the menu, their köfte is just perfect and served with mashed potatoes and rice.

Hidden away in Istanbul’s historic Balat neighborhood, you’d walk right past this place if you didn’t know better. At Çanak, you’ll find the city’s best kuru fasulye (bean stew) and köfte accompanied by buttery rice and thick yogurt made from water buffalo milk.

This longstanding restaurant, established in 1974, is the best place to get some delicious köfte in Antalya. Unlike its rivals, Özdoyum’s köftes are made without herbs and cooked only with salt on a shish over a charcoal barbecue. The accompanying piyaz and ayran, however, have remained true to the classic recipes.

Open since 1974, Nihat Usta really knows how to make a good köfte and has even managed to expand into a larger restaurant because of his popularity. You’ll find Trabzon’s famous Akçaabat köfte prepared perfectly every time.

A köfte legend in Adapazarı, Meşhur Köfteci Mustafa, opened in 1912, is known for its excellent ıslama köfte (köfte on toasted bread that is then soaked in beef broth and red pepper). Three generations later, and the family continues the tradition of the delicious köfte, whose ingredients have remained a secret.