Gaziantep Cuisine Gaziantep’s historical wealth and geographic location make it one of the most important population centers in Turkey. Its unique culture is manifested in the variety of local dishes, which enrich Turkish cuisine. Although the people who, loving the region’s air, water and soil, made their home here throughout the ages may have had different languages, religions and ethnic origins; they found common ground in their taste for food, and contributed to the emergence of the rich cuisine of Gaziantep today.

Gaziantep cuisine is our universal asset, conveying to the present day traces of the civilizations which prevailed in this land through the centuries. Preparation of the dishes and desserts is taught with the meticulous care of a grandmother passing a legacy to her grandchild. Gaziantep’s savoury and sweet dishes have achieved fame and are in demand due to their scrupulously chosen raw materials, the skill employed in their preparation and cooking; and the spices, pastes, sauces and mixtures imparting various flavours. There are over 400 Gaziantep dishes, cooked all kinds of ways including boiled, grilled, pan-fried, braised, stewed and baked.

Gaziantep won a 2015 European Destinations of Excellence (EDEN) Award under the theme “Tourism and Local Gastronomy”. On 11. 12. 2015, Gaziantep also earned its deserved place in world cuisine by becoming a member of UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network in the gastronomy field. The network is currently comprised of 116 member cities.