What to Eat in Nevşehir?

Nestled in the heart of Cappadocia, Nevşehir captivates not only with its fairytale-like fairy chimneys and underground cities, but also with its regional flavors. Here, tables combine the warmth of the tandoor oven, the fragrance of the stone oven, and the abundance of Anatolia. From testi kebab to chickpea stew, from herbed gözleme (a type of flatbread) to Nevşehir mantı (a type of ravioli), every bite invites you into the story of a centuries-old cuisine.

Coming to Nevşehir to experience this delicious discovery is quite easy. With just a few clicks on Bilet.com, you can purchase a flight or bus ticket to Nevşehir and quickly find yourself immersed in these unique flavors. If you're ready, let's explore the must-try local dishes in Nevşehir together!

What to Eat in Nevşehir List

As you browse the flavors listed below, you'll discover both their cultural connections and where they can be enjoyed today. If you're ready, let's explore all the famous local dishes and desserts!

Jug Kebab

When you think of Nevşehir, the first delicacy that comes to mind is undoubtedly Testi Kebabı. This dish, especially popular in Avanos, is prepared in the region's famous clay jugs. Lamb or beef is placed inside the jug along with tomatoes, peppers, onions, and garlic, covered with dough, and cooked in a wood-fired oven for approximately two hours.

The presentation is the most enjoyable part of the meal: the pot is broken when brought to the table, and the delicious meat and vegetable mixture inside is served. This traditional method reflects both the pottery tradition and the culture of slow cooking.

• Where to eat?

Pumpkin Seed Noodles

One of the most distinctive flavors of Nevşehir cuisine, pumpkin seed noodles is a local dish made with the region's famous pumpkin seeds. The dough is kneaded with flour, eggs, and salt, thinly sliced, and shaped into noodles. After boiling, it's combined with roasted pumpkin seeds and butter.

This simple yet satisfying dish is a staple on Cappadocian tables. It's usually homemade, but you can also find it in some local restaurants. It's especially popular in the local restaurants around Ürgüp and Avanos, where you can enjoy it in its home-style form.
When served with plain yoghurt or salad, it best reflects the natural flavour of Nevşehir cuisine.

• Where to Eat?
  Millocal Restaurant (Uçhisar, Nevşehir): One of Cappadocia's most famous restaurants, Millocal offers pumpkin seed noodles on its menu. The restaurant is notable for its unique view as well as its extensive menu.

Pot Beans

A traditional dish from Nevşehir, pot beans are prepared by cooking beans with meat and tomato paste in a clay pot for a long time. This method, derived from the famous pottery of Avanos, gives the dish a mild, earthy flavor.

Slowly cooked in a wood-fired oven, the beans are blended with meat juices and tomato paste to reach their perfect consistency. It's usually served with yufka (a type of flatbread), pickles, or onions.
To taste this local dish, simply ask for "baked beans in a pot" at traditional restaurants in the center of Ürgüp and Nevşehir.

• Where to Eat?

Knot Soup

A beloved dish of Nevşehir cuisine, düğü soup is made by cooking small pieces of fine bulgur with yogurt, butter, and spices. Its light yet filling texture warms the table, especially on cold days, and reflects the simplicity of the local cuisine.

It's typically prepared by boiling bulgur and combining it with a buttery sauce. Its flavor is enhanced when served with plain bread or pickles. In Nevşehir, you can find this soup at local restaurants or made at home under the name "düğü soup."

• Where to Eat?

Apricot Soup

Apricot soup, a unique flavor of Nevşehir, is made by boiling dried apricots and sweetening them with sugar and starch. With its slightly sweet and fruity flavor, it's a popular choice both as a starter and as a dessert.

It's often served in local restaurants, and fresh or high-quality dried apricots are used to preserve the apricot's natural flavor. In Nevşehir, simply order "apricot soup" to experience this delicious dish.

• Where to Eat?

Dry Cream

One of Nevşehir's traditional delicacies, kuru kaymak (dry cream), is made by boiling milk and cream for a long time, then evaporating the water. With its thick consistency and slightly sweet flavor, it's an essential addition to desserts and breakfasts. It's often served at local patisseries or breakfast tables.

• Where to Eat?

Köftür

A traditional dish of Nevşehir cuisine, kofta is made by kneading and shaping small pieces of meat with bulgur and various spices. The prepared kofta is sometimes baked in the oven, sometimes cooked on a sheet pan or in a pan; the cooking method influences both the flavor and texture of the dish.

Köftür, with its filling and nutritious texture, is especially popular as a main course. Its flavor is even more pronounced when served with yogurt, salad, or yufka (a type of flatbread). In Nevşehir, köftür is a must-try dish found in local restaurants and village kitchens for those seeking to experience the region's authentic flavors.

• Where to Eat?
  Tık Tık Kadın Emeği – Ürgüp: Located in Ürgüp, Tık Tık Kadın Emeği is a restaurant known for its local cuisine. Serving traditional dishes like köfte (meatballs), this restaurant stands out for its welcoming atmosphere.

Chickpea Stew

Chickpea stew, a popular dish in Nevşehir cuisine, is prepared by cooking meat and chickpeas together. The meat, usually lamb or beef, is cut into small pieces and sautéed with ingredients like onions, tomatoes, and peppers. It's then mixed into the chickpeas and cooked slowly, allowing the meat's flavor to fully infuse into the chickpeas.

Yahni is known as a filling and nutritious dish. It's usually served in earthenware pots or slow-cooked, and can be complemented with yufka (a type of flatbread), rice, or pickles. You can easily try chickpea stew at local restaurants and village kitchens in Nevşehir.

• Where to Eat?
  Happena Cappadocia – Göreme: Located in Göreme, Happena Cappadocia is a restaurant serving local cuisine with a modern twist. Its menu features traditional dishes like chickpea stew. Visitors praise the atmosphere and delicious food.

Milk Soup

Milk soup, one of the classic and beloved soups of Nevşehir cuisine, is known for being both light and nutritious. Its basic ingredients are milk, flour, and butter; some recipes also add rice or fine bulgur. During the preparation process, the ingredients are slowly brought to a boil, then the butter is melted and added to the soup, ensuring a smooth and creamy consistency.

To enhance the flavor of milk soup, you can add mint, red pepper flakes, or a yogurt sauce. It's often enjoyed for breakfast or lunch, adding both warmth and filling flavor to any table. In Nevşehir, you can enjoy this soup at local restaurants, village kitchens, or homemade; its flavor is particularly pronounced when fresh milk is used.

• Where to Drink?

Dolaze

Dolaz, a traditional dish of Nevşehir cuisine, is typically prepared with meat, bulgur, and local spices. The meat is cut into small pieces and roasted, then mixed with bulgur and chopped vegetables. This cooking method allows the flavors of the ingredients to blend together and creates a satisfying flavor.

Dolaz is typically cooked in a clay pot or pot and served hot. Its flavor is enhanced when served with yogurt or salad. You can always find this delicacy in local restaurants and village kitchens in Nevşehir.

• Where to Eat?

Stuffed Quince

Stuffed quinces, a regional dessert from Nevşehir cuisine, are prepared by hollowing out ripe quinces and stuffing them with walnuts, sugar, rice, and cinnamon. The dolmas are sweetened with sugar syrup or molasses and slowly baked in the oven, making the quinces both soft and rich in flavor.

Stuffed quinces, a dessert served especially during the winter months, are often served with clotted cream or walnuts. You can enjoy this dessert at local restaurants in Nevşehir or homemade, experiencing its unique flavor, prepared with the natural aroma of quinces.

• Where to Eat?

Gendime

Gendirme, a traditional dish of Nevşehir cuisine, is a dough dish typically prepared with meat, flour, and local spices. The dough is rolled out thinly, cut into small pieces, and cooked with meat or vegetables; sometimes chickpeas or lentils are added for added filling.

Gendirme is prepared and served hot, especially in local restaurants or village kitchens. Its flavor is even more pronounced when served with a yogurt or butter sauce.

• Where to Eat?

Zerde / Rice with Zerde

Zerde, a traditional dessert from Nevşehir cuisine, is prepared with rice, water, sugar, and saffron. A pleasantly colored and lightly flavored dessert, it's often served sprinkled with cinnamon, walnuts, pistachios, or pomegranate seeds. It's a popular dessert, as well as a staple on special occasions and invitations.

Zerdeli pilaf is prepared with similar ingredients, but the addition of dried fruits and spices gives it a slightly sweet flavor. These delicacies, available in both dessert and pilaf forms, are readily available in Nevşehir's local restaurants and homemade versions.

• Where to Eat?

Divil

Divil, a distinctive dish of Nevşehir cuisine, is typically prepared with boiled meat, bulgur, and various vegetables. The meat is cut into small pieces, mixed with vegetables and spices, and cooked slowly over a low heat, allowing the flavors of both the meat and bulgur to blend seamlessly.

Divıl is a filling and nutritious dish, especially popular as a main course. It's typically served hot, and its flavor is enhanced when served with yogurt or fresh salad. You can try it at local restaurants or village kitchens in Nevşehir.

• Where to Eat?

Agpakla

Ağpakla, a regional dish of Nevşehir cuisine, is prepared by cooking beans and meat in earthenware pots for a long time. The beans are pre-soaked, the meat is chopped into small pieces, and placed in the pot with ingredients like onions, peppers, and tomatoes. Slowly cooked over a wood fire, the dish fully absorbs the flavors of both the meat and beans.

Ağpakla, with its filling and nutritious texture, is a staple dish on the table. It's typically served with yufka (a type of flatbread), pickles, or yogurt. You can find it at local restaurants and village kitchens in Nevşehir.

• Where to Eat?

Nevşehir Pan

Nevşehir Tavası, one of the most well-known dishes of Nevşehir cuisine, is prepared by slowly cooking lamb or beef with vegetables and spices. The meat is diced, mixed with onions, peppers, tomatoes, and local spices, and then cooked over low heat in a pot or clay pot. This method ensures that the meat's juices and flavors are fully infused into the dish.

Nevşehir Tava is known as a hearty and flavorful dish. It's usually served hot and complemented with pilaf or yufka (a type of flatbread). You can easily find this dish in local restaurants or village kitchens to experience the authentic flavors of Nevşehir.

• Where to Eat?

Onion

A traditional dish of Nevşehir cuisine, onion stew is prepared by sautéing finely chopped onions with meat and spices. Sometimes meat, potatoes, or vegetables are added to enhance the filling aspect of the dish. Slowly cooking onion stew infuses the flavors of both the onions and the meat.

This dish, usually served hot, can be enjoyed at local restaurants or village kitchens in Nevşehir. Its flavor is even more pronounced when served with yufka (a type of flatbread) or rice.

• Where to Eat?

Sızgıt

A distinctive dish of Nevşehir cuisine, sızgıt is typically prepared with a blend of meat, onions, and local spices. The meat is cut into small pieces and sautéed with the onions, allowing the meat's flavor to infuse into the onion's aroma. sızgıt is known as a filling and nutritious dish and is usually served hot.

• Where to Eat?

Apple Tea

Apple tea, a regional beverage characteristic of Nevşehir cuisine, stands out due to the region's rich apple production. It's prepared by boiling dried or fresh apples and enriched with spices like cinnamon, cloves, or black pepper. This tea is known for its delicious flavor and digestive properties.

Apple tea, a staple on the Cappadocia table, especially during the winter months, is considered a symbol of local hospitality. The natural aroma of the apple, combined with the warmth of the spices, creates a refreshing and energizing beverage experience.

• Where to Eat?

Semolina Dessert

Semolina dessert, a traditional dessert from Nevşehir cuisine, is made with semolina, milk, sugar, and butter. Nuts such as walnuts, hazelnuts, or almonds are sometimes added. After cooking, it's sweetened with syrup and served chilled.

This light yet filling dessert is especially popular after a meal. Frequently made in homes and local patisseries in Cappadocia and Nevşehir, semolina dessert exemplifies the region's simplicity and natural flavors.

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