A blend of traditional Ottoman flavors from Central Asia mixed with Middle Eastern notes creates the modern Turkish dish. Garlicky hummus, shish kebab, and algae-rich cooking are just a few of the best Turkish dishes you’ll find in your NYC backyard. These top ten restaurants not only pack a fragrant punch, but you can savor the flavors of Turkey without booking an expensive plane ticket.

Turkish cuisine

Prepare to bathe in the vibrant shade of red as you set foot in Turkish cuisine. The beautiful décor puts customers on a course to explore traditional Turkish cuisine. Customer favorites include staples: fresh chickpeas and baba ghanoush (mashed eggplant mixed with onions, olive oil and a variety of spices). Be sure to order the falafel or the Iskender kebab (roasted lamb slathered in a rich tomato sauce served over pita bread) for dinner, and finish the meal with baklava or queskol, a rich almond pudding made with milk.

Turkish Kitchen، Third Avenue، New York، NY، USA، +1 212 679 1810

Turkish Agora Restaurant

Serve warm, crusty bread with olive oil and crushed olive mixture as soon as you arrive at the Agora Turkish Restaurant. And for a full Turkish cuisine experience, order the mixed grilled kebab. This delicious combination serves lamb shish, lamb meatballs, chicken shish and Adana chicken kebab (ground chicken with spices, grilled to perfection). Served with onion salad and traditional rice pilaf eggs. Also, be sure to bring your favorite bottle of wine, as the restaurant has a BYOB policy.

Agora Turkish Restaurant, 2nd Street, New York, NY, USA, +1 212 717 1220

This popular restaurant tends to get very crowded on the weekends, so be sure to arrive early. Set in a bistro environment, Sip Sak serves a variety of traditional Turkish dishes, ranging from delicious shish kebab to moussaka eggplant. Try the Shepherd’s Salad with Feta Cheese to start your meal. The restaurant also features a large full bar with both red and white wines.

Uskudar Turkish Restaurant

Named after a neighborhood in Istanbul, Uskudar is a small restaurant that has been a huge hit with Upper East Side families. Choice of appetizers includes favorites like hummus and ezme, tomato salad and chili. The Hunkar Begendi dish is particularly delicious, consisting of lamb chops in homemade tomato sauce and fresh herbs served over mashed eggplant. Dinner dishes are also easy on your wallet. So Uskudar is a must.

Pasha Restaurant

Serving the Upper West Side for many years, Pasha knows how to make guests feel welcome and comfortable. Compressed between the bar and the dining area is a lounge space with brightly colored tribal chairs, making for an elegant ambiance. Vibrant red walls, candles, and a festive plate make this restaurant a great choice for a night out. For manti, a dish consisting of tender lamb dumplings served with a yoghurt sauce. A favorite is the yoghurtlo kebab, a dish of lamb and yogurt topped with a rich tomato sauce and served with hot pita bread.

Baba Kebab

Located in the heart of Chelsea, Papa Kebab is inspired by Turkish and Persian cuisine. For starters, try the cold meze combo. Order the red lentil soup, a spicy mix of red lentils, carrots, mint, onions and red peppers. For dinner, be sure to try the Adana chicken kebab, served with house salad or bulgur-egg rice. Also, ask to sit in the restaurant’s small dining area outside if you want to catch a breeze on a sunny New York City day.

Papa Kebab، 361 West 17th Street، New York، NY، USA، +1 646 998 4597

Located on the Upper East Side, this bright café is known for its many mouth-watering meze dishes. Turkish mezze is similar to Spanish tapas: both are small dishes full of flavour. If you are feeling adventurous, try Ahtapot Salatasi. This meze dish features charcoal grilled octopus marinated in lemon, vinegar, and fresh olive oil. Hot and cold meze dishes are very reasonably priced.

Beyoglu 1431 3rd Avenue New York ، NY USA ، +1 212 650 0850

turquoise

Located on the Upper West Side, Turkuaz has been serving up a fusion of traditional Turkish cuisine infused with familiar Mediterranean flavors to its customers since it opened its doors in the fall of 2000. Try the zucchini pancakes with a yoghurt-dipped sauce as a hot appetizer. Another one to try is shepherd’s salad, cucumbers, tomatoes, green peppers, and red onions mixed with fresh parsley and extra virgin olive oil. Are you looking for some entertainment? Drape around the belly dance performances, which are performed on Friday and Saturday evenings, starting at 9:30 p.m.

Turkuaz ، 2637 Broadway ، New York ، NY ، USA ، +1 212 665 9541

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ABA Turkish Restaurant

The moment you enter the ABA Restaurant, you are transported to the city of Istanbul. All the furnishings in the restaurant are imported from Turkey, providing customers with great food with an authentic feel. Be sure to try the stuffed grape leaves for a cold appetizer, along with cacik (yogurt and cucumber dip similar to Greek tzatziki). Dinner shows are served Monday through Thursday from 4:00 to 7:00 pm, and the restaurant prides itself on its desserts: bread is shipped directly from Turkey and other desserts are made by hand in-house.

ABA Turkish Restaurant، 325 West 57th Street، New York، NY، USA، +1 212 655 9368

You are gone

Taci’s Beyti is a family run restaurant with nothing warm and cosy. Try the eggplant dish with a spicy tomato sauce for cold appetizers, then transition to a freshly served salad with a light lemon dressing. The restaurant also serves a variety of shish kebabs and Adana dishes served with yoghurt sauce and warm toast. For dessert try the kazandebi, a fried milk pudding served with a hint of cinnamon.

Taci’s Beyti 1955 Coney Island Avenue Brooklyn ، NY USA ، +1 718 627 5750