The Atatürk Bulvarı corridor between the old city and the new one, where küşleme grills, mantı rooms and late beyran counters sit side by side.
Küşlemeci Mehmet Usta grills nothing but lamb tenderloin on Kemal Köker Caddesi in Gaziantep, and the founder's son now works the charcoal himself.
OrderKüşleme with a glass of churned yayık ayran to cut the fat.
TipPortions are small because the cut is small. Order two if you have walked the bazaar all morning.
Evirgeç Mantı Evi cooks the home food of Gaziantep on Atatürk Bulvarı, from hand-pinched mantı to yuvalama and pirpirim, with vegetarian plates too.
OrderAntep mantı under garlic yoghurt and paprika butter.
TipAsk what the daily pot holds before ordering. The menu is longer than the kitchen actually cooks.
Sakıp Usta serves beyran and paça on Kemal Köker Caddesi in Gaziantep from 05:30 until the small hours, which covers both the dawn bowl and the late one.
OrderBeyran at midnight, when the second pot comes up.
TipThe kitchen runs from 05:30 to 02:00, so this is the one beyran counter that suits either end of the day.
Küşlemeci Mehmet Usta is a single-dish kitchen in Gaziantep, grilling lamb tenderloin over charcoal and serving it with churned yayık ayran.
OrderKüşleme, plus the yayık ayran that comes with it.
TipSmall portions, high price per gram. That is what the cut costs, not a tourist mark-up.
Evirgeç Mantı Evi is where Gaziantep eats the dishes people cook at home, a plain room on Atatürk Bulvarı built around mantı and stuffed köfte.
OrderMantı, then içli köfte from the daily tray.
TipPrices run higher than the room suggests. Check the daily board before ordering the full spread.
Sakıp Usta is the all-hours beyran and paça room of Gaziantep, a functional counter on Kemal Köker Caddesi that keeps serving past midnight.
OrderPaça soup and half a portion of beyran.
TipSoup portions are large. Order one beyran between two if you plan on kebab afterwards.
Baklavacı Zeki İnal is a family baklava workshop on Atatürk Bulvarı in Gaziantep that makes şöbiyet by hand and sells out most days by noon.
Worth the queueKaymaklı şöbiyet
TipClosed at weekends and often sold out by midday. Go on a weekday morning or do not bother.
Evirgeç Mantı Evi plates home cooking on Atatürk Bulvarı, and Gaziantep mantı with yoghurt is one of the cheaper sit-down meals in the centre.
TryAntep mantısı
TipCheck the daily board before ordering. The listed menu runs wider than the day's cooking.
Sakıp Usta keeps beyran and paça going past midnight on Kemal Köker Caddesi, which makes it the Gaziantep answer to a very late-night appetite.
TryBeyran and paça
TipIt is still serving at 02:00, and at 03:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.
Private tour · 5 hours
Discover Gaziantep’s history, art, and cuisine on a guided tour. Visit the Zeugma Mosaic Museum, taste local street food, and explore the city’s vibrant streets.
3 hours
Join a local family in Gaziantep for a traditional Antep cooking class. Learn how to prepare classic dishes, enjoy a warm welcome, and savor the flavors of Gaziantep.
Guided tour · 2 hours
Explore Gaziantep’s culinary delights and cultural heritage on a guided walking tour. Sample iconic dishes, visit traditional markets, and learn about the city’s rich history.