Ranked by TableJourney editorial score.
Unmarinated lamb tenderloin, cut into small cubes and grilled fast over charcoal with nothing but salt. It is the most expensive kebab in Gaziantep because there is very little of it per animal.
Küşleme is Gaziantep's status kebab. It uses only the tenderloin, so a whole lamb yields a couple of portions and the daily allocation runs out well before closing time. No marinade is used, because the point is the meat: the cubes are threaded tight, salted and grilled over hot charcoal for a few minutes only. Kebapçı Halil Usta and Küşlemeci Mehmet Usta both built single-dish businesses on it, and both shut once the day's supply is gone. It is served with grilled peppers, flatbread and yayık ayran, the churned buttermilk drink that cuts the fat.
4 editor picks for Küşleme in Gaziantep, ranked by editorial score. All Gaziantep signature dishes · Küşleme across every city.
Kebapçı Halil Usta grills küşleme over charcoal in Şehitkamil, and the Gaziantep lunch crowd empties the tenderloin allocation most days by 15:00.
OrderKüşleme, the unmarinated lamb tenderloin grilled over charcoal.
TipClosed Sundays and shuts mid-evening. Book the terrace if you want the cooler upstairs tables in summer.
Çulcuoğlu Et Lokantası sits at the exit of the coppersmiths' bazaar in Gaziantep, opposite the Suriye Pasajı, and the family has run it since the 1920s.
OrderPatlıcan kebabı with firik pilav, the smoked green-wheat rice.
TipThere is often no printed menu. Ask what the grill has and let the waiter build the order for you.
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.
Bayazhan pours rakı and grills küşleme inside a Silk Road caravanserai on Atatürk Bulvarı, one of the few licensed rooms in central Gaziantep.
OrderKüşleme, which the kitchen portions in limited numbers each night.
TipThe upstairs meyhane runs live fasıl music. Reserve the küşleme when you book, it sells out.
Küşleme makes more sense with someone from Gaziantep explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
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.
