The places in Gaziantep the guidebooks miss.
The places in Gaziantep the guidebooks miss. locals-only counters, after-hours rooms and the spots tourists walk past.
Kahveci Seddar Bey hides in the courtyard of a Gaziantep han rather than on a street front, which is why the two-colour dibek coffee stays a local secret.
Why locals goInside the Gümrük Han courtyard, closed Mondays but open the other six days, with two-colour dibek coffee ground by mallet at the counter.
TipClosed Mondays. Come before 19:00, when the han courtyard shuts for the day.
Havara Kitap Kafe is a women-run book cafe in Karagöz, Gaziantep, assembled from reclaimed material and stacked across several quiet levels.
Why locals goA women-run book cafe built from reclaimed material in Karagöz, several levels deep and almost never on a Gaziantep visitor list.
TipService is partly self-serve. Order at the counter rather than waiting to be found.
Yusuf Ziya makes burma kadayıf and nothing else from a han window on Suburcu Caddesi, a Gaziantep speciality the baklava salons treat as a sideline.
Why locals goA single-product window in a Suburcu Caddesi han making only burma kadayıf, which most Gaziantep baklava lists never mention.
TipMidday is when the trays come out warm. By evening the syrup has set firm.
Dayının Yeri in Değirmiçem still lists billuriye, a crystalline Gaziantep pastry that has quietly dropped off almost every other dessert menu.
Why locals goOne of the last Gaziantep counters still listing billuriye, and nothing sits pre-made on a tray waiting for customers.
TipClosed Sundays. Everything is made to order, so allow a wait if you arrive with a group.
Beyoğlu Katmercim stretches its katmer dough in front of the counter on Kozluca Caddesi, two streets from the famous Gaziantep names and their queues.
Why locals goA Kozluca Caddesi katmer counter working the dough in front of you, two streets from the famous names and a fraction of the queue.
TipAsk for a corner table so the katmer reaches you while the kaymak is still molten.
Muhsinzade grills for the traders of the Külekçi lanes in Gaziantep from six in the morning, and shuts long before the evening kebab crowd arrives.
Why locals goA charcoal counter down the Külekçi bazaar lanes that opens at six for the traders and closes at seven, so the evening kebab crowd never finds it.
TipThe owner will build the plate for you if you do not read Turkish.
İmamoğlu Baklava works out of one small room on Eski Saray Caddesi in Gaziantep, cutting thin trays for a neighbourhood trade rather than the tour buses.
Why locals goA tiny Eski Saray Caddesi shop cutting its trays thin and priced below the famous Gaziantep names, with no sign visitors would notice.
TipThere is nowhere to sit. Buy a quarter kilo and eat it on the walk home.
Ünsal Lokum ve Şekerleme is a Gaziantep confectioner's own trade counter on Altınoğlu Caddesi, selling the lokum and boiled sweets it makes itself.
Why locals goA confectioner's own trade counter on Altınoğlu Caddesi rather than a gift shop, selling the lokum and boiled sweets it manufactures itself.
TipPistachio lokum survives the flight home better than baklava. Ask for a box, not a bag.
Akınal Gar Restaurant serves meze inside the working railway station building in Gaziantep, a licensed room hiding behind the platform doors.
Why locals goA licensed meze room inside the working TCDD station building, which almost no Gaziantep food guide bothers to list.
TipAsk for the platform side. Trains still pass the windows through the evening.
Papirüs Cafe sits inside a restored Armenian mansion in Bey Mahallesi, and its vine-shaded courtyard is the quietest table in old Gaziantep.
Why locals goA restored Armenian mansion in Bey Mahallesi with a vine-covered courtyard that stays quiet through the whole morning.
TipCome before noon. By mid-afternoon the courtyard is full and the calm has gone.
Katmerci Murat is a family katmer counter on Atatürk Bulvarı in Gaziantep, cheaper and more generous with pistachio than the addresses on every list.
Why locals goA family katmer shop on Atatürk Bulvarı where the children work the counter and the pistachio is heavier than at the famous names.
TipAdd the şam tatlısı if you are ordering for more than two people.
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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.
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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.