Create allergy card
← Back to the cuisine atlas

A FOOD TRADITION

Central Anatolian Cuisine

Central Anatolian cuisine developed across the dry plateau and historic caravan routes, where wheat, bulgur, legumes, lamb, mutton, dairy, and dried vegetables are foundational. Cooking favors baking in stone or clay ovens, griddle work, slow simmering, stuffing, and the careful use of preserved ingredients through cold winters. Konya, Kayseri, Ankara, and neighboring areas contribute related but recognizable repertoires. Examples include etli ekmek, mantI in the Kayseri tradition, and arabaSi corbasi. Flatbreads, tarhana, keskek, and grain-based pilafs also show the region's connection to pastoral life, agricultural storage, and Seljuk and Ottoman culinary histories.

ONE DISH, DIFFERENT PLACES

How the dish changes by place.

Compare regional styles of dishes linked to this cuisine: the city or region, the local name and what changes in the bowl or on the plate. These are food traditions; individual cooks have their own versions.

Regional comparisons are still being added.

We haven’t documented local versions for this cuisine yet. Explore its dishes while this section grows.

Explore the dishes →

Catalogue preview Cuisine connections may be unreviewed. Regional comparisons include their food references and do not establish the ingredients of a particular meal.