There are some great restaurants in Kaş. And good Turkish Cuisine can often be one of the lasting memories of a good holiday. Many Kaş restaurants have great views from their terraces, and they make for great places to enjoy a drink while watching the sunset.
The lights of the Greek island Meis at night and the sight of the marina are worth catching from the terrace of a Kaş restaurant.
Check out our Kaş Restaurant Guide below for a brief guide on the types of food and cuisine available in Kaş and some suggestions for the best places in town to to try them for yourself. There is nothing more enjoyable after a long day of shopping than sitting down for a good meal with friends. The WHL guide to Restaurants in Turkey provides some great food and cuisine details to help you find the best restaurants and cuisine across the country.
Food & Cuisine in Kaş
Kaş has a rich variety of Turkish cuisine which is influenced by Arabic, Caucasian and Mediterranean cuisines. The most commonly used vegetables are eggplant (aubergine), tomato, beans, cucumber, onion, garlic and various lentils. Beef is the most commonly used meat. Lamb is also commonly found but pork is hard to find although its use in cooking is not illegal. A lot of spices are also used in Turkish cooking. The staple food is rice (pilav), bread and bulgur wheat. Food is cooked in vegetable oil and sometimes in butter.
Eating out in Kaş is fabulous and fun!
A typical full Turkish meal at a Kebab restaurant begins with a soup. It is usually a lentil soup called mercimek cobrasi, followed by meze, which is basically one or several appetisers made of cheese, olives, pickles, and other small dishes. Meze can be a full meal by itself, especially if it is taken with raki (distilled grape spirits). The main course is meat. Turkey's best culinary export to the world is the kebab, which is grilled meat served in various forms. This includes the döner kebap, (rotating kebab) which is meat shaved from a giant rotating spit. The shish kebab is also extremely popular and is basically skewered meat. The köfte or meat ball is also an interesting culinary invention.
You might want to try a pide or pizza house, which is frequently just the place for a reasonably priced lunch in a bustling atmosphere. Pide, also known as Turkish pizza, is a staple Turkish food. Pide along with a beer for two will cost you about 15 Euros.
Tea in Turkey
Another unique place worth visiting is the municipal tea garden, close to the harbour and behind the row of cafes in the town square (meydan). This is a nice shady place to relax and sip a glass of çay (pronounced "chi" or tea in English) and watch the world go by. While the locals prefer the dark tea of the Black Sea region, apple tea (elma çay) is also available, which is made mainly for the tourists. Turkish tea is strong tasting and highly flavoured, which is why it is served only in small quantities in tulip shaped glasses. It is served with cubed sugar. If you want milk or lemon you have to ask for it. If you find it too strong then you may need to add water or ask for "açik çay" (achik or weak tea) to lower the strength to your liking.
Traditionally, Turkish tea is brewed in a samovar, which is a small pot containing very strong tea, and is kept on top of a larger vessel containing boiling water. You can pour a little in small tulip glasses and then dilute it with boiling water. However, Turkish tea is also available in tea bags now. Natural apple (elma) çay can be purchased in several herb houses in Kaş. There are a great number of coffee and tea houses in all cities of Turkey, where you can sit and relax with your favourite cup of beverage and enjoy the ambiance.
Music and Nightlife in Kaş
Music bars are the hot spots of the active nightlife in Kaş. The classic old rock and dance and drink place is the Red Point Cafe & Bar owned by Tefvik Serin, born and raised in Kaş. Tevfik is one of the main reasons to visit Red Point Cafe & Bar but then if you like to drink, drink and talk or drink and dance, this is the place to be until the way wee hours of the morning.
Another of the more popular places you can go to is the Hideaway Cafe & Bar. Access is through a small doorway which faces the harbour. The special thing about this place is that though it is enclosed it is still an open air bar set in a beautiful courtyard under trees. The décor is simple yet comfortable. Unlike other bars in Kaş which play music of the 70s and 80s, R 'n' Bs, garage and house, the Hideaway Cafe & Bar plays classic rock and blues music of the 60s and 70s. You need to visit Hideaway Cafe & Bar to fully appreciate the range of music and garden ambience.
Mavi bar is another favorite place in the city square (meydan) next to the Atatürk statue. Consistently commented upon by tourists and locals alike is Mavi bar's ability to combine a "sit and watch" crowd with the "let's get up and dance" groups. Usually open very late and because of its location, easy to find.
