Long celebrated for its surreal fairy chimneys, sunrise hot-air balloon rides, cave hotels, and vast underground cities that once sheltered early Christians, Cappadocia continues to enchant visitors from across Europe, North America, and the Far East. In 2024, the region welcomed over 4.37 million visitors to its museums and archaeological sites, while a record 933,000 travellers soared above its landscape in hot air balloons.

Dining in Cappadocia combines spectacle with flavour. One of the region's signature dishes, testi kebabı, is a hearty stew of meat and vegetables slow-cooked inside a sealed clay pot. Served with a dramatic tableside presentation, the pot is cracked open to release a burst of fragrant steam — a ritual that has become viral  on social media  and a highlight for visitors experiencing it in person. Other regional staples include tender meats from traditional tandır ovens and Kayseri mantı—famously tiny dumplings, so delicate that 40 can fit on a single spoon, served with yoghurt and spiced butter.

Local soups are also beloved, from Ürgüp tarhanası—a tangy blend of yoghurt, cracked wheat, and chickpeas—to smoky tandır çorbası. For deeper explorations, travellers can savour kayısı yahnisi (dried apricots paired with meat), zerdeli pilav (rice with grape molasses, almonds, and raisins), stuffed quince, or ağpakla, a hearty white bean and meat stew cooked in clay.

Dessert lovers are equally spoiled for choice. Highlights include incir yağlaması (figs cooked in butter), pumpkin dessert, köftür (a grape-based Turkish delight), kuru kaymak (dried clotted cream with organic honey), and dolaz, a flour halva with butter.

Of course, no Turkish feast would be complete without baklava—and in Cappadocia, Damat Baklava, the local Ürgüp-style variation, is as unforgettable as the landscape itself.

Cappadocia Wines A Tradition Since the Early Christian Monks

From fairy chimneys to clay-pot kebabs, Cappadocia never stops surprising. One more revelation awaits: its exceptional wines. Winemaking here dates back centuries to the early Christian monks who once inhabited the underground cities and cave churches.

Thanks to abundant sunshine and fertile volcanic soil, Cappadocia produces outstanding local varietals such as Öküzgözü, Kalecik Karası, Boğazkere, and Narince, alongside its most celebrated grape: a crisp, mineral-driven white unique to the region.