Cappadocia Food & Wine
Cappadocia is more than balloons and fairy chimneys — it is one of Turkey’s oldest wine regions, with cellars carved into volcanic rock at Ürgüp and Göreme, cave restaurants serving the slow-cooked testi kebabı (pottery kebab), and Anatolian home cooking. This is our Cappadocia food and wine hub. Browse the experiences below and read our notes on what to eat and drink.
Top food and wine experiences in Cappadocia
What to do: tour and taste at the historic Cappadocia wineries (Turasan, Kocabağ) around Ürgüp; eat testi kebabı — meat and vegetables slow-cooked in a sealed clay pot then cracked open at the table — in a cave restaurant; and try Anatolian mezes and manti.
What to drink: reds and whites from native grapes such as Öküzgözü, Boğazkere, Kalecik Karası, Emir and Narince, grown in volcanic soil.
Read next: What to Eat in Cappadocia and our Cappadocia Wine Guide.
Turkey’s cave-country wine region
Long before the hot-air balloons, Cappadocia was wine country — the porous volcanic tuff that makes the fairy chimneys also makes good vineyard soil, and locals have carved cellars into the rock for centuries. Around Ürgüp and Göreme you can tour working wineries such as Turasan and Kocabağ and taste wines from indigenous grapes — the inky reds Öküzgözü and Boğazkere, the lighter Kalecik Karası, and whites from Emir and Narince.
What to eat
The dish to seek out is testi kebabı (pottery kebab) — lamb or beef with vegetables slow-cooked in a sealed clay pot that is cracked open at your table. It pairs perfectly with the local reds. Beyond it, Cappadocian tables lean Anatolian and home-style: mantı (tiny dumplings under garlicky yoghurt, said to have Central-Asian roots), stuffed vine leaves and peppers, gözleme, apricots and walnuts from the valleys, and pekmez (grape molasses). Many cave restaurants combine the food, the wine and the setting in one memorable meal.
FAQ about Cappadocia Food & Wine
Frequently asked questions
Does Cappadocia have wineries you can visit?
Yes — Cappadocia is one of Turkey's oldest wine regions. Around Ürgüp and Göreme you can tour and taste at cellars such as Turasan and Kocabağ, made from indigenous grapes grown in volcanic soil.
What food is Cappadocia known for?
Testi kebabı (pottery kebab) — meat and vegetables slow-cooked in a sealed clay pot cracked open at the table — plus manti, stuffed vegetables, gözleme, and local apricots and walnuts, often eaten in cave restaurants.
What wine does Cappadocia make?
Reds from native Öküzgözü, Boğazkere and Kalecik Karası, and whites from Emir and Narince. The volcanic tuff soil and high altitude give the region its distinctive character.
Can you combine a Cappadocia wine tour with other sights?
Yes — winery visits and cave dinners pair naturally with the valley walks, Göreme open-air museum and balloon rides that fill a Cappadocia day.