Adana is where a national dish was born, and the best way to understand the city is through its food. This guide covers what to order, how it is served and where locals eat. For a wider look at the city, see our Adana travel guide, and for regional context read the Turkish food guide.
Adana kebab: the real thing
Adana kebab (Adana kebabi) is made from lamb that is chopped by hand with tail fat, mixed with hot pepper and salt and pressed onto wide flat skewers. Grilled over charcoal, it comes to the table on a bed of lavash that soaks up the juices, with grilled tomato and green pepper, a pile of sliced onions with sumac and parsley, and often a chilli on the side. Elsewhere in Turkey, versions are made with minced meat from machines and dry spices. In Adana, cooks care about the fat ratio and the way the meat clings to the skewer.
Order it by the portion size (one or one and a half porsiyon) and expect lavash or flatbread, ayran or salgam and a small salad. Eat it with your hands, wrapped in bread.
Where locals eat
Names that regularly come up in local recommendations are Yuzevler Kebap, Kardesler Bolkepce Kebap, Kasri Kervan Kebap and Yesil Kapi Kebap. We could not confirm opening hours for all of them recently, so check hours on a map before you go. Kebab houses usually open for lunch and close by late evening, and some close on Sundays.
Other Adana dishes
- Cigerci (grilled liver). Cubes of lamb liver grilled over charcoal and served with onions, often at breakfast.
- Salgam. The sour purple carrot drink served with kebab, which cuts the richness of the meat.
- Bici bici. A summer street dessert of chilled starch pudding with rose syrup and shaved ice.
- Sirdan. Stuffed lamb intestine, a local taste that is worth trying if you are adventurous.
- Lahmacun and kebab-house starters. Thin flatbread topped with spiced meat, and small plates such as hummus and ezme salad.
- Citrus from the Cukurova plain. Orange and mandarin juice, especially in winter.
How to order
- Choose a place with a visible charcoal grill and a busy local crowd.
- Order kebab, salad and drink, and let the waiter bring the starters.
- Specify hot (aci) or mild (acisiz) if you care.
- Finish with tea, and if it is summer, bici bici.
Food tours and classes
Guided food walks in Adana are limited, but you can book a food-focused Adana tour that includes a kebab lunch alongside Anavarza or the old quarter. Combine your meals with sightseeing from our things to do in Adana page, and see the where to stay in Adana guide if you are planning a food weekend.
Pairing Adana with Gaziantep and Hatay
Adana is a natural first stop on a southern food route. Gaziantep, about two hours away, is a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, and Hatay adds the dishes of the Antakya table. Read our Gaziantep food guide to plan the next stop.