The best Turkish restaurants in Budapest

What is it? Pebbles is The Garden’s evening sister restaurant: a vegetarian Turkish bistro and natural wine bar in the city centre, where the vegetable-centric cuisine of Turkey’s Aegean coast is presented on contemporary, shareable plates.

Why we love it Merve Ilgım Deprem, founder of The Garden, has reimagined the flavours of family meals and childhoods spent around İzmir in this clean, contemporary restaurant. Natural wines are as important as the kitchen’s meat-free dishes, which embrace Turkish traditions while leaving plenty of room for experimentation.

Muhammara, a dip made with roast peppers, walnuts and pomegranate molasses, deconstructed manti or yağlama layered with spicy peas, all show how rich the vegetable-centric side of Turkish gastronomy can be. The candlelit space, reminiscent of the Aegean coast, and the sharp hospitality provide a light, intimate setting for a shared dinner.

Time Out tip: Ask the team for a natural wine recommendation – the wine list features bottles from Hungarian and other European wineries as well as Turkish items. If you prefer non-alcoholic drinks, try the seasonal kombucha.

Address: Paulay Ede utca 6, 1061 Budapest

Opening hours: Thur-Sat 6pm-11pm. Closed Sun-Wed

Expect to pay: Muhammara Ft 2,900 (€8), yağlama Ft 4,500 (€12.40), manti Ft 4,500 (€12.40)

What is it? A spacious Turkish restaurant in the Váci Greens office park in north Pest, where you can sample the rich cuisine of Anatolia, from breakfast pastries to charcoal-grilled kebabs.

Why we love it The office park location can be misleading. Boğaziçi is much more than a simple office lunch spot. They start the morning with freshly baked pastries, and later, along with meze, lahmacun and boat-shaped pide breads, they offer charcoal-grilled kebabs, grilled lamb dishes, and Turkish classics such as İskender kebab or the yoghurt-and-aubergine alinazik. The spacious restaurant and terrace overlooking the courtyard are a comfortable choice for business lunches, family dinners and larger groups.

Time Out tip: On your first visit, compose a small Turkish feast. Start with the muhammara dip made with walnuts and cheese, continue with the charcoal-grilled Adana kebab, and then finish the dinner with the künefe served with pistachios and goats’ milk ice cream. A glass of black Turkish tea alongside is the done thing.

Address: Váci Greens E building, Váci út 133, 1138 Budapest

Opening hours: Daily 8am-midnight (kitchen 9am-10pm)

Expect to pay: Muhammara Ft 2,800 (€7.70), Adana kebab Ft 7,600 (€21), künefe Ft 2,950 (€8.20)

What is it? A family-run Turkish-Azerbaijani bistro near the Great Market Hall, where the flavours of Anatolia and the South Caucasus meet.

Why we love it A rare bonus among Turkish restaurants in Budapest is that the menu of Bistro Dash also features Azerbaijani favourites. In addition to hand-rolled lahmacuns and freshly baked pide breads, there are hearty soups, grilled meats, slow-cooked lamb and traditional Azerbaijani dishes. The entire menu is halal. The cosy space, decorated with colourful pictures, and the swift service make it just as good for a quick lunch as for a leisurely dinner. They also offer a three-course lunch menu on weekdays.

Time Out tip: If you want a really hearty late breakfast, arrive at opening time. Breakfast is served from 11am every day. The large platter features cheese, sucuk sausage, tomatoes, cucumbers, black and green olives, tahini, Nutella, avocado spread and fried eggs – more of an early feast than a light start to the day.

Address: Vámház körút 10, 1053 Budapest

Opening hours: Daily 11am-10pm

Expect to pay: Turkish-Azerbaijani breakfast platter Ft 4,800 (€13.20), apple pancakes Ft 2,400 (€6.60), three-course weekday lunch menu Ft 5,200 (€14.30)

What is it? A spectacular, elegant Turkish restaurant near Parliament, showcasing the diverse cuisine of Anatolia, from hot and cold meze to charcoal-grilled meats.

Why we love it Türkiz brings the more leisurely, festive side of Turkish cuisine to the city centre. It’s worth ordering several courses and sharing them: after muhammara or stuffed vine leaves, you can have an oven-baked pide, spicy Adana kebab or oven-baked lamb shank; and the charcoal-grilled sea bass and prawn skewers offer a strong alternative for those who would rather head towards the sea. The interior, richly decorated with turquoise (türkiz in Hungarian) and gold details, the careful serving, theatricality appropriate to the occasion, make it clear –  this is not a place to come for a hurried lunch, but for a leisurely dinner.

Time Out tip: Are you celebrating a birthday or other special occasion? When booking, please note that the menu includes the Anatolian Fire, a dessert and fruit selection for two to six people, which comes with a festive serving and show elements. If you like to take the spotlight, this is your place.

Address: Nádor utca 36, 1051 Budapest

Opening hours: Daily noon-midnight

Expect to pay: Muhammara dip Ft 3,450 (€9.50), pide bread with kaşar cheese Ft 4,800 (€13.20), Adana kebab Ft 11,900 (€32.75)

What is it? A self-service Turkish restaurant near Margaret Bridge that has been operating for more than two decades, serving classic kebabs, freshly baked pide breads, charcoal-grilled kebabs and homemade ready-made meals, all at a fast pace and at friendly prices compared to the city centre.

Why we love it Few Budapest restaurants are as synonymous with Turkish cuisine as Szeráj. Many customers are just here for the kebabs, but it's worth looking beyond the rotating skewers: Adana and Urfa kebabs, lamb and chicken shish, freshly baked pide bread, red-lentil cream soup, and the salads and appetisers laid out at the counter are also worth a try. You can end the line with a portion of syrupy baklava. It feels like a self-service place, with canteen-like immediacy, and constant hustle and bustle.

Time Out tip: Szeráj is one of the most reliable late-night spots in Budapest, open until 4am on Fridays and Saturdays.

Address: Szent István körút 13, 1055 Budapest

Opening hours: Sun-Thur 10am-midnight, Fri-Sat 10am-4am

Expect to pay: Döner sandwich Ft 2,990 (€8.25), pide breads from Ft 3,190 (€8.75), kebab mix Ft 5,990 (€16.50)

What is it? A Turkish self-service restaurant, bakery and grill near Nyugati station, where the kebabs are cooked over charcoal and the meat dishes are exclusively halal.

Why we love it Titiz is different in character depending on when you arrive. In the morning, sesame Turkish pretzels, scones and cheese croissants line the counter, while later döners, dürüms and charcoal-grilled dishes take over. In addition to Adana kebabs, lamb ribs and skewered meats, you can also find lahmacuns, pide breads, homemade hot dishes and cold appetisers. The environment is simple and functional, but due to the wide selection and early-morning opening hours, it works just as well for a quick lunch as for a hearty late-night dinner.

Time Out tip: Don’t stop at döner – order a side of yoghurt-and-aubergine or a spicy dessert, and finish with pistachio baklava with a glass of black Turkish tea.

Address: Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út 60, 1054 Budapest

Opening hours: Daily 8am-2am

Expect to pay: Chicken döner platter Ft 1,500 (€4), Adana kebab Ft 3,000 (€8.25), pistachio baklava Ft 750 (€2)