Cigerci Memet Usta (Tarihi Buyuksaat Cigercisi)

Cigerci Memet Usta, also known as Tarihi Buyuksaat Cigercisi (the historic clock tower liver-grill), is a no-frills ciger institution in the Sariyakup district of Seyhan, Adana, a short walk from the Buyuk Saat – the city's landmark clock tower. The setting in one of Adana's oldest neighbourhoods, surrounded by bazaar lanes and the historic streetscape near the clock tower, gives the restaurant an atmospheric context that the deliberately functional dining room itself does not provide. The kitchen produces ciger sis in the traditional form: young-lamb liver pieces grilled over charcoal with intervals of tail fat, served with arpacik sogan (small pickled onions), acili ezme and lavas. The accompaniments are kept to the essentials – fresh onion, spicy paste, flatbread – in keeping with the rustic, unpretentious character of the place. As a long-standing local breakfast-to-lunch favourite, Memet Usta's appeal is rooted in consistency and authenticity rather than any modern refinement; the format has changed little over the years, and regulars return precisely for that. The price point is the most accessible of Adana's ciger specialists, with portions running roughly TRY 300-450, reflecting both the straightforward format and the historical Sariyakup location away from the tourist-restaurant strips. It closes by early evening, operating within the natural hours of a traditional liver-grill. For travellers exploring the historic centre of Adana and the area around the clock tower, a stop at Memet Usta provides an authentic taste of the morning ciger tradition in a setting that doubles as a window into the older fabric of the city.