Ferhat Restaurant

Ferhat Restaurant sits in the Hatuniye Mahallesi quarter of Amasya's old town, within comfortable walking distance of the Yalıboyu Ottoman house row and the riverside promenade. The name evokes the legendary stonemason Ferhat, whose love story — set in the very mountains surrounding Amasya — is one of the best-known folk tales of the Pontic region; a nod to local cultural identity runs through the décor in the form of small framed prints and carved stone motifs. The kitchen's strengths lie in cold meze and grilled meats: bakla dolması (stuffed broad bean pods with herbed rice), patlıcan salatası, cacık, and şakşuka provide the table's foundation before the grill delivers izgara köfte — hand-shaped, lightly seasoned beef-and-lamb patties — and occasionally whole fish when the catch permits. Patlıcan kızartması (fried aubergine salad) is reliably available and among the better versions in the old town. The restaurant is designed for a slow sit: the kitchen moves at a deliberate pace, and there is no pressure to vacate tables quickly. The interior is simply furnished with wooden chairs and plain walls; small tables are arranged to allow conversation without intrusion from neighbouring diners. In fair weather, two or three tables appear on the pavement outside, facing the quiet residential street. Prices run to ₺200–450 per person for a full spread. No alcohol is served. Reservations are not taken; the pace and scale of the restaurant mean that waits at peak hours are short.