Diyarbakır is the largest city in southeast Turkey, on the Tigris River, famous for its UNESCO-listed black basalt city walls and Hevsel Gardens, Ulu Cami, the caravanserai of Hasan Paşa Han and a rich Kurdish and Anatolian food culture. The old walled city of Sur is the heart of any visit.
Diyarbakır cooks the lamb-and-offal cuisine of the Tigris basin. Liver (ciğer) is a breakfast food, grilled over charcoal in the old-town lanes of Sur and eaten with raw onion, pepper and flatbread. The signature dish is kaburga dolması, a lamb rib cage stuffed with rice, mince, almonds and spices and slow-baked for hours. Other local dishes include meftune (a lamb stew), perde or duvaklı pilav (rice in a pastry wrap), içli köfte, mumbar dolması, keledoş soup, kadayıf and künefe, and cevizli pekmez. The city is also known for karpuz (watermelon) from the Tigris floodplain. Menengiç coffee, made from terebinth nuts, is served in the old hans.
Must-try dishes
Iconic dishes that define Diyarbakır.
Kaburga dolması
Lamb rib cage stuffed with rice, mince, almonds and spices, steamed and baked for several hours
Where to try: Kaburgacı Selim Amca, Hancı Et Restaurant, Fırın-ci
Price: TRY 700-1300 (~$14-27)
Ciğer (liver)
Charcoal-grilled lamb liver served with raw onion, pepper, isot and bread, a breakfast dish
Where to try: Ciğerci Remzi Usta, Ciğerci Xale Meheme, Dağkapı Ciğercisi, Umut Ciğercisi
Price: TRY 300-600 (~$6-12)
Lahmacun
Thin dough rounds with spiced minced meat, rolled with parsley and lemon
Where to try: Buket Lahmacun
Price: TRY 200-450 (~$4-9)
Künefe and kadayıf
Crisp shredded-pastry desserts soaked in syrup, künefe filled with cheese
Where to try: Kadayıfçı Hacı Seyid
Price: TRY 150-350 (~$3-7)
Diyarbakır breakfast
Cheeses, eggs, honey, preserves, olives and tea served as a table spread
Where to try: Mustafa'nın Kahvaltı Dünyası, Diyarbakırevi Kahvaltı & Cafe
Price: TRY 350-700 (~$7-14)
Meftune
A slow-cooked lamb and vegetable stew from the local home repertoire
Where to try: Traditional lokantas in Sur and Yenişehir; availability varies by day
Price: TRY 300-600 (~$6-12)
Perde pilavı
Rice with meat and almonds baked inside a pastry wrap, served at celebrations
Where to try: Traditional restaurants in Sur; often needs advance order
Price: TRY 300-600 (~$6-12)
Menengiç coffee
A creamy drink made from roasted terebinth nuts instead of coffee beans, served in the old hans such as Sülüklü Han
Where to try: Sülüklü Han and Hasan Paşa Hanı area, Sur
Price: TRY 80-200 (~$2-4)
Top restaurants
Handpicked picks for the best dining experiences.
Restaurants by cuisine
Browse picks grouped by cuisine type.
Künefe
Ocakbaşı Grill
Ocakbaşı Grill And Liver
Food tours & tastings in Diyarbakır
Eat your way through Diyarbakır with a guide.
Browse food experiences in DiyarbakırWe may earn a commission from bookings made through these links.
Street food
Local flavours at affordable prices.
Ciğer dürüm
Grilled liver rolled in lavaş for eating on the move
Find it at: Gazi Caddesi and Dağkapı, Sur
Simit
Sesame bread rings from street carts, a quick breakfast
Find it at: Gazi Caddesi and Dağkapı, Sur
Çiğ köfte
Spiced bulgur rolls wrapped in lettuce, sold at kiosks across the city
Find it at: Kiosks around Yenişehir and Kayapınar
Lahmacun
Quick lunch piece from lahmacun shops
Find it at: Buket Lahmacun, Peyas, Kayapınar, and shops in Sur
Food markets
Where locals shop and graze.
Sur bazaar, Gazi Caddesi
The walled-city shopping street between Dağkapı and the Ulu Cami, lined with liver grills, sweet shops, spice and pekmez stalls
Hours: Roughly daytime hours; not verified
Hasan Paşa Hanı
A restored caravanserai opposite the Ulu Cami with a breakfast courtyard and souvenir shops
Hours: Daytime; not verified
Dining etiquette & tips
Navigate the local food scene confidently.
Liver (ciğer) is a morning dish; many grills sell out or close by early afternoon
Lunch is the main meal; some lokantas finish their dishes by mid-afternoon
Kaburga dolması is cooked in batches over hours, so lunch is the safest time to find it
Carry cash in small notes for liver counters and sweet shops
Phone numbers and hours in this list come from published listings and may be out of date
During Ramadan many restaurants do not serve in daylight
- Vegetarian
- Limited. The cuisine is meat-centred, but breakfast spreads, lentil soup, salads, pastries and cheese dishes are available.
- Halal
- Meat is halal by default; alcohol is served only in a few licensed venues.
- Gluten free
- Difficult. Bread, bulgur and pastries are everywhere; plain grilled meat and salad are the safest choices.
Food budget guide
What to expect at different price points.
| Level | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | TRY 300-600 per person (~$6-12) | Liver breakfast, lahmacun or a simple lokanta meal |
| Mid-range | TRY 600-1300 per person (~$12-27) | Kaburga dolması or a sit-down kebab meal with salad and drinks |
| Upscale | TRY 1300-2000 per person (~$27-41) | Grill meal with starters and dessert in a historic house or larger restaurant |