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Dishes you should try in Ayaş: Ayaş Mantısı (baked Ayaş dumplings), Keşkek (wheat and meat dish) and Bazlama (griddle flatbread). This guide also covers the local products to buy and what Ayaş is famous for.

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Famous Dishes of Ayaş

  • Ayaş Mantısı (baked Ayaş dumplings)

    Ayaş's own mantı, small pieces of dough filled with minced meat, sealed and baked in an oven. Garlic yoghurt and a butter sauce are drizzled on top.

  • Keşkek (wheat and meat dish)

    Keşkek is prepared by boiling and pounding cracked wheat and meat for hours. In Ayaş it is the traditional dish for weddings and special occasions.

  • Bazlama (griddle flatbread)

    Bazlama, a flatbread cooked on a griddle, is one of the basic elements of Ayaş's rural cuisine. It is served with fresh butter and cheese.

Dishes from Ankara Cuisine

What to eat in Ankara →

These dishes are known throughout Ankara province; see the provincial food guide for details.

  • Ankara Tavası (Ankara oven-baked meat and rice)

    An old Ankara dish in which sautéed meat and vegetables are baked in the oven in meat stock with rice or vermicelli; at weddings, hıdrellez and mesire picnics it is eaten with cacık, pickles and hoşaf.

  • Ankara Simidi (Ankara sesame bread ring)

    An indispensable part of the Ankara breakfast.

  • Beypazarı Kurusu (Beypazarı dry biscuit)

    A biscuit baked in stone ovens from flour, milk, butter and yeast, which stays fresh for a year; it received a geographical indication on 14 May 2013.

  • Beypazarı Cevizli Tatlı Sucuk (walnut sweet sausage)

    A sweet with a geographical indication, made by dipping strings of walnut kernels in molasses dough and drying them.

  • Çubuk Turşusu (Çubuk pickles)

    The best-known pickle of Ankara breakfast tables and dinner tables.

What to Buy in Ayaş: Local Products

  • Ayaş Domatesi (Ayaş tomatoes) Ayaş Domatesi was registered as a protected designation of origin on 5 October 2022 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 1236). Product group: processed and unprocessed fruit and vegetables and mushrooms. Registered by: Ayaş Chamber of Agriculture.
  • Ayaş Dutu (Ayaş mulberries) Ayaş Dutu was registered as a protected designation of origin on 22 September 2021 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 900). Product group: processed and unprocessed fruit and vegetables and mushrooms. Registered by: Ayaş Chamber of Agriculture.

What Ayaş Is Famous For: Culture and Traditions

  • Spa Culture

    The tradition of thermal bathing, which has continued since the Roman period, is an integral part of Ayaş's identity. Thermal tourism is one of the district's most important cultural and economic assets.

  • Traditional Village Weddings

    At traditional weddings held in Ayaş and the surrounding villages, people dance the halay to the accompaniment of drum and zurna, and keşkek is served. This tradition is passed down from generation to generation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I eat in Ayaş?

Ayaş is known for 3 local dishes, above all Ayaş Mantısı (baked Ayaş dumplings), Keşkek (wheat and meat dish) and Bazlama (griddle flatbread). Ayaş's own mantı, small pieces of dough filled with minced meat, sealed and baked in an oven. Garlic yoghurt and a butter sauce are drizzled on top.

What is Ayaş famous for?

Ayaş is known for Ayaş Mantısı (baked Ayaş dumplings), Ayaş Domatesi (Ayaş tomatoes) and Spa Culture. Its best-known sights include Ayaş Hot Springs and Ayaş Castle.

What to buy in Ayaş?

Local products and souvenirs to buy in Ayaş include Ayaş Domatesi (Ayaş tomatoes) and Ayaş Dutu (Ayaş mulberries).

Ayaş Travel Guide

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