What to Eat in Elmadağ: Famous Dishes and Local Products

Famous Dishes of Elmadağ

• 🍳

  Ankara Tava

  Lamb cooked in a clay pot with onion and peppers, the Ankara tava is an indispensable dish at traditional tables in Elmadağ too.

• 🍖

  Tandır Kebabı

  Lamb slow-cooked for hours in an earth tandır oven, tandır kebab is one of the important flavours of Elmadağ's rural cuisine.

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 Elmadağ: Local Products

• Elmadağ Tandır Bread Elmadağ Tandır Bread was registered as a geographical indication on 31 May 2023 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 1370). Product group: bakery and pastry products, dough products, desserts. Registered by: Elmadağ Municipality.
• Mountain Thyme Mountain thyme growing on Elmadağ's high slopes is used as tea and as a spice for its intense aroma.
• Forest Honey Honey produced in the district's forested areas has a rich aroma profile thanks to the variety of flowers.

What Elmadağ Is Famous For: Culture and Traditions

• 🏭

  Defence Industry Heritage

  Elmadağ has been associated with defence industry facilities since the early years of the Republic. The ammunition factory, which is linked to MKE, has shaped the district's economic and cultural identity.

• ⛷️

  Winter Sports Culture

  Thanks to its proximity to Ankara, Elmadağ has become the winter sports centre of the capital. Events held during the ski season bring life to the district.

Frequently Asked Questions

Elmadağ Travel Guide

• 📍 Things to Do in Elmadağ 4 places to visit →
• 🗺️ What to Eat in Ankara All the famous dishes of the province →

What to Eat in Other Districts of Ankara

• Akyurt 4 dishes Akyurt Fıtı Çorbası, Akyurt Soğuk Çorbası and Akyurt Toyga Aşı
• Altındağ 3 dishes Ankara Tava (lamb and pepper casserole), İşkembe Çorbası (tripe soup) and Döner Kebap
• Ayaş 3 dishes Ayaş Mantısı (baked Ayaş dumplings), Keşkek (wheat and meat dish) and Bazlama (griddle flatbread)
• Balâ 4 dishes Tarhana Çorbası (fermented grain and yoghurt soup), Tandır Ekmeği (clay-oven bread) and Kuzu Çevirme (whole spit-roasted lamb)
• Beypazarı 6 dishes Beypazarı Cevizli Tatlı Sucuk (walnut sweet sausage), Beypazarı Dolması (stuffed dish) and Beypazarı Havuç Lokumu (carrot delight)
• Çamlıdere 6 dishes Çamlıdere Höşmerim Dessert, Çamlıdere Mantısı and Keşkek
• Çankaya 3 dishes Ankara Tava (lamb and pepper casserole), Çubuk Turşusu (Çubuk pickles) and Ankara Simidi (sesame bread ring)
• Çubuk 4 dishes Çubuk Agat Taşı (Çubuk agate), Çubuk Turşusu (Çubuk pickles) and Ankara Tava (lamb and pepper casserole)
• Etimesgut 2 dishes Ankara Tava (lamb and pepper casserole) and Pide
• Evren 2 dishes Keşkek (wheat and meat dish) and Tarhana Çorbası (yoghurt, tomato and flour soup)
• Gölbaşı 4 dishes Gölbaşı Sevgi Çiçeği, Lake Fish and Ankara Tava (lamb and pepper casserole)
• Güdül 4 dishes Trout, Keşkek (pounded wheat and meat) and Bazlama (griddle bread)
• Haymana 6 dishes Haymana Pidesi, Keşkek and Tandır Bread
• Kahramankazan 3 dishes Ankara Tava, Keşkek and Sac Kavurma
• Kalecik 3 dishes Kalecik Karası Şarabı (Kalecik Karası red wine), Pekmez (grape molasses) and Ankara Tava (lamb and pepper casserole)
• Keçiören 3 dishes Ankara Tava (lamb and pepper casserole), İşkembe Çorbası (tripe soup) and Etli Ekmek (meat flatbread)
• Kızılcahamam 3 dishes Kızılcahamam Pidesi, Alabalık (trout) and Keşkek (wheat and lamb porridge)
• Mamak 3 dishes Ankara Tava (lamb and pepper casserole), Etli Ekmek (meat flatbread) and Tarhana Çorbası (yoghurt, tomato and flour soup)
• Nallıhan 4 dishes Nallıhan Pide, Keşkek and Alabalık (Trout)
• Polatlı 5 dishes Polatlı İşkembe Çorbası (Polatlı Tripe Soup), Polatlı Tandır Kebabı and Ankara Tava
• Pursaklar 2 dishes Ankara Tava and Etli Ekmek (Meat Bread)
• Sincan 3 dishes Ankara Tava, Pide and Tarhana Soup
• Şereflikoçhisar 4 dishes Şereflikoçhisar Tahinli Pidesi (tahini flatbread), Tuz Lake Fish and Keşkek (wheat and meat dish)
• Yenimahalle 3 dishes Ankara Tava, AOÇ Ice Cream and AOÇ Beer