Dishes you should try in Göle: Goose Meat, Hangel and Çiriş Otu Yemeği (Çiriş Herb Dish). This guide also covers the local products to buy and what Göle is famous for.
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Famous Dishes of Göle
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Goose Meat
Goose farming is widespread in Göle, and goose meat is the main protein source in winter. Salted and dried goose meat is served as kavurma or cooked in a tandır oven.
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Hangel
Hangel is prepared by cutting thinly rolled dough into small squares and boiling it. It is Göle's traditional dish, served with garlicky yoghurt and sizzling butter poured on top.
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Çiriş Otu Yemeği (Çiriş Herb Dish)
Çiriş herb gathered from the plateaus in spring is fried with eggs and onions. Growing on Göle's high plateaus, this plant is one of the distinctive flavours of the local cuisine.
Dishes from Ardahan Cuisine
What to eat in Ardahan →These dishes are known throughout Ardahan province; see the provincial food guide for details.
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Ardahan Kaz Eti (Ardahan goose meat)
Goose meat slaughtered in autumn, salted and dried, then cooked in winter with rice or noodles; it received a geographical indication in 2022.
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Kaz Etli Erişte (noodles with goose meat)
Homemade noodles cooked in the broth of goose meat; it is the main dish of the winter table.
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Çıldır Gölü Sazanı (Çıldır Lake carp)
The mirror carp, the main fish of the lake, caught in winter through holes cut in the ice.
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Göle Kaşarı (Göle kaşar cheese)
Kaşar cheese made from highland milk in the dairies of Göle; the Kaşar Festival has been held in the district since 1995.
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Ardahan Çiçek Balı (Ardahan flower honey)
Honey made from highland flowers, with a registered geographical indication.
What to Buy in Göle: Local Products
- Göle Kaşar Cheese Kaşar cheese produced from the milk of animals grazing on Göle's high plateaus, known for its intense aroma and firm texture. The variety matured as old kaşar is especially in demand.
- Honey Honey obtained from the rich vegetation of Göle's high plateaus is known for its dark colour and intense taste. Beekeeping is an important source of livelihood in the area.
What Göle Is Famous For: Culture and Traditions
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Plateau Migration Tradition
The people of Göle migrate with their herds to the high plateaus in summer. This tradition has been maintained for centuries and is celebrated with plateau festivals, traditional music and cirit games.
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Türkiye's Coldest Place
Göle is one of the settlements where the coldest temperatures in Türkiye have been recorded. In 2024, the lowest temperature in Türkiye, -34.3 °C, was measured in Göle.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I eat in Göle?
Göle is known for 3 local dishes, above all Goose Meat, Hangel and Çiriş Otu Yemeği (Çiriş Herb Dish). Goose farming is widespread in Göle, and goose meat is the main protein source in winter. Salted and dried goose meat is served as kavurma or cooked in a tandır oven.
What is Göle famous for?
Göle is known for Goose Meat, Göle Kaşar Cheese and Plateau Migration Tradition. Its best-known sights include Göle Plain and Çakıl Lake.
What to buy in Göle?
Local products and souvenirs to buy in Göle include Göle Kaşar Cheese and Honey.
Göle Travel Guide
What to Eat in Other Districts of Ardahan
- Ardahan Central District 4 dishes Goose Meat, Ardahan Civil Cheese and Lor Dolması
- Çıldır 3 dishes Goose Meat Kavurma, Lake Fish (Carp) and Lor Dolması
- Damal 3 dishes Goose Meat, Hangel and Lor Aşı
- Hanak 4 dishes Hanak Tel Cheese, Goose Meat and Kesme Soup
- Posof 3 dishes Goose Meat, Erişte (Noodles) and Herbed Cheese