Dishes you should try in Erzurum: Oltu Cağ Kebabı (horizontal spit-roasted lamb), Erzurum Kadayıf Dolması (walnut-filled kadayıf), Erzurum Su Böreği (boiled-pastry börek) and Ayran Aşı Çorbası (yoghurt and wheat soup). This guide also covers the local products to buy and what Erzurum is famous for.
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A kebab with a registered geographical indication, cooked on a horizontal skewer over a wood fire and served on the cağ skewer.
Shredded kadayıf filled with walnuts and soaked in syrup; it has a registered geographical indication.
A registered börek made with layers of boiled yufka and cheese.
A registered soup made with yoghurt, wheat and herbs.
A syrupy dough dessert with a registered geographical indication.
A registered traditional dessert made with flour, butter and sugar.
Lamb is turned on a horizontal spit over a wood fire. It is served in the traditional way in Aşkale's restaurants.
A traditional soup made with yoghurt, bulgur and mint. It is a nourishing dish that never goes missing from tables on cold winter days in Aşkale.
A traditional dessert of fine kadayıf dough wrapped around walnuts, baked and soaked in syrup. In Aşkale it is an essential part of festival meals.
Cağ kebabı is prepared by roasting lamb on a horizontal spit over a wood fire. It is Erzurum's most famous flavour and is served with lavash bread and onion.
Traditional dessert of thin kadayıf dough wrapped around walnut pieces, baked and soaked in syrup. It is one of the best-known sweets of Erzurum cuisine.
Traditional soup made with yoghurt, wheat and mint, a nourishing dish that never goes missing from tables in Erzurum's cold climate.
Cağ kebabı is prepared by roasting lamb on a horizontal spit over a wood fire. In Çat, it has a special flavour from the sheep raised on the district's plateaus.
Traditional soup made with yoghurt, cracked wheat and mint, a nourishing dish that never goes missing from tables during Çat's cold winter days.
Soup made by cooking thin-cut pieces of dough in meat broth, one of the winter classics of Çat cuisine.
Hınıs Köftesi was registered as a protected geographical indication on 4 November 2024 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 1655). Product group: dishes and soups. Registered by: Erzurum Commodity Exchange.
Cağ kebabı is prepared by roasting lamb on a horizontal spit over a wood fire. In Hınıs, it has a special flavour from the sheep raised on the district's wide pastures.
Traditional soup made with yoghurt, cracked wheat and mint, a nourishing dish that never goes missing from tables during Hınıs's cold winter days.
Cheese made from the milk of animals raised on the Hınıs plain by traditional methods. Salty and firm in texture, it is an essential of breakfast tables.
Cağ kebabı, prepared by turning lamb on a horizontal spit over a wood fire, has a special flavour from the meat of sheep raised on Horasan's wide pastures.
A traditional soup made with yoghurt, cracked wheat and mint. It is a nourishing dish that is never absent from tables on cold winter days in Horasan.
A traditional dessert made of thin kadayıf pastry wrapped around walnuts, baked and soaked in syrup. In Horasan it is a classic favourite at weddings and festivals.
Cağ kebabı is prepared by roasting lamb on a horizontal spit over a wood fire. In İspir, it has a special flavour from the sheep raised on the district's plateaus.
Traditional soup made with yoghurt, cracked wheat and mint, a nourishing dish that never goes missing from tables during İspir's cold winter days.
Traditional dessert made with lor cheese and sugar, one of the distinctive flavours of İspir cuisine. It is served fried in butter.
Cağ kebabı is prepared by roasting lamb on a horizontal spit over a wood fire. In Karaçoban, it has a special flavour from the sheep raised on the district's plateaus.
Traditional soup made with yoghurt, cracked wheat and mint, a nourishing dish that never goes missing from tables during Karaçoban's cold winter days.
Traditional pastry made by wrapping a filling of lor cheese and herbs in yufka dough. It is one of the distinctive flavours of Karaçoban cuisine.
Cağ kebabı is prepared by roasting lamb on a horizontal spit over a wood fire. In Karayazı, it has a special flavour from the sheep raised on the district's wide pastures.
Traditional soup made with yoghurt, cracked wheat and mint, a nourishing dish that never goes missing from tables during Karayazı's cold winter days.
Soup made by cooking thin-cut pieces of dough in meat broth, one of the winter classics of Karayazı cuisine.
Cağ kebabı is prepared by roasting lamb on a horizontal spit over a wood fire. In Köprüköy, it has a special flavour from the sheep grazed on the district's pastures.
Traditional soup made with yoghurt, cracked wheat and mint, a nourishing dish that never goes missing from tables during Köprüköy's cold winter days.
Traditional dessert made by wrapping walnuts in thin kadayıf dough, then baking and soaking it in syrup. It is an essential of festival tables in Köprüköy.
Lamb roasted on a horizontal spit over a wood fire. It has a special flavour from the meat of sheep raised on Narman's highland pastures.
A traditional soup made with yoghurt, bulgur and mint; a nourishing dish that is never absent from tables on cold winter days in Narman.
A traditional dessert of fine kadayıf dough wrapped around walnuts, baked and soaked in syrup. In Narman it is an indispensable part of festival and wedding tables.
A local product registered as a protected designation of origin.
Oltu Taşı was registered as a protected geographical indication on 27 November 2015 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 192). Product group: other products. Registered by: Oltu Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Oltu's famous dish, the cağ kebabı most closely associated with the district.
Lamb roasted on a horizontal spit over a wood fire. In Olur it has a special flavour thanks to the sheep raised on the district's plateaus.
A traditional soup made with yoghurt, bulgur and mint, a nourishing dish that is never missing from tables on cold winter days in Olur.
A traditional börek made by wrapping a filling of lor cheese and herbs in yufka pastry. It is one of the distinctive flavours of Olur cuisine.
Lor cheese made locally; the district's name is said to come from this cheese.
Lamb roasted on a horizontal spit over a wood fire, the signature flavour of Erzurum. It is also served in the ski hotels and restaurants of Palandöken.
A traditional sweet of fine kadayıf dough wrapped around walnuts, baked and soaked in syrup. It is Erzurum's best-known dessert.
A soup of thinly cut pieces of dough cooked in meat broth. In Erzurum it is a warm favourite after skiing on cold winter days.
Prepared by turning lamb on a horizontal spit over a wood fire. It has a special flavour thanks to the meat of sheep raised on Pasinler's wide pastures.
A traditional soup made with yoghurt, cracked wheat and mint. It is a nourishing dish that never goes missing from Pasinler's tables on cold winter days.
A traditional dessert of thin kadayıf pastry wrapped around walnuts, baked and soaked in syrup. In Pasinler it is a classic treat at weddings and festive meals.
Cağ kebabı, cooked on a horizontal spit over a wood fire, is a symbol of Erzurum cuisine.
A walnut-filled sweet from Erzurum.
The district's famous honey, produced thanks to the geological structure and vegetation of the area.
Lamb roasted on a horizontal spit over a wood fire. In Şenkaya it has a special flavour thanks to the sheep raised on its plateaus.
A traditional soup made with yoghurt, bulgur and mint, a nourishing dish that is never missing from tables on cold winter days in Şenkaya.
A soup of thinly cut pieces of dough cooked in meat broth, one of the winter classics of Şenkaya cuisine.
Lamb roasted on a horizontal spit over a wood fire. It has a special flavour from the meat of sheep raised on Tekman's wide pastures.
A traditional soup made with yoghurt, bulgur and mint. It is a nourishing dish that never leaves the tables of Tekman on cold winter days.
A soup made by simmering thinly cut pieces of dough in meat broth. It is one of the winter classics of Tekman cuisine.
A soup made with a herb that grows endemically in Tekman.
A büryan served cold at weddings in Tekman; it is said to differ from Siirt büryan.
A cheese mentioned as one of the district's distinctive flavours.
Honey produced in the district, which attracts interest in the city and across the country.
Prepared by turning lamb on a horizontal spit over a wood fire, cağ kebabı has a distinctive flavour from the meat of sheep raised on Tortum's plateaus.
A traditional soup made with yoghurt, cracked wheat and mint. It is a nourishing dish that never leaves the tables of Tortum on cold winter days.
A traditional pastry made by wrapping a filling of lor cheese and herbs in yufka. It is one of the distinctive flavours of Tortum cuisine.
Prepared by roasting lamb on a horizontal spit over a wood fire, Cağ Kebabı has a special flavour thanks to the meat of sheep raised on Uzundere's highlands.
A traditional soup made with yoghurt, bulgur and mint. It is a nourishing dish that never goes missing from Uzundere's tables on cold winter days.
A traditional börek made by wrapping a filling of curd cheese and herbs in yufka pastry. It is one of the distinctive flavours of Uzundere cuisine.
Prepared by roasting lamb on a horizontal spit over a wood fire. The geographically indicated speciality of Erzurum, cağ kebabı is cut into thin slices and served with lavash and onion.
Fine kadayıf dough is rolled around walnuts, baked, and then soaked in syrup. The most famous sweet of Erzurum, it is served in the city's historic pastry shops.
The Erzurum su böreği is prepared by boiling thin yufka sheets and layering them with cheese or minced meat. Served with butter, it is a traditional breakfast dish.
A traditional soup made with yoghurt, bulgur and mint. It is one of the most popular hot dishes on cold winter days in Erzurum.
The congress, held from 23 July to 7 August 1919, that set the course of the National Struggle.
The Erzurum bar dances, performed shoulder to shoulder or hand in hand to drum and zurna; Hoşbilezik and Tamzara are the best known.
The custom of holding a sugar cube in the mouth and sipping tea over it.
A form of address for the people of Erzurum, symbolising manliness and hospitality.
The tradition of saz and folk verse kept alive by poets such as Erzurumlu Emrah.
Erzurum is known for 6 local dishes, above all Oltu Cağ Kebabı (horizontal spit-roasted lamb), Erzurum Kadayıf Dolması (walnut-filled kadayıf), Erzurum Su Böreği (boiled-pastry börek) and Ayran Aşı Çorbası (yoghurt and wheat soup). A kebab with a registered geographical indication, cooked on a horizontal skewer over a wood fire and served on the cağ skewer.
Erzurum is known for Oltu Cağ Kebabı (horizontal spit-roasted lamb), Oltu Taşı (Oltu jet stone) and Erzurum Congress (1919). Its best-known sights include Çifte Minareli Madrasa and Yakutiye Madrasa.
Local products and souvenirs to buy in Erzurum include Oltu Taşı (Oltu jet stone), Erzurum Civil Peyniri (Erzurum civil cheese), Erzurum Pastırması (Erzurum pastırma) and İspir Kuru Fasulyesi (İspir dried beans).