Dishes you should try in Hatay: Antakya Künefesi (cheese and kadayıf dessert), Antakya Kağıt Kebabı (kebab baked in paper), Hatay Tepsi Kebabı (tray-baked kebab) and Hatay Humusu (Hatay hummus). This guide also covers the local products to buy and what Hatay is famous for.
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A dessert with a registered geographical indication, baked with unsalted cheese between layers of shredded kadayıf.
A kebab with a registered geographical indication, cooked on greaseproof paper.
A registered kebab of minced meat baked in a tray.
A meze made with chickpeas and tahini, with a registered geographical indication.
A börek with a registered geographical indication.
A registered oruk, similar to içli köfte.
Altınözü Olive Oil was registered as a protected geographical indication on 18 October 2023 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 1486). Product group: solid and liquid oils, including butter. Registered by: Altınözü District Governorship.
Cold meze prepared with fresh olive oil form the foundation of Altınözü's culinary culture.
Hummus, made by mashing chickpeas with tahini, lemon juice and olive oil, is an essential part of Altınözü's meze tables.
A product registered with TÜRKPATENT as a protected designation of origin.
Antakya Ekmek Oruğu was registered as a protected geographical indication on 5 November 2025 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 1787). Product group: bakery and confectionery products, pastries, desserts. Registered by: Hatay Governorship.
Antakya Künefelik Peyniri was registered as a protected geographical indication on 22 December 2021 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 979). Product group: cheeses. Registered by: Antakya Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Antakya Sakal Kaldıran Tatlısı was registered as a protected geographical indication on 5 November 2025 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 1786). Product group: bakery and confectionery products, pastries, desserts. Registered by: Hatay Governorship.
Fresh fish caught in the Mediterranean, served grilled or pan-fried. Eating fresh fish at Arsuz's seaside restaurants is one of the district's highlights.
Chickpeas mashed with tahini, lemon juice and olive oil, humus is essential to Arsuz's meze tables.
Belen Kömürçukuru Pekmezi was registered as a protected geographical indication on 28 July 2021 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 814). Product group: processed and unprocessed fruits and vegetables and mushrooms. Registered by: İskenderun Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
A traditional dish of the district, Belen tava is made by baking lamb with vegetables in a clay pot.
Hummus, made by mashing chickpeas with tahini, lemon juice and olive oil, is an essential part of Belen's meze tables.
Künefe, made by placing fresh cheese between thin strands of kadayıf, baking it and sweetening it with syrup, is the most popular dessert in Defne too.
Prepared by wrapping lamb with vegetables in greaseproof paper and baking it. It is one of the distinctive flavours of Hatay cuisine.
Sürkü, made with pepper paste, walnuts and spices, is an essential flavour on Defne's breakfast tables.
A regional kebab made by preparing lamb with special spices and grilling it over charcoal. It is the traditional flavour of Dörtyol.
Hummus, made by mashing chickpeas with tahini, lemon juice and olive oil, is an essential part of Dörtyol's meze tables.
Künefe, made with fresh cheese placed between thin kadayıf strands, baked and sweetened with syrup, is also Dörtyol's most loved dessert.
The mandarin associated with Dörtyol; according to the source, it is mentioned in work carried out to extend Hatay's list of geographical indications.
A regional kebab of lamb prepared with special spices and cooked over charcoal, Erzin's traditional delicacy.
Chickpeas mashed with tahini, lemon juice and olive oil. Humus is indispensable on Erzin's meze tables.
Traditional Mediterranean dishes prepared with Hassa's renowned olive oil form the basis of the district's food culture. Olive-oil artichokes, black-eyed peas and green beans are the most popular dishes.
Lamb wrapped with vegetables in greased paper and baked in the oven. Kağıt kebabı is one of the traditional flavours of Hatay cuisine, and in Hassa it is served especially at weddings and festive meals.
Thin kadayıf strands with unsalted cheese in between, fried in butter and sweetened with syrup. Künefe is the best-known dessert of the Hatay region and is also widely eaten in Hassa.
Freshly caught Mediterranean fish served in bread. It is served at the fish restaurants around İskenderun port.
Künefe, made by placing fresh cheese between thin strands of kadayıf, baking it and sweetening it with syrup, is the most popular dessert in İskenderun too.
Hummus, made by mashing chickpeas with tahini, lemon juice and olive oil, is an essential part of İskenderun's meze tables.
A regional kebab made by seasoning lamb with special spices and grilling it over charcoal, Kırıkhan Kebabı is the traditional flavour of Kırıkhan.
Hummus, made by mashing chickpeas with tahini, lemon juice and olive oil, is an essential part of Kırıkhan's meze tables.
Künefe, made by placing fresh cheese between thin strands of kadayıf, baking it and sweetening it with syrup, is the most popular dessert in Kırıkhan too.
Lamb, vegetables and spices are wrapped in greaseproof paper and baked in the oven. A traditional flavour of Hatay cuisine, kağıt kebabı becomes tender as the meat slowly cooks in its own juices.
Prepared with red lentils, onions and spices, and served strained, this soup is an essential part of Kumlu's winter tables. It is drunk with mint and a squeeze of lemon on top.
Fine bulgur dough is shaped around a filling of minced meat, walnuts and spices. A signature dish of Hatay, oruk is made in Kumlu especially for festivals and special occasions.
A local kebab made by preparing lamb with special spices and cooking it over charcoal. It is Payas's traditional speciality.
Humus, made by mashing chickpeas with tahini, lemon juice and olive oil, is indispensable on Payas's meze tables.
Lamb seasoned with special spices and cooked over charcoal. It is a local kebab and the traditional dish of Reyhanlı.
Chickpeas mashed with tahini, lemon juice and olive oil. Humus is indispensable on Reyhanlı's meze tables.
Fine kadayıf strands layered with fresh cheese, baked and sweetened with syrup. Künefe is also the most loved dessert in Reyhanlı.
A patented dish made in Reyhanlı. The District Governorship counts it among the district's tourism assets.
An application for a geographical indication has been made for Reyhanlı humus and white onion. The registration status is not stated in the source.
A geographical indication is planned for the white onion grown in Reyhanlı.
Künefe, made by placing fresh cheese between thin strands of kadayıf, baking it and sweetening it with syrup, is the most popular dessert in Samandağ too.
A soup prepared with fresh fish from the Mediterranean, reflecting Samandağ's fishing tradition.
Hummus, made by mashing chickpeas with tahini, lemon juice and olive oil, is an essential part of Samandağ's meze tables.
Oil from olives grown on the mountain slopes of Yayladağı forms the basis of the local cuisine. Dishes such as olive oil artichokes, beans and stuffed vine leaves are at the head of the tables.
A traditional Hatay pastry made from dough of eggs, flour and milk, with minced meat inside, fried in a pan. It is often eaten at breakfast and as a snack in Yayladağı.
The meat of goats grazing on Yayladağı's mountainous terrain is prepared by slow-cooking in a tandır oven. The soft texture and natural aroma of the meat make it one of the most distinctive flavours of the local cuisine.
A city culture in which mosque, church and synagogue stand side by side and different faiths live together.
Joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in 2017 in the field of gastronomy.
The State of Hatay, founded in 1938, joined Türkiye in 1939.
A choir made up of members from different faiths and cultures.
Hatay is known for 6 local dishes, above all Antakya Künefesi (cheese and kadayıf dessert), Antakya Kağıt Kebabı (kebab baked in paper), Hatay Tepsi Kebabı (tray-baked kebab) and Hatay Humusu (Hatay hummus). A dessert with a registered geographical indication, baked with unsalted cheese between layers of shredded kadayıf.
Hatay is known for Antakya Künefesi (cheese and kadayıf dessert), Hatay Defne Sabunu (Hatay laurel soap) and Multicultural heritage. Its best-known sights include Hatay Archaeology Museum and Church of St Peter.
Local products and souvenirs to buy in Hatay include Hatay Defne Sabunu (Hatay laurel soap), Antakya Künefelik Peyniri (Antakya cheese for künefe), Antakya Sürkü (Antakya sürk) and Hatay Nar Ekşisi (Hatay pomegranate molasses).