Dishes you should try in Elbistan: Elbistan Kelle Peyniri (Elbistan head cheese), Elbistan Tava (lamb, onion and pepper) and Maraş Tarhanası (Maraş tarhana soup). This guide also covers the local products to buy and what Elbistan is famous for.
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Elbistan Kelle Peyniri was registered as a protected geographical indication on 22 November 2023 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 1500). Product group: cheeses. Registered by: Kahramanmaraş Metropolitan Municipality.
Elbistan tava, lamb fried in a pan with onions and peppers, is the district's best-known dish.
Tarhana made with yoghurt, wheat and vegetables is an essential soup on Elbistan's winter tables.
These dishes are known throughout Kahramanmaraş province; see the provincial food guide for details.
Ice cream made from goat's milk and salep and given its texture by pounding, with a registered geographical indication.
A regional dish with a registered geographical indication.
A çörek (bread roll) with a registered geographical indication.
A pan-cooked dish with a registered geographical indication.
A syrupy dessert with a registered geographical indication.
Elbistan was one of the major settlement centres of the Hittite Empire. The Karahöyük excavations have revealed 5,000 years of the region's history.
Elbistan is known for 3 local dishes, above all Elbistan Kelle Peyniri (Elbistan head cheese), Elbistan Tava (lamb, onion and pepper) and Maraş Tarhanası (Maraş tarhana soup). Elbistan Kelle Peyniri was registered as a protected geographical indication on 22 November 2023 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 1500). Product group: cheeses. Registered by: Kahramanmaraş Metropolitan Municipality.
Elbistan is known for Elbistan Kelle Peyniri (Elbistan head cheese), Elbistan Walnuts and Hittite and Late Hittite Heritage. Its best-known sights include Karahöyük (Elbistan Höyük) and Elbistan Castle.
Local products and souvenirs to buy in Elbistan include Elbistan Walnuts and Elbistan Lignite.