FOOD — 11

Antalya Şiş Köfte

Antalya şiş köfte is charcoal-grilled skewered meatballs, a regional specialty served with the local tahini-dressed piyaz.

Read time: 2 min Updated: 1 October 2026
Plate of Turkish köfte

What's Actually on the Table

Şiş Köfte

Charcoal-grilled skewered minced meatballs

Antalya şiş köfte is grilled skewered meatballs made from seasoned minced beef or lamb, a regional specialty typically served alongside Antalya piyazı and flatbread. It’s one of the most commonly ordered local dishes at Kaleiçi’s traditional restaurants.

What is Antalya şiş köfte?

The meatball mixture — minced meat blended with onion, garlic, breadcrumbs and spices — is shaped onto skewers and grilled over charcoal, giving it a smokier character than pan-fried köfte varieties found elsewhere in Turkey. Served with piyaz, flatbread and often grilled vegetables or a simple salad, it’s a straightforward, widely available local meal rather than an obscure regional specialty — most traditional restaurants in and around Kaleiçi carry it.

Where do you eat şiş köfte in Antalya?

Kaleiçi’s traditional restaurants, particularly those away from the most tourist-dense harbor-front strip, tend to serve the most authentic versions, often family-run establishments that have served the same pairing for generations.

Şiş Köfte: Interesting Facts

  • Grilled over charcoal on skewers, distinguishing it from pan-fried köfte varieties elsewhere in Turkey.
  • Traditionally served alongside Antalya piyazı as a defining regional pairing.
  • Made from minced beef or lamb blended with onion, garlic and spices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Köfte varieties differ regionally across Turkey; Antalya’s version is specifically grilled on skewers and traditionally paired with the region’s tahini-dressed piyaz, a combination distinct to the area.

Discovering Türkiye Editorial
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Discovering Türkiye Editorial

The Discovering Türkiye editorial desk writes practical guides for travellers from the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany and the Netherlands. Every visa rule, price and opening time is checked against official sources — government advisories, Türkiye's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and venues' own sites — and dated on the page. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it.

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