Best Food in Elazig (2026)

#baklava #coffee #cooking

🍽️ Start with Elazig Classics
Begin your food tour with Elazig's signature dish, the Elazig tavasi, a sizzling plate of cubed lamb, onions, and peppers cooked in a copper pan. Head to Kebapci Haci… 🍽️ Start with Elazig Classics
Begin your food tour with Elazig's signature dish, the Elazig tavasi, a sizzling plate of cubed lamb, onions, and peppers cooked in a copper pan. Head to Kebapci Haci Usta at Gazi Caddesi No: 45 in the city center, where a generous portion costs around 180 TL and is served with fresh lavas bread. Another must-try is the local icli kofte, a bulgur shell stuffed with spiced minced meat, available at Cigkofteci Mahmut on Hürriyet Caddesi for about 60 TL per plate.

🥘 Street Food Stalls
Elazig's street food scene is centered around the bustling Sanayi Caddesi and the area near the Grand Bazaar. Look for vendors selling simit (sesame bagels) for 10 TL and freshly squeezed nar (pomegranate) juice for 25 TL. In the evenings, the smell of roasted corn and chestnuts fills the air near the Culture Park, where stalls operate from 5 PM to 11 PM. Don't miss the chance to try a warm glass of salep, a creamy winter drink, for 30 TL at any street cart.

🍢 Kebab Houses to Try
For a true kebab feast, visit Kebapci Emmi at Sanayi Caddesi No: 112, known for its adana kebab and lamb shish, with mains ranging from 150 to 220 TL. Another local favorite is Urfa Sofrasi on Gazi Caddesi, where you can enjoy a mixed grill platter for two at around 400 TL. Both places are open for lunch and dinner, typically from 11 AM to 10 PM, and fill up quickly on weekends, so arrive early.

🍲 Home-Style Lokantas
For comforting home-style cooking, seek out the lokantas (canteens) in the Rüstempaşa neighborhood. Lokanta Derya at Rüstempaşa Mahallesi, 100. Yıl Caddesi No: 23, serves daily stews like kuru fasulye (white beans) and pilav for around 80 TL, with free bread and tea. Another gem is Ev Yemekleri at Hürriyet Caddesi No: 78, offering a rotating menu of stuffed vegetables and soups from 11 AM to 8 PM, perfect for a budget lunch.

🍰 Sweet Treats and Desserts
Elazig is famous for its walnuts, so be sure to try the walnut baklava at Baklavaci Nuri Usta on Gazi Caddesi, where a kilogram costs about 350 TL. For a unique local dessert, head to Tatlici Ali Baba near the Grand Bazaar for a plate of kadayif dolmasi, a syrupy pastry filled with walnuts, priced at 70 TL. In summer, look for stalls selling fresh mulberries and sour cherries by the cup for 20 TL along the Elazig-Kharput road.

☕ Tea Gardens and Cafes
Take a break at the historic tea gardens in Kharput (Harput), a hilltop district about 5 km from the city center. Cay Bahcesi at Harput Castle offers panoramic views and a pot of tea for two at 40 TL, open daily from 9 AM to 9 PM. In the city, try Kahveci Hasan at Gazi Caddesi No: 60 for Turkish coffee and a game of backgammon, with coffee priced at 25 TL.

🛒 Markets and Local Produce
The Elazig Central Market (Merkez Pazar) on Hürriyet Caddesi is the best place to sample local cheeses, honey, and walnuts, with vendors offering free tastes. Visit on Tuesday or Friday for the weekly farmers' market, where a kilogram of walnuts costs around 120 TL and a jar of local honey is 150 TL. The market is open from 7 AM to 7 PM, and it's a great spot to pick up edible souvenirs.

💸 Budget and Practical Tips
Street food and lokantas offer the best value, with a full meal costing between 50 and 100 TL, while sit-down kebab restaurants charge 150 to 250 TL per person. Most places accept credit cards, but keep some cash for small stalls and markets. Tipping is not mandatory but rounding up the bill or leaving 10% is appreciated. In 2026, expect prices to be slightly higher than previous years due to inflation, so budget accordingly.

Become a Local Guide in Elazig to earn up to $50.00/hour by helping travelers that are interested in Elazig and want to connect to learn about the current climate, discover hidden gems, or get help planning their itinerary.

Reply 10 Share · 15h

anettliebich · 12h

Skip the restaurant baklava and grab cevizli sucuk from a Hürriyet Caddesi sweet shop instead, way cheaper and travels better.

anettliebich · 14h

worth adding: the börek at the tiny fırın by Rüstempaşa mosque, still warm at 7am, beats most sit-down breakfasts. And ask for gül böreği not just the plain one, it's the same price.

regine · 14h

Good rundown, this is more thorough than most. One thing I'd add: the breakfast culture around here is underrated, look for a kahvaltı salonu serving the local tulum cheese with honey and fresh kaymak. There's a decent one off İnönü Caddesi near the otogar where two people eat well for under 200 TL. Also, most lokantas sell out of the good stews by 2 PM, so go early rather than late.

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fine

3 Days in Elazig: 2026 Itinerary Guide

#museum #coffee #shopping

🗺️ Orientation and Transport
Elazig is a compact city in eastern Turkey, and most central attractions cluster around Cumhuriyet Meydani and the bazaar district. The city has a network of minibuses… 🗺️ Orientation and Transport
Elazig is a compact city in eastern Turkey, and most central attractions cluster around Cumhuriyet Meydani and the bazaar district. The city has a network of minibuses (dolmus) that connect neighborhoods, with fares around 15 TL in 2026. Taxis are metered and short trips within the center cost about 50-70 TL. For the airport, Havas shuttle runs to Elazig Airport (EZS) every 30 minutes for 40 TL, taking 25 minutes.

☕ Day 1 Morning: City Core
Start at 9:00 with Turkish breakfast at Van Kahvalti Evi on Hürriyet Caddesi, where a full spread costs 120 TL. Then walk 5 minutes to the Elazig Museum (open 8:30-17:00, closed Mondays, entry 50 TL) to see artifacts from nearby Harput. Afterward, stroll through the covered bazaar (Kapalı Çarşı) for local crafts and spices.

🏰 Day 1 Afternoon: Harput
Take a dolmus from the city center to Harput (30 minutes, 10 TL) around 13:00. Explore Harput Castle (free entry, open daily 8:00-19:00) and the Ulu Camii (Grand Mosque) nearby. Have a late lunch at Harput Sofrasi, a local restaurant serving regional dishes like icli kofte for about 80 TL. Return to Elazig by 17:00 and relax at a cay bahcesi (tea garden) along the lake.

🍽️ Day 2 Morning: Food and Culture
Begin at 8:30 with a hearty breakfast at Kebapci Haci Baba on Gazi Caddesi, known for its tandir (clay oven) bread and kebabs (around 100 TL). Then visit the Hazar Gölü (Lake Hazar) viewpoint, a 20-minute dolmus ride from the center (15 TL), for scenic photos. Return by noon to explore the historical Harput houses and the Arap Baba Tomb (free, open 9:00-18:00).

🚶 Day 2 Afternoon: Local Life
After lunch at a local lokanta (try the Elazig tava for 70 TL), wander through the Rüstempaşa Caravanserai and the surrounding old streets. At 15:00, head to the Elazig Culture and Art Center (free entry) for rotating exhibits. Finish the day with shopping at the modern Elazig Park AVM, which has a food court and cinema.

🌄 Day 3 Morning: Nature Escape
Take a 9:00 minibus to Sivrice (45 minutes, 20 TL) on the shores of Lake Hazar. Rent a bike or walk along the lakefront promenade, and stop at the Hazar Baba viewpoint for panoramic views. Have a fish lunch at one of the lakeside restaurants, such as Hazar Balik Evi, where a fresh trout meal costs about 90 TL.

🛍️ Day 3 Afternoon: Markets and Farewell
Return to Elazig by 14:00 and visit the bustling Salı Pazarı (Tuesday Market) if your visit aligns, or the permanent covered market for local honey and cheeses. Pick up souvenirs like Elazig's famous orcik (walnut candy) from a shop on Hürriyet Caddesi. End your trip with a Turkish coffee at a traditional cafe in the city center before heading to the airport.

💡 Practical Tips
Elazig is generally safe, but carry cash for small vendors as not all accept cards. The best time to visit is spring (April to June) or autumn (September to October) when temperatures are mild. Learn a few Turkish phrases like 'merhaba' (hello) and 'teşekkürler' (thanks) to connect with locals. Check bus schedules in advance, as some routes to Harput and Sivrice run less frequently on weekends.