Antakya, in Türkiye’s Hatay province, is known for its diverse history and culinary traditions shaped by many ancient civilizations. The city has seen influences from the Akkadians, Hittites, Assyrians, Persians, Seleucids, Romans, Arabs, Byzantines, Seljuks, Crusaders, Mamluks, Ottomans, and the French. Since 1939 it has been part of Türkiye.
One of Antakya’s best-known dishes is Künefe. This dessert uses thin strands of syrup-soaked pastry wrapped around unsalted local cheese. Local makers prepare it with hand-cut kadayıf dough and cook it on copper plates over wood fire grills. Residents claim that only Antakya’s version achieves the authentic taste: “The trick is preparing Künefe with hand-cut kadayıf, unsalted fresh local cheese, and delicious butter, cooking it in small copper plates over a wood fire grill, and serving it very hot, soaked in syrup with clotted cream (kaymak) and topped with pistachios or walnuts for some crunch.”
Pomegranate molasses (nar ekşisi) features heavily in southern Turkish cuisine. In the dish Ekşi Aşı—described as somewhere between a soup and stew—this ingredient stands out along with small bulghur balls called Oruk.
Tepsi Kebabı is another specialty. Traditionally made by kneading minced meat with onions and spices before baking on a large tray topped with tomato sauce: “In Antakya, you can eat this mouth-watering kebab at butchers, where the meat for kebab is minced with a special knife called zırh. Tepsi kebabı is also one of the main dishes local women serve their guests in any Antakya home.”
Şam tatlısı represents Antakya’s tradition of syrupy desserts. Made from semolina and yoghurt sweetened with grape molasses (pekmez), this treat is often sold as a street snack.
Ekmek köftesi uses stale bread combined with bulghur and vegetables to create a vegetarian alternative to heavier meat dishes: “Stale bread is kneaded with boiled bulghur (cracked wheat), grated onion, finely chopped parsley, tomato paste, eggs, fresh mint, and various spices. Then… fried in oil.”
Kağıt kebabı involves roasting beef ribs inside baking paper to retain juices before serving atop pita or lavash bread—a dish recognized by geographical indication certification.
Oruk (kibbeh) are stuffed meatballs prepared using bulgur and walnuts; they are typically reserved for special occasions due to their labor-intensive preparation methods.
Kepse pilavı combines rice cooked with saffron and other spices topped by marinated chicken—a dish served at large gatherings.
Kömbe cookies are produced using special wooden molds handed down through generations: “There are about 25-30 different models that each give a different shape to the Kömbe cookies… But its trademark ingredient is the unique Kömbe spice mix which blends cinnamon, nutmeg, mahaleb, ginger, allspice, clove, and mastic gum.”
Hummus shops appear throughout Antakya offering both traditional chickpea-based hummus—served cold or baked—and bakla (a mashed fava bean spread). The quality of locally grown chickpeas is considered key to hummus’ texture.
A popular pink dessert features vanilla ice cream in rosewater over cornstarch pudding cubes—distinct from similar desserts elsewhere in Türkiye.
Antakya has been recognized by UNESCO as a City of Gastronomy for its culinary heritage.