Kebabs are cooked and eaten in many nations worldwide, but what does the word "kebab" even mean? It's a method of combining several types of beef recipes.

Best Types of Turkish Kebabs to Try in Istanbul

They are often roasted on a skewer placed on the barbecue or cooked directly over the flame. According to some evidence, the name "Kebab" originally meant "grilled meat" and came from the ancient Turkish languages, which were derived partly from Arabic. In this post, We list the best Istanbul kebabs that will soon become your favorites among the wide variety available at Istanbul restaurants.

1.Doner Kebab

Doner Kebab is one of the most famous and best Istanbul kebabs. It is prepared with beef, lamb, or chicken. The kebab is carefully cooked on a vertical stick before being thinly cut off( the word "Doner" means "turning" in the Turkish language). Döner is often served in one of three ways: as a sandwich on bread, as some Turkish wrapping is known as dürüm, or on a dish with vegetables, potatoes, or cooked rice.

2. Sis Kebab

A popular and well-known Turkish kebab made of meat and vegetables that are often cut into cubes, put onto a skewer and then cooked. It is typically eaten with bread, rice, and salad. Çöp şiş is a variation of this well-known kebab that is often grilled on wooden skewers rather than iron ones and is created with smaller portions of meat.

3. Iskender Kebab

This kebab, which comes from his seashore homeland of Bursa, gave Iskender Efendi the idea for the vertically grilling kebab. Iskender kebab is cooked like döner kebab, but the difference is that Iskender kebab is served with bread covered with butter and sided by yogurt.

Visiting Istanbul, remember to try this best Turkish kebab in one of the best Istanbul kebab restaurants mentioned at the end of this post.

4. Patlican Kebab

Patlıcan means "Eggplant" in the Turkish language. Turkey is the ideal destination for your foodie trip if you're a fan of eggplant. Turkey has two distinct varieties of patlıcan kebab; the original recipe calls for eggplants to be skewered with marinated meat and roasted on a barbecue or in the oven. A yogurt sauce is typically served with that as well.

The alternative version is that in a round dish, meatballs or lamb meat chunks, sliced eggplants, tomatoes, and onions are placed and cooked in ovens and served with vegetable salad.

5. Adana Kebab

The Adana kebab originates in the same-named province of South-Eastern Turkey and is a peppery kebab composed of ground beef shaped around a large skewer and cooked over coals. Urfa kebab is a milder variation that comes from a neighboring town. Both kebabs are accompanied by bulgur mash and grilled veggies.

6. Ciger Kebab

It might sound odd to grill liver. But this Turkish kebab is better than it sounds! This is one of the best Istanbul kebabs, popular among locals. This delicious kebab is constructed with diced lamb liver pieces marinated in spices, cooked on a skewer, and served with bread and salads. Istanbul residents and foreigners alike frequently love it for its delicious taste.

7. Cag Kebab

It is generally acknowledged that this kebab was the forerunner of the contemporary döner kebab. It is created with lamb that has been rotisserie-cooked horizontally, then cut into slices and grilled on skewers. Lavash bread is typically consumed with this grilled lamb. Foodie travelers will enjoy tasting this delicious Istanbul kebab while visiting Turkey.

8. Tandir Kebabi

This kebab, typically from Central or Eastern Anatolia, is constructed with lamb chunks, perhaps a whole lamb, and is roasted slowly over a long period in a distinctive traditional oven called a tender. A flavorful and soft beef is the end product, which is then provided with bread and onion rings.

9. Orman Kebabi

Only some of the best Istanbul kebabs are always grilled on skewers; occasionally, they might be stewed in pots. One of these pot kebabs is the Orman Kebab, a specialty of the Bolu area of Turkey and a dish with Ottoman origins. The main ingredient in this meal is lamb, which is prepared with various vegetables, including eggplant, celery, peas and peppers.

One of the distinguishing features which make this the best Istanbul kebab is that it has peas in its recipe, which makes a whole other taste.

10. Tokat Kebabi

Traditional Turkish kebabs, called tokat kebabs, come from the Tokat area of Turkey. It has been made locally for hundreds of years and gained popularity across the nation because of its rich flavor, a combination of fresh lamb meat, potatoes, eggplants, garlic, tomatoes, olive oil, and green bell peppers, all cooked in an oven.

11. Sogan Kebabi

An inventive Turkish delicacy known as onion kebabs is created by encasing ground lamb kofte between slices of onion and seasoning it with a special sauce made of pomegranate and black pepper. It is one of the simplest and best Istanbul kebabs you can cook at home. In this meal, red-skinned winter onions are mainly used. For the finest flavor, they must be tiny and juicy as just harvested.

12. Yogurtlu Kebap

Add salt, black and red pepper, called Aleppo pepper, and flakes to minced meat before mixing. The minced beef is then skewered and grilled over fire. The meat's cooking oils are poured over the pita bread, softening it. On a platter, the bread is put, and then whipped topping yogurt is drizzled over it. Melted butter is drizzled on top of cooked meats and served over yogurt.

13. Kagit Kebabi

Another of the highlights of Turkey cuisine and the best Istanbul kebab is Kağıt Kebabı. The lamb meat is first divided into bite-sized pieces, then marinated with spices and wrapped in oiled paper. Tail fat is spread over these sheets to keep the meat moist. Until being served, it must be roasted for 8 to 12 hours in wood-fired ovens.

14. Cokertme Kebabi

Fillet beef with a vertical cut is dished with tomato sauce and garlicky yogurt over thinly sliced fried potatoes. For "Çökertme Kebab," the nice flavors are ground cumin, chile pepper, onion, and thyme. Turkey's Aegean coast is known for its love of this kind of kebab. 

15. Testi Kebabi

Originating in Central Anatolia and the Black Sea area, this distinctive and one of the best Istanbul kebabs is made up of meat and vegetables prepared in a clay pot (a "testi" is a kind of jug in Turkey) over an open flame. It is customary to break the pot's seal at your table just before you eat, and doing so will undoubtedly be enjoyable while you are visiting Istanbul.

16. Firin Kebabi

Lamb and salt are the only two ingredients needed for oven kebabs. The only parts of the lamb or sheep utilized are the forearm and ribs. Lamb is roasted in the ovens over an oak wood fire for four hours, while sheep are cooked for between 8 and 10 hours. After being grilled, Fırın Kebab is typically served on pita bread with juicy onions and doogh ( dhallë ).

Popular places to eat this kebab include Konya and Karaman, both of which are found in Central Anatolia.

17. Tavuk Sis Kebab

Chicken shish kebab is one of Turkey's most well-liked kebabs. The meal is made of marinated, skewered, and grilled chicken chunks. Typically, this dish uses tomato paste, yogurt, and milk to marinate chicken breasts.

Most eateries serve it with grilled tomatoes, green peppers, and bulgur pilaf.

18. Kilis Kebabi

This kebab's components are tasty but uncomplicated. The ingredients are red peppers, onions, garlic, and minced lamb meat. With sliced tomatoes and bell peppers on the edge of the dish, marinated ground lamb is formed into a flat disc and baked. The name of this delicious Turkish kebab comes from the city of Kilis, where it was first cooked.

19. Hunkar Begendi

Because it was the Ottoman sultans' preferred kebab, also recognized as Sultan's kebab, one of the best Istanbul kebabs for tourists and locals, it is comprised of thinly sliced lamb and is served over a smooth, herb-flavored eggplant purée.

Best Istanbul Kebab Restaurant

Best Istanbul doner kebab restaurants:

• Gaziantep Burc Ocakbasi
• Bayramoğlu Döner
• Adana Ocakbaşı Kurtuluş
• Meydan Ciftlik Doner
• Sedef Iskender

Best Istanbul kebab restaurant in Grand Bazar:

• Dönerci Şahin Usta
• Aynen Dürüm
• YIldIz Bufe
• Hamdi Restaurant

Best kebab in Taksim:

• Zübeyir
• Turkish Barbecue Kebap
• Sofram Kebap Döner

Bottom Line

A foodie journey of epic proportions awaits our readers. Knowing the wide Turkish kebab varieties and their recipes, be sure to visit at least one restaurant throughout your trip, as we just gave you the most excellent Istanbul kebab served in the top locations! 

Have fun, and enjoy your stay in Istanbul!