What to Eat and Where to Eat in Kars?

the city of serhat KarsWith the wind blown by the Eastern Express, it has suddenly gained popularity in recent years. Foreigners going to Kars, as well as places to visit What to eat, where to eat in Kars, where to eat goose meat, what is piti food He started asking questions like: come on Famous dishes of Kars Let's see what they are, where and what to eat.

What to Eat in Kars?

Due to the geographical location of Kars, agriculture is almost non-existent, the city is too high for agriculture and the cold season lasts for a very long time. Snow begins to fall at the end of September, and snow continues to remain in the highlands until the end of March. As such, farming is not possible. The best thing to do in the highlands is animal husbandry, which is highly developed. The things to eat in Kars are mainly animal products. When you think of animal products, don't just think of cows and sheep, Kars also comes to mind. goose meat Also famous for.

Famous Dishes of Kars

Although goose meat is the first dish that comes to mind when Kars is mentioned, Caucasian dishes are served in almost all restaurants in Kars. Piti, which is originally the dish of the city of Sheki in Azerbaijan, and pastry dishes such as hashish and khingel are the famous dishes of Kars.

Kars Goose Meat

Goose breeds abundantly in Kars and Ardahan. When I saw herds of geese on the roadside, I was very strange at first, I got used to seeing it very often. It is of great economic importance as goose feathers and meat are used. Goose, which has an important place in French cuisine, is consumed both fresh and dried in this region throughout the year.

When I went to Kars for the first time, I couldn't find a place to eat goose in Kars, but now almost all restaurants have goose meat.

Goose meat is a fatty meat because it is a muscular animal and lives in a harsh and cold climate. It is usually served as boiled over rice. Since it is a heavy meat, it is not possible to eat a lot in terms of quantity, I cannot say it is my favorite meat.

Kars Piti Meal

This is my favorite dish in Kars! I ate for the first time in Sheki, Azerbaijan, and loved it. The lamb shank boiled with chickpeas is first softened by adding pita to the broth, and then the dish itself is added on top. Definitely a dish that will be loved by those whose favorite meat is lamb.

I ate Piti in many places in Kars, piti food my favourite.

Kars Gruyere Cheese, Kars Cheddar Cheese, Kars Butter

Kars is famous for its gruyere cheese. In the city center of Kars Kars belly cheddar, aged cheddar, gruyere cheese, chechil cheese and Kars honey There are places where you can find it.

Gruyere is not a breakfast, but an appetizer cheese, it can be heavy to eat for breakfast. For breakfast, you can choose old cheddar, belly cheddar or çecil cheese. If you ask where to buy cheese in Kars, there are many options; I tried Büyük Zavotlar, Metin Bey Cheese Shop, Koçulu Farm, Zümran Ömür, Çapan Cheese Shop and was satisfied. You do not need to carry your order with you, you choose the ones you want, they are shipped to your address.

Kars Honey

Of course, honey is also very good in Kars highlands, which are home to more than 650 endemic plants. You can also find Kars honey in most cheese shops.

Pastry-Based Dishes: Haşıl, Hangel…

I said there are no vegetables in Kars, so apart from meat dishes, pastries remain. However, I can't say that I like the pastries in Kars very much, this is just my personal opinion, I'm sure there are people who like it.

Haşıl is served with butter and yogurt on boiled bulgur. I could never warm to this dish…

Hangel is served with butter and yoghurt on top of boiled triangular dough pieces. This is slightly better than the size. But you're just eating dough, so it's not my first choice.

In addition, you can eat kete and hope Flour halva is a dessert that you can find in many places. Hot buttermilk soup ve evelik soup are in the menus. You can find the dishes I mentioned above in almost all of the restaurants that serve local dishes such as Kars Kaz Evi, Hanımeli Restaurant and Pushkin.

Yellow Fish

The yellow fish that lives in Çıldır Lake and is caught under the ice is fried and cooked. A fish with lots of bones but delicious.

Atalay is the most famous of the places that make this yellow wing fish caught on the shores of Lake Çıldır. It is a good option both to take a lunch break and to warm up in the indoor stove. It is a good idea to call ahead and make a reservation, as it gets very crowded on weekends during the winter months.

Atalay's Place Restaurant Phone: 0533 934 61 00

Where to Eat in Kars?

When I went to Kars 5 years ago, there were only Kars Goose House and Hanımeli Restaurant that could eat local food. Now a restaurant has opened on every corner. I am still adding my comments about the places I have tried new, starting from the old ones.

Kars Goose House

Kars Goose House is the first business established by Nuran Özyılmaz by selling his gold with his individual efforts and commercializing goose meat in Kars. They moved to a much more spacious and beautiful stone building under Kars Castle from its old place, which is slightly smaller and off the beaten path, and it was very nice.

In the menu of Kars Goose House, besides goose meat, there were regional dishes that were almost forgotten. We placed our orders on recommendation, we ordered whatever we heard for the first time. While we were getting ready to go after a nice meal and friendly service, we started chatting with Nuran Hanım, the manager of Kaz Evi, and then we realized that the hours passed.

The story of the Goose House Nuran Oguz Ozyilmaz'We listened from This place, where she works with her daughters, means much more than a restaurant to her. She established an association that brought women from Kars together on goose breeding and received support from the United Nations. She is a brave woman who believes in Kars. With his insatiable conversation, he made friends with everyone who came to the Goose House. If you go to Kars, make sure to stop by Kars Kaz Evi and chat with Ms. Nuran.

In the Goose House, you can find local dishes such as goose meat, piti, shank, hingel, and umaç halva, as well as a Caucasian Dance show every evening at 21:00. You pay extra per person for the dance show, but it is such a beautiful show that you should definitely watch it when you go to Kars.

Before going to Kars Goose Evi, it is a good idea to make a reservation during the busy season.

Kars Kaz House phone: (0474) 212 37 13

Kars Goose House Menu

I just wrote the names of the local dishes below, there are other dishes on the menu as well.

• Evelik Soup
• Ayran Vaccine Soup
• Cutting Vaccine
• Kars Kete
• In Tandoori, Whole Goose
• In Tandoori, Goose Breast or Leg
• Goose in Tandoori with Rice
• Piti Meal
• hangel
• size

Kars Goose House started to send products such as Kars cheese, honey, goose meat to the address with orders at the end of 2020. If you want to order, you can find the information below.

Kars Honeysuckle Restaurant

One of the oldest local restaurants in Kars is Hanımeli Restaurant. Here you can find the local dishes listed above. In addition, there is alcohol in the menu of Hanımeli Restaurant.

The owner of Hanımeli Restaurant, who is a Caucasian immigrant, puts on an accordion show, and then there is a quarrel with each other.

Kars Hanımeli Restaurant Phone: (0474) 212 61 31

Pushkin Restaurant

The famous writer Pushkin lived in Kars for a while, so you can see cafes and restaurants in his name. Pushkin Restaurant near Kars Castle is one of the newly opened restaurants. The interior is spacious and beautifully designed. A restaurant close to the new venue of Kars Kaz Evi.

The menu content is still similar. Compared to other venues, the interest of the employees here seems a little weak to me. If you want to try different places, you can also go here.

By the way, if you are going during the busy season for all of the above restaurants, reservations are required.

Kilicoglu Patisserie

Kılıçoğlu Patisserie is recommended for those who want to drink my tea, coffee and have my dessert in a beautiful place in Kars. The employees are smiling, the desserts are delicious. We ordered different desserts for 3 people, all three of them were very nice.

There is also an extensive food menu here. I'm not commenting on the food as I haven't tasted it, but I don't think they are bad either.

Excuse Cafe

In addition, if you want to have fun and drink something alcoholic in the evening in Kars, there are many options from the beginning of the fire to the bars. We preferred Bahane Cafe for a drink. Hot wine by the fire burning outside was quite enjoyable. They insisted on giving a wine they claimed to be Syriac wine, but I don't think it's Syriac wine in Kars.

Breakfast in Boğatepe Village

When it comes to Kars, Boğatepe Village, where Kars cheese was born, is one of the places that must be visited. In Boğatepe Village, you can taste the cheese grown in their own dairy as a guest at the villagers' house and chat with the people of the house.

In Boğatepe Village, we were guests at Zümran Ömür's house, but you can also be a guest at different houses.

Spread village breakfast was 2022 TL per person in 100.

Boğatepe Village writing ve Boğatepe Village Videoma be sure to check it out.

Çıldır Lake Atalay's Place

On the shores of the lake, there are places that make yellow wing fish caught in Lake Çıldır, the most famous of which is Atalay's place. It is a good option both to take a lunch break and to warm up in the indoor stove. It is a good idea to call ahead and make a reservation, as it gets very crowded on weekends during the winter months.

This place serves a fixed menu, yellow fish, salad, soft drink is served in the form of menu.

Atalay's Place Restaurant Phone: (0533) 934 61 00

House wine or Syriac wine is sold in many places in Kars, it is not usually on the menu, I suggest you do not order it without asking the price. We drank very bad wine at Atalay's place. Do not order the wine without trying it.

Arpacay Log House

As an alternative to Atalay's Place, which worked as a monopoly on the shores of Lake Çıldır for a long time, Arpacay Log House, built by the Governorship of Kars, can also be preferred.

There are accommodation options as well as meals.

Arpacay Log House Phone: (0474) 285 1010  

In my opinion, Kars still cannot evaluate its tourism potential sufficiently. But every time I go it gets a little bit more advanced. I hope there will be more beautiful places open on my next visit.

Kars Travel Articles

Be sure to check out my other travel articles about Kars.

• To get information about places to visit in Kars; Kars places to visit
• If you want to go to Kars with the Eastern Express; How to buy a ticket for the Orient Express?
• If you want to stop by Ishak Pasha Palace while you are in Kars; İshak Pasha Palace

Stay on the Road!