After an unfortunate bout of food poisoning in Istanbul, I was glad that it didn’t affect my appetite when we arrived in the much calmer and beautiful Kaş. With plenty of restaurants scattered around Kaş, with some offering views of the sea, most of my favourites were the ones tucked away in the backstreets away from the larger tourist crowds.
1. Pell’s Gece
Tucked away from most of the touristy crowds, was this hidden gem that I was glad to come across whilst wandering the hidden backstreets. We popped in for lunch after I successfully convinced my friends to try something different from the standard kebabs and meatballs. I loved the bright pop of yellow and tiled tables, and the rustic interiors which tend to appeal to my tastes.
They had a great selection of refreshing juices and smoothies that helped to cool us down in the hot summer weather. Presentation definitely plays a key part in this restaurant, even the complimentary bread and olives were beautifully presented. I ordered the Tarhana breaded chicken that was crisp and golden on the outside yet still moist on the inside, served with sweet chilli sauce and a creamy sort of potato mash. We did not miss out on their highly recommended Legendary Lasagna that is usually available in limited quantities – deliciously comforting and it definitely lived up to its name. The pasta dish that my friend ordered was also very good.
I had a browse of their breakfast menu and could not resist heading back the next morning for a solo visit before my flight back that day. I had the Pell’s Classic breakfast which was a platter of tasty and wholesome food – if only all my mornings started like this. This will surely be my first stop the next time I visit Kaş (hopefully next summer!).
2. Bijout
On the very same street as Pell’s, was the cosy Bijout boutique cafe, which is also the owner’s home – you could tell by how well-kept and decorated the place was. She definitely had a good eye for detail, and she also had some very lovely cats that freely roam around the house and surrounding area. There were only four tables outside and we were lucky enough to walk in for dinner without a reservation. Throughout the evening, we watched in admiration as she pulled off a one-woman show, attending to the tables as well as preparing the food on her own in the kitchen.
As you would expect, service was not as fast as a standard restaurant but the food tasted delicious and homely. I really enjoyed my very generous portion of seafood pasta and my glass of Yeni Raki, which was probably my only proper alcoholic drink on that holiday apart from the odd bottle of Efes. Another place that I will have on my list to revisit (next summer?).
3. Smiley’s
One of the places recommended by my host, Selver, was Smiley’s, which is great if you love seafood. We picked our choice of fish and seafood from the counter to be grilled and ordered some sides to accompany our meal. I particularly enjoyed the grilled squid that I would happily eat on my own anytime. Great service and food – I’ll be back!
4. Sempati
If you’re looking for classic home-cooked Turkish food, then check this place out, another restaurant that we visited twice during our stay. I had the classic meat-filled Turkish dumplings, and grilled seabass the next day, both of which I enjoyed. Remember to order dessert when you visit – the dessert that we had that day was sinfully good. According to my ever-reliable Google, I think it’s called Trilece, the Turkish version of the well known latin Tres Leches “three milk” cake. I might need to attempt making this at home sometime. Their savoury pastry dish is also one of their recommended dishes that is a nice starter to share.
5. Bay Köfte
For something quick, simple and budget friendly, try Bay Köfte. They have a simple straight-forward menu, which focuses on their homemade meatballs that you can have with rice or bread.
Last but not least, is a really cute local cafe that I stumbled upon during one of our walks.
I’ll be writing up a round-up of my top things to do in Kaş soon, so remember to subscribe to stay up-to-date! In the meantime, why not check out my post on my favourite restaurants in Kaş here.
The Cheekster, signing out x
