Top 5 Luxury Restaurants in Ankara, Türkiye – Turkey

Develi1912 sits among the top one-hundred restaurant brands in the world and I can see why. Located on one of Ankara’s most established and important streets (Palestine Street), it boasts panoramic views of the city and its mountainous backdrop. 

The detached building has an industrial exterior, which contrasts the sleek and modern interior. Sink into your cream leather chair, admiring the sunset through the floor-to-ceiling windows, as you wait for your tasty dish to be placed onto the marble table. 

For starters, I dipped puffed Lavash bread (a widely eaten flatbread in Türkiye, Iran and Armenia) into a selection of condiments. 

I could not get enough of Cig Kofte, traditionally a raw meat dish served cold as a meze. It’s a thick mixture of finely ground beef or lamb, mixed with bulgur, onions, parsley, mint, tomatoes and spices. As a vegetarian, mine was substituted with lentils, yet still lively in flavour.

Pide (Turkish pizza) is one of the most-known dishes in Türkiye. It’s a flatbread usually topped with mozzarella or ground beef or lamb, with Sumac (a dried berry spice) sprinkled on top. Pide is a must-try when in Türkiye. 

I also tried the mouth-watering Develi’s melted cheese and sizzling mushrooms. Served in a cast-iron pan, on a wooden platter, the crackling bubbles of spiced cheese, drizzling over the fried mushrooms.

Dessert was Katmer – a crushed pistachio, cream-filled dough, that is crisped to perfection. 

More info: Develi