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TasteAtlas has placed two Turkish dishes in the top 10 of its World’s 100 Best Dishes list, which features entries from several countries including Colombia, Italy, Brazil, Algeria and Thailand.
Erzurum’s cag kebab (horizontal wood-fired lamb kebab) and Bodrum’s cokertme kebab (fried potato and marinated beef kebab with garlic yogurt and tomato sauce) both secured places in the top group.
Cokertme kebab ranked seventh and cag kebab ranked ninth, making Türkiye the only country with two dishes in the top 10.
The recognition places Türkiye alongside a wide range of global culinary traditions, with several regional dishes prepared through traditional techniques.
Cag kebab holds a special place in Erzurum’s local identity.
Chefs prepare it with lamb raised on high-altitude plateaus, where the animals feed on endemic plants that give the meat a natural depth of flavour.
The preparation begins with a simple marinade of onion, black pepper and salt, followed by a resting period that allows the meat to soften and take on its seasoning.
The lamb is then stacked on a long skewer called a cag, placed horizontally, and cooked over a wood fire. This cooking style gives the meat an even roast and creates the flavour that locals say cannot be reproduced outside the region.
Erzurum Commodity Exchange Chairman Hakan Oral said the dish carries the geography of Erzurum on the plate and explained that some restaurants in Türkiye try to imitate it under names such as “yatik doner,” meaning horizontal rotisserie.
He stated that these attempts cannot match the original because the taste comes from the region’s altitude, climate and plant life.
Oral noted that cag kebab received official registration in 2009, and that every stage, from the preparation of the lamb to the service on the plate, follows this standard.
He also pointed out that Erzurum has 61 registered local products and ranks third in Türkiye in this category, and added that local businesses aim to bring more regional foods into national and international rankings.
TasteAtlas evaluated 367,847 valid votes and compared 11,258 dishes from several continents.
The list ranges from Colombia’s lechona to Italy’s Neapolitan pizza and Ethiopia’s tibs, and includes many dishes known for traditional cooking techniques and long preparation times.
Cokertme kebab became Türkiye’s highest scoring dish. It comes from the Milas–Bodrum region and combines thin fried potatoes, marinated slices of beef, garlic yogurt and a light tomato sauce.
TasteAtlas described the dish as a modern interpretation of the broader kebab tradition due to its structure and presentation.
Cag kebab followed closely in ninth place. Restaurants usually serve it with thin lavash flatbread and fresh onion. The dish relies on the natural taste of the meat instead of heavy sauces or spices.
TasteAtlas listed several other Turkish dishes in the top 100:
These dishes represent different regions across the country and reflect Türkiye’s wide range of culinary techniques, from long-braised palace dishes to grilled street classics.
They also show how growing international interest has expanded beyond the standard image of doner, baklava or meze plates.
The new ranking is expected to shape the way international visitors understand Türkiye’s food traditions.
Many tourists encounter the most common dishes in Istanbul’s central districts, yet lists like this encourage them to travel to places such as Erzurum, Adana, Bursa, Sakarya or Bodrum to discover local kitchens with a long history.
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