Gaziantep cuisine is remembered for its kebabs and baklava, yet the real balance of the table is struck by its cold mezes and salads. Blended with pomegranate molasses, isot pepper and walnuts, these dishes bring acidity, freshness and coolness alongside heavy meat dishes. From spicy paste to muhammara, from gavurdağı salad to mung bean salad, a part of this variety is protected by geographical indication.
On this page we have gathered Gaziantep's appetizers and salads under two headings: meat-free cold mezes and salads and a registered hot spring dish. You can follow through to each one's own page to read its history, what it is made of and its cultural background.
Mezes & Cold Salads
Meat-free cold delights where pomegranate molasses, isot pepper, walnuts and fresh herbs meet — the indispensable companions of the kebab and the grill.
A finely chopped relish of pepper, tomato and spices kneaded with pomegranate molasses; the classic cold meze beside kebab. (vegetarian)
A cold paste of walnuts and red pepper, known locally as "cevizli biber" (walnut pepper) or "acuka"; a shared Aleppo–Antep meze and breakfast spread. (vegetarian; registered, geographical indication No 1073)
Finely diced tomato, walnut and onion dressed with pomegranate molasses; the salad classically served beside kebab. (vegetarian)
Crushed green olives with walnuts, spring onion and pomegranate molasses; a Gaziantep olive meze. (vegetarian)
A cold, registered salad of boiled mung beans dressed with onion, parsley and pomegranate molasses. (vegetarian; registered, No 878)
Avrat salad (avrat salatası): diced tomato, onion, pepper and parsley in pomegranate molasses, dried mint and water, served iced — a registered Gaziantep salad.
Spicy Paste, Muhammara, Gavurdağı Salad, Olive Salad, Mung Bean Salad and Avrat Salad are meat-free (vegetarian/vegan-friendly) cold delights.
Meze and Table Culture in Gaziantep
In Gaziantep, the meze table is an inseparable part of the meal. The cold mezes and salads balance the city's meat- and kebab-heavy cuisine with the acidity of pomegranate molasses and isot pepper and the freshness of walnuts and fresh herbs; they cool the palate beside heavy dishes and bring colour to the table.
These mezes are imagined not on their own but as part of a whole: the embers of the kebab, the warmth of the pide and the tang of the meze meet at the same table. To see the city's cuisine beyond its mezes and salads all in one place, visit the Gastronomy page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which of Gaziantep's appetizers and salads are on this page?
Six cold delights (spicy paste, muhammara, gavurdağı salad, olive salad, mung bean salad, avrat salad) are listed under one heading. You can read each one's history and ingredients on its detailed page.
Which of these mezes are vegetarian?
Spicy paste, muhammara, gavurdağı salad, olive salad, mung bean salad and avrat salad are meat-free vegetarian delights.
What is the difference between a "meze" and a "salad/piyaz" in Antep?
The boundary is flexible: thick, spreadable delights such as ezme and muhammara are usually called "meze," while chopped-vegetable preparations like gavurdağı and legume- or olive-based ones like mung bean and olive salad are called "salad" or "piyaz." All are served cold and meet at the same table.
Which of these dishes have a geographical indication?
Muhammara (No 1073), mung bean salad (No 878) and avrat salad are registered by TÜRKPATENT. Spicy paste, gavurdağı salad and olive salad are unregistered but deep-rooted regional dishes.
How are these mezes served?
The cold mezes and salads are served in small dishes beside the kebab and the grill; with the sour-spicy balance of pomegranate molasses and isot pepper, they add freshness next to heavy meat dishes.