Antakya and the Hatay Table

Hatay sits where Anatolian and Levantine cooking meet, and the table shows it. Hummus arrives warm with melted butter and pine nuts rather than cold from a fridge. Muhammara is walnut, pepper paste and pomegranate molasses, hot and sour at once. Oruk is a bulgur shell around spiced meat, close cousin to kibbeh. Zahter salad uses the wild thyme off the hills, and surk, a spiced cone of fermented cheese, turns up on every breakfast spread. Kunefe is the province's signature: shredded kadayif around unsalted stretchy cheese, baked in a copper dish, soaked in syrup and served hot enough to burn the roof of your mouth.

Highlights

• Kunefe - shredded pastry, unsalted cheese and syrup, served straight from the copper dish.
• Warm hummus - served hot with butter and pine nuts, not as a cold dip.
• The breakfast spread - surk cheese, zahter, olives and pastries across a whole table.
• Oruk and tepsi kebabi - bulgur shells, and a tray kebab sent to the bakery to cook.

When to go

Spring and autumn; summers on the plain are hot and humid. Kunefe is an evening habit and the good ovens run late. Breakfast is the big communal meal here, so keep a morning free and arrive hungry. Check current opening arrangements before you travel, since part of the food trade is still working from temporary premises.

What to expect

The 2023 earthquakes damaged much of old Antakya and rebuilding continues: long-established kitchens have moved, the historic bazaar is only partly open, and accommodation is limited and priced accordingly. Portions are large and the cooking is heavy on butter and syrup. Distances between the province's towns are longer than the map suggests.

Nearby

The Amanos hills behind the city, the coast at Arsuz and the province's mosaic collection.