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Scenic spot
Gaziantep
GAP
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GastronomyImam Cagdas is an iconic restaurant in the historic core of Gaziantep, standing in the Uzun Carsi (Long Bazaar) below the castle and serving continuously since 1887, so thoroughly identified with the city's culinary identity that it has become a landmark in its own right.
History
The establishment traces back to Haci Huseyin Efendi, who came from Aleppo to Antep and opened a shop in the Maarif quarter as the city's 34th registered tradesman; he moved the business to Uzun Carsi in 1898, and the master craftsman Imam, who later took over, gave the house his own name and built one of the strongest reference points of Antep cuisine until his death in 1964.
Flavours and Architecture
Run today by the same family tradition into its sixth generation, the house is renowned for its onion lahmacun baked over a wood fire, its kusbasi and kusleme kebaps, its ali nazik, and above all its many-layered pistachio baklava, which is exported as far as Germany and the United States. In 2024 it received the 'Best Traditional Restaurant' award from the prestigious Gault&Millau Turkey guide, confirming the living prestige of this 137-year-old legacy. Architecturally the restaurant is a historic stone-and-masonry tradesman's building embedded in the bazaar fabric; its plain yet authentic interior, open baklava counters and visible kitchen-to-hall flow let visitors watch the food being made.
Cultural and Touristic Significance
Its cultural weight grew further when Gaziantep joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as a 'City of Gastronomy' in 2015, and Imam Cagdas is considered one of the living showcases of that title. Its tourist value is high because it sits at the very heart of the pedestrian old-town axis linking Gaziantep Castle, the Coppersmiths' Bazaar, the Zincirli Bedesten and the Almaci Market. This is the main reason agencies favour it: group tours are routed here for lunch after a morning at the Zeugma Mosaic Museum and the castle, its central location and large capacity comfortably host big groups, and the baklava-and-kebap menu sums up Antep at a single table.
Visiting & Access
The average visit and meal takes 60 to 90 minutes. For photography, the layered baklava counters, copper-tray presentations and the historic bazaar street stand out. Access is easy; because the old core is largely pedestrianised, tour coaches park around Sehrekustu, the castle surroundings or the 100th Year Ataturk Culture Park and reach the venue on a short walk. Ground-floor access is possible for wheelchair users, though the narrow bazaar lanes and door thresholds can be limiting. The best time to visit is spring (April-May) and autumn (September-October); peak season falls on weekends, public holidays and especially religious festivals. Recommended route: Zeugma Mosaic Museum, then the castle and Panorama Museum, the Coppersmiths' Bazaar and Zincirli Bedesten, lunch at Imam Cagdas, menengic coffee at the Tahmis Coffee House, and finally the Hasan Suzer and Bayazhan mansion museums.
Visit & Logistics
Visit & Logistics- Getting thereIn the historic city core, at Kale Altı Uzun Çarşı No:49 (Şahinbey). The core is largely pedestrianised; reached from the city centre by taxi/on foot, by tram plus a short walk, or, on tours, by coach to nearby car parks followed by a walk.
- ParkingThe venue has no car park of its own; the nearest options are the Şehreküstü car park, the area around the castle, and the car parks around 100th Year Atatürk Culture Park.
- Coach accessTour coaches cannot enter the narrow pedestrian bazaar; they park at Şehreküstü, around the castle, or at the 100th Year Culture Park car parks, followed by a 5-10 minute walk.
- AccessibilityGround-floor service is possible; however, the narrow bazaar streets, lack of pavements and door thresholds partly limit wheelchair access.
- Photo spotsThe layered open baklava counters; copper-tray/plate presentations; the wood-fired lahmacun oven; and the historic streetscape of Uzun Çarşı.
- Suggested routeThe lunch stop on a full-day city-core tour: after visiting Zeugma and the castle, before the bazaar-and-museum tour.
Tours that include this place