Tokat is home to one of Turkey's rich culinary cultures and has a very diverse range of local delicacies. The city's food culture is shaped by both historical and geographical influences and is supported by agricultural products that reflect the effects of both the continental and Black Sea climate of this region located in the middle of Anatolia.
One of the most famous dishes of Tokat is Tokat kebab. This kebab is prepared by cooking lamb meat enriched with garlic, tomatoes and peppers over a wood fire. Another unique local dish is perdeli pilaf; this dish is made by putting chicken or lamb meat flavored with various spices into pilaf, burying it in dough and baking it in the oven. It offers a rich presentation both visually and in terms of flavor.
Vegetable dishes also have an important place in Tokat's food culture. Olive oil dishes and wraps using various herbs and vegetables are among the indispensables of the tables. Vegetables such as eggplant, zucchini and beans as well as broad beans and wild herbs show the diversity of agriculture in the region. Especially in spring, dishes made with wild herbs collected from the mountains decorate the tables of the local people.
Tokat also offers unique flavors in desserts. Walnut bending is a dessert prepared by the local people especially on holidays and special occasions, using walnuts, sugar and phyllo dough. This dessert is also considered as a reflection of Tokat's rich walnut forests. In addition, nokul, another dessert unique to Tokat, is an energizing flavor prepared with a mixture of sesame, molasses and flour.
Tokat's food and beverage culture blends with its rich agricultural products and historical past to offer unforgettable taste experiences to visitors and locals. These flavors have an important place in the social life of the city and special invitations and stand out as an indicator of hospitality. Each dish enriches Tokat's cultural identity by combining the geography, climate and history of the region with flavor.