The 5 Best Restaurants Near Ephesus, in Selçuk and Şirince

The best restaurants near Ephesus are in Selçuk, the town beside the ruins, and in Şirince, the old village in the hills above it. Most of them are simple, family places that grill meat over charcoal or wood and fill the table with mezes. Our five picks include four restaurants in Selçuk, most of them grill and köfte houses, and a restaurant in a stone schoolhouse in Şirince. So you can eat well after a morning among the ruins without driving far.

How We Chose the Best Restaurants Near Ephesus

We looked for places that cook the food of this corner of the Aegean: köfte, çöp şiş, pide and olive-oil dishes. Each one sits within a short drive of the ancient city. Then we added one table with a view in Şirince, for a longer lunch. For the ruins themselves, start with our guide to Ephesus.

The Best Restaurants Near Ephesus in Selçuk

1. Ejder Restaurant

Ejder is a small, modest restaurant on Cengiz Topel Caddesi in the center of Selçuk. Its kitchen is built around the grill, so order the köfte and the grilled meat. They come with mezes and yogurt dips. Dinner here is relaxed, after a day at the ruins.

2. Şişçi Yaşar’ın Yeri

Şişçi Yaşar’ın Yeri on Atatürk Caddesi is a grill house for çöp şiş, the small skewers of meat that Selçuk is known for. The skewers cook over a wood fire, and the menu also has handmade köfte and şiş kebabs. It welcomes families and also packs food to take away. So it is an easy stop on the way back from Ephesus.

3. Selçuk Köftecisi

Selçuk Köftecisi, on Şahabettin Dede Bulvarı, is a family-run köfte house. The köfte are small beef patties from the grill, and mezes come alongside. To finish, order the milk pudding topped with grape molasses and tahini. It is a quick, honest lunch in town.

4. Tat Restaurant

Tat Restaurant, also on Cengiz Topel Caddesi, has a long menu. It grills kebabs over charcoal, and bakes pide in a wood-fired oven and pizza in a stone oven. There are also fresh fish and seafood, olive-oil dishes and homemade mezes. Because it offers vegetarian and gluten-free choices too, it suits groups with different tastes.

The Best Restaurants Near Ephesus in Şirince

5. Şirince Artemis Restaurant and Wine House

In Şirince, Artemis fills the Taş Mektep, a stone school built in 1906 that first served as a Greek school. Its terrace faces the whole village, and the kitchen cooks Aegean dishes with produce from local and organic farmers. Inside, a small museum shows the history of schooling in the late Ottoman and early Republican years. Then visit the wine cellar, the Taş Mahzen, for a tasting, so it suits a long lunch or an evening with a view.

Eat at the Best Restaurants Near Ephesus With Us

On our Ephesus and Şirince tour, a guide in Ephesus plans lunch around the ruins. For the night, read our places to stay near Ephesus. If you continue inland, see the best hotels in Pamukkale and the best restaurants in Pamukkale. Let us know your day at Ephesus, and we will book lunch near the ruins.