Kars has a modest but genuine restaurant scene centred on Turkish staples with some local character. Kars gravyer cheese appears on most menus — in toasted sandwiches, grated over börek, and as a standalone snack. Honey from the plateau meadows is another local speciality, usually served at breakfast. Goose dishes appear on some menus; goose herding has a long tradition in the Kars region, originally a Russian-era introduction.
The area around the bazaar and the main pedestrian streets has the highest concentration of lokantalar (small lunch restaurants) and kebab places. Prices are low by Turkish national standards — Kars is not a wealthy city and restaurants cater primarily to locals.