Mardin's cuisine is one of the most distinctive in Turkey, combining Arab, Kurdish, and Armenian traditions in dishes you will rarely find elsewhere. The signature ingredient is the wild pistachio (menengiç) that grows throughout the Tur Abdin plateau — the small, resinous nuts go into a coffee-like drink (menengiç kahvesi) and various sweets that are the local speciality. Oruk (kibbeh in Arabic, içli köfte in Turkish) — bulgur shells filled with spiced ground meat — is made here in more varieties than anywhere else; the local versions are especially good.
Several restaurants on the main road through the old city serve a full range of local dishes, including kibe (fried kibbeh), içli pilav (rice cooked with meat and pistachios), and kavurma (slow-cooked meat preserved in fat). For sweets, look for kadayıf dolması (shredded wheat filled with pistachios) in the bazaar confectioners. The rooftop terrace restaurants along Cumhuriyet Caddesi combine reasonable food with extraordinary views across the plain — the combination, particularly at sunset, is hard to beat.