Turkish cuisine varies across the country. The cooking of Istanbul, Bursa, Izmir, have a lighter use of spices, a preference for rice over bulgur, koftes and a wider availability of vegetable stews.
The cuisine of the Black Sea Region uses fish extensively, and includes maize dishes.
The cuisine of the southeast is famous for its variety of kebabs, mezes and dough-based desserts such as baklava, şöbiyet, kadayıf, and künefe.