Travel video guide
Insider Food in Şahinbey, Gaziantep: 1 Spot
This guide turns Why Baklava Is So Hard To Make By Hand from Insider Food into a practical restaurant map with 1 saved spot around Şahinbey. The mapped places include a restaurant stop. Use it to understand the places, dishes, and trip context before saving the map in Varedelo.
What the creator captured
Insider Food explored the historic Imam Çağdaş restaurant in Gaziantep to see how traditional baklava is preserved against modern commercialization. The creator was particularly impressed by the labor-intensive process of stacking 40 layers of hand-rolled dough and the unique smoky flavor provided by wood-fired ovens. Despite the high cost of early-harvest pistachios and the 2023 earthquake, the restaurant remains a vital community pillar and global destination.
What this map is good for
- Planning a restaurant stop or short itinerary in Şahinbey.
- Comparing food stops from a creator or saved local map before you commit time in the city.
- Saving 1 mapped spot into Varedelo so the list stays usable on the ground.
- Using the original video as context, then turning it into a clean place-by-place map.
Featured spots on this map
- İmam Çağdaş Kebap Ve Baklava Salonu
Restaurant in Kale, Altı Uzun Çarşı No:49, 27400 Şahinbey/Gaziantep, Türkiye, Kale, Şahinbey, Gaziantep, Türkiye
Price level: High
Hours: Hours available
Food notes from the video
- Ali Nazik with chicken
- Classic pistachio baklava
Experiences captured
- Traveled to Gaziantep, Turkey
- Visited the historic Imam Çağdaş restaurant
- Observed masters rolling paper-thin baklava dough
- Learned about the 1887 history of the business
- Toured the restaurant's original Silk Road location
- Watched baklava being baked in wood-fired ovens
- Interviewed fourth-generation owner Burhan Çağdaş
- Heard the crunch of fresh traditional baklava
Planning notes for Şahinbey
Alaybey, situated within the Şahinbey district of Gaziantep, is a neighborhood characterized by its 16th-century Ottoman foundations and traditional stone architecture. Historically, the area developed as a commercial and residential hub near the city’s central bazaar, with its layout defined by narrow, winding alleys and high-walled structures. Historical Heritage and Architecture The architectural centerpiece of the neighborhood is the Alaybey Mosque.
Must-try foods nearby
- Gaziantep Baklavası
The crown jewel of the city, this world-renowned pastry consists of paper-thin layers of phyllo dough, clarified butter. - Nohut Dürümü
A quintessential Gaziantep street food that is naturally pescatarian and vegan. It features chickpeas simmered in a spiced bone-free broth until tender. - Katmer
A legendary breakfast pastry made by stretching dough until it is translucent, then folding it around clotted cream (kaymak), sugar, and crushed pistachios. - Zeytinyağlı Kuru Patlıcan Dolması
While many versions contain meat, the olive oil (zeytinyağlı) version is a local masterpiece. - Kiremitte Alabalık
A traditional pescatarian favorite often found in the scenic restaurants of Şahinbey.
When to go: The best time to visit Alaybey is during the spring (April to June) or autumn (September to October) when temperatures are mild and pleasant for exploring the historic streets. Summer months can be intensely hot with temperatures often exceeding 35°C (95°F).
Local tips
- Use the Gaziantep Kart for affordable and efficient travel on local buses and trams connecting Alaybey to the rest of the city.
- Dress modestly by covering shoulders and knees to respect the more conservative social norms of this historic neighborhood.
- Wait for the eldest person at the table to begin eating as a sign of respect during traditional Gaziantep meals.
- Accept tea when offered by local shopkeepers in the nearby bazaars, as refusing can be seen as a slight to their hospitality.
What travelers are noticing
- Anadolu’s City Economies Summit (Gaziantep-Aleppo) focusing on regional trade revival
- Middle East Food and Food Technologies Fair (MFF 2026) at the Middle East Expo Center
- Urban renewal and infrastructure expansion, including the Boğaziçi Boulevard Phase 2 developments
Extra place context
- İmam Çağdaş Kebap ve Baklava Salonu
A world-renowned institution since 1887 located just steps from Alaybey. While famous for meat.
food
Official tourism resource
The official tourism portal of the Şahinbey Municipality, providing information on historical sites, museums, and cultural attractions in the district.
Planning questions
Where did Insider Food eat in Şahinbey, Gaziantep?
This guide maps all 1 spot featured in the video, with names, addresses, and neighborhoods, so you can plan where to eat in Şahinbey, Gaziantep.
What are the must-try foods in Şahinbey, Gaziantep?
Creator picks from the video include Ali Nazik with chicken, Classic pistachio baklava. Open the map in Varedelo to see which spot each one is at.
Can I save these spots to use on my trip?
Yes. Open the map in Varedelo to save every spot, get directions, and revisit the guide from your phone while you travel.
Use it on your trip
Save this restaurant map before you go
Keep the mapped spots, creator context, food notes, and planning details together. Varedelo turns the page into a phone-friendly map you can revisit when you are choosing where to go.