Good cooking and family go together, and this is especially true in Türkiye where love is expressed through food. Mantı, or Turkish dumpling, is one of our family’s favorite Turkish dishes, and we love it even more when there is a story behind it. Read on to learn more about mantı, and our new friends who run Nadide Sultan Mantı in Antalya’s city center.
What is mantı?
Across Türkiye, mantı can come in various shapes and sizes. Basically a dumpling or ravioli, mantı is generally a pasta dough wrapped around spiced ground lamb and onions. The most common is walnut-sized dough stuffed and then boiled. But, you can also find dozens of variations in shape, size, and filling throughout Türkiye (and Central Asia from where it originally hailed).
We like it best drizzled with garlic infused yogurt and tomato and red pepper paste, but you can also top it with melted butter, red pepper powder, ground sumac or dried mint. When you order mantı at a restaurant, be prepared to tell them if you want garlic in your yogurt and if you prefer just butter or tomato paste. The spices are normally on the table ready for you to use as you wish.
If you want to eat mantı in the comfort of your home, you can purchase pre-made mantı at most pazars and mantı restaurants. You can also find frozen mantı in a pinch in the freezer section of the grocery store, but of course it won’t be as fresh and delicious.
Nadide Sultan Mantı
Nadide Sultan Mantı is a family restaurant that opened in 2008. It is named after the matriarch herself, Nadide, who had a dream to open a restaurant after her family moved from Istanbul to Antalya 25 years ago. Originally from Gaziantep and Erzurum, Nadide’s mantı is Erzurumlu-which means it is lovingly prepared the way her family in Erzurum taught her to make it.
Running a business is not easy, and especially starting a restaurant from nothing. But Nadide, with the help of her daughter Saba, has built a successful and satisfying career. Most proud of how much the restaurant has grown, Nadide is grateful for the blessing of being able to move to a new location on Konyaaltı Caddesi five years ago out of necessity for space.
One of Saba’s favorite parts of working with her mom is the joy she gets at introducing customers to the woman behind the name… and the mantı. In such difficult economic times, they are both encouraged by regular and new customers who come in to experience their labors of love.
If you are looking for some delicious, hand-prepared-on-site mantı and service with a smile, be sure to check out Nadide Sultan Mantı when you are in Antalya city center. You can also purchase some pre-made dry mantı by the kilo and take some home to prepare later. In addition to mantı, Nadide, Saba, and their staff also serve a variety of other Turkish dishes that we haven’t tried, but trust are probably also exceptional.
For other ideas on things to eat while in Antalya, be sure to check out our posts on irmik helvası, piyaz, Turkish home cooking, and regional dishes not to miss.
How to get there
Nadide Sultan Mantı is a great stop for lunch if you happen to be at the Antalya Museum. It is also close to historic Kaleiçi and the Old Town Harbor. Easily accessible from the Nostalgic Tram (when it is running), you can also take KL-21 from Mark Antalya and get off in front of Atatürk Parkı. The restaurant is on the north side of the street.
Address: Bahçeli Evler Mahallesi, Murat Apartmanı, Muratpaşa Antalya TR, Konyaaltı Cd. No : 44\B, 07050
Hours: Sunday – Friday: 8:00 – 23:30; Saturday: 8:00 – 23:00