Pumpkin Göreme Restaurant & Art Gallery

The food and service here are excellent. We got a set course and everything was fantastic. The owner came to our table and we had a great conversation. One of the best restaurants i have ever been to in Turkey or the world.

This is one of the best restaurants in the area. Despite the decline in tourism in this region/​country, you would be wise to have a reservation for this restaurant. During the course of our dinner, they had to turn away six parties.
The food: 60tl for a four course meal, the portions were generous, the taste delicious, non alcoholic beverages included (and she even included the glass of wine I had, so nice!).
The service: quick, sincere, genuine, smile, honest (bill was 120, I intended to leave 150 but left 200 by accident, waitress ran out and said I left too much). To top it off, we were given key chain evil eye souvenirs.

Awesome service. The staff was really friendly and the food was good. I just hope they do have a fixed menu as it makes easy to decide what to eat before hand.

A charming restaurant located in the downtown area of goreme, Pumpkin Restaurant lived up to its reputation. Sleep deprived and exhausted from our early morning balloon ride in the morning, we were delighted to devour the homey foods that pumpkin delivered us. There was a price fixe menu for about 50 TL per person with the choice of entrée. We started with a lentil soup, lamb/​chicken stew as an entrée, and then baklava with some fruit for dessert. Parts of the lamb were softer than others, I must admit. It was nice to have fresh fruit at the end, and we had no idea that persimmon could be so fresh. We weren’t feeling great because we were so sleep deprived, but as we were leaving, the owners gifted us with a bracelet and a small coin purse, which instantly won our hearts. Super affordable three course menu, delicious warm homey food, and a little gift at the end– what more could you want?

We stopped by for dinner the other night and had a very positive experience. During the winter months they often don’t have a menu but rather offer a set dinner with 1 or 2 choices. We had an appetizer sampler and then a beef and chicken main course. Everything tastes super fresh and well made. The chicken was grilled and prob my favorite. One thing we also enjoyed was the spices added to the olive oil used as a bread dipping sauce.
The family that runs the restaurant was very very welcoming. You almost get the feeling that your a guest in their house– but maybe it is different during the summer/​busy season.

Best.meal.ever.
No seriously. Best meal I’ve had in Turkey. And in Cappadocia. And maybe this year.
Highlights:
— The cured meat on the starter plate. The owner drives to a group of nomads near Turkey’s second highest mountain, stays with them in their huge tent, and comes back with the best cured meat ever. The animals graze around the tent, eating fresh grasses and just … becoming delicious. Mmmmm.
— The chicken. Omg. So juicy and flavorful. The #1 chicken dish I’ve ever had in my life. It was divine. Get it. Trust me. When we obsessed over it, the owner let us watch him make it in the kitchen (it was low season so this is likely not something he could do regularly).
— The owner Ozi (Ozzie?) was so crazy nice. He oozed kindness and warmth, and genuine pride in his craft. We just loved him. Cool stories too! He used to work at the Intercontinental in Berlin.
— All the food was great — juicy tomatoes, melt in your mouth baklava, bulgar deliciousness, etc.
Sit down. Take time to chat. Relax. Be happy. Ask questions. Chill out and get a great story.

My friend and I went for dinner our last night in Goreme, and we wish we had found this place our first night in town, because we would have come back all three nights we were here. The restaurant has a wonderful atmosphere and absolutely incredible food. There is a set menu, which on the night we went included lentil soup, a plate of mezes including some of the best cured meat I’ve ever had, a choice of chicken or lamb for the main course, baklava and fruit for dessert, plus bread and water, all for 50 TL which turned out to be an absolute steal. Everything was delicious and the chicken was literally the best chicken I’ve ever eaten — I normally never order chicken because it often is dry, but this was the opposite — so flavorful and melted in your mouth. Overall, it was the best meal I ate in all of Turkey, and the best meal I’ve had in recent memory, period.
As if that wasn’t enough, the owner Ozi is an absolute gem. He stops by all the tables to chat and explain the dishes, and we saw him giving travel tips and pointing things out on a map to another table of tourists. He truly went above and beyond to be welcoming and hospitable!
In sum — have dinner here. At least once. You won’t regret it!

Pumpkin is a terrific experience. The food was delicious — delicious bread, soup, salad, main course, and dessert, all for a very affordable price. The atmosphere is perfect and filled with Ozzie’s impressive gourd lanterns. All of the waitstaff were quite genial and I would highly recommend this spot. (They also made a terrific meal for vegetarians!)

If you are one person, they won’t give you a seat. I’m sorry but I travel alone. You have only one table taken. They have at least 20 tables available and I stood there watching for 20 minutes and they had no ciustomers. This is bullshit!

This was the most outstanding meal we had during our great three-​day stay. It became clear why Pumpkin Restaurant had a #1 ratıng.
The restaurant is darling, the food exceptional, waitress wonderful and the owner «Ozzie» is incomparable.
He chooses the food himself so that diners are assured of fine quality and freshness. But the best things about him are his genuine caring and kindness. He not only makes an effort to speak with his guests, not also gives little gifts (maybe only to the ladies)!
I am a bit mobility-​impaired, so after dinner Ozzie himself personally drove my husband and me back to the Koza Cave Hotel! What a Sweetheart!!!
We LOVE this guy and his fine restaurant!!!
When in the area, you must go there!

This was the best 90 lira ever spent! You can’t beat the quality and taste at that price. It comes to about $ 35 usd for a two person, four course meal with beer and wine. The first course was yogurt soup. So simple, but delicious and probably my favorite course. The mixed meze plate came next. Also amazing! Such a variety of flavors! For the main courses we had a choice of chicken or beef, so we tried one of each. The mains were tasty, but didn’t shine in my mind as much as the previous courses. For dessert we had fresh fruit and a bite of baklava. It was a perfect ending to round out the meal.
The staff is super friendly here and were happy to answer my questions. The manager (or owner?) even explained the recipes to me when I asked what a couple of the dishes were. Allow time to eat slowly and enjoy the ambience here. The restaurant is decorated with an array of colorful gourd lanterns, it’s beautiful! I loved the lanterns so much I even purchased one the next day from the shop up the street that makes them for the restaurant.
Hands down our best meal in Goreme! Be sure to make a reservation ahead of time if possible. We had our hotel call one day prior and we were able to snag seats.

Good food, great service and great ambiance. Set dinner menu for reasonable price. Would highly recommended.

Pumpkin was good, and we liked the idea of the fixed menu, but the food was just a little basic and bland compared to top deck or even a few other places we tried in the area for the same price. I didn’t think the ambiance added too much but the lamps are nice and you can buy them from the restaurant if you like. The owner was so friendly and we enjoyed talking to him so bonus points for hospitality but the food just wasn’t anything I was overly thrilled about. It was fine. Also not having a vegetarian option could be a problem for some people. When we went the choices were chicken or beef.

My husband and I spent a little over a week in Turkey and while the majority of our meals were wonderful, our dinner at Pumpkin was the best of them all! (Yes, even better than at the other popular Goreme restaurant Topdeck.)
Unknowingly, we arrived at the restaurant an hour before opening time after a snowy and rainy day of sightseeing. The owner happily welcomed us in, served us some hot tea and small bites, and started a fire. While he continued his prep for opening, he answered our questions about the area and even taught us a few phrases in Turkish.
The meal was prix fixe style and we never even bothered asking what was on the menu for the evening. Everything that was put in front of us was delicious! The restaurant is cash only and was 40TL per person, which in my opinion was a steal.
I would recommend Pumpkin to anyone looking for a great meal and atmosphere in Goreme!

Such a great place! The owner is so nice, sweet, and genuine. The food was wonderful! It’s only a 3 course menu each night. Cash only at 40 TL with tea, dessert, fruit, meze, soup, and entrée included. It was a great splurge. Thank you!

The best meal I had in Goreme and a memorable birthday all around. Wonderful value, great hospitality and delicious food.
If you’re in the area eating here is a must!

I really like Pumpkin, although comparing it to the other top restaurant in Goreme, Topdeck, I still think that the latter is better. Here are my pros and cons for Pumpkin:
Pros:
— Great value set menu for 40TL — you get 3 courses, but more like 6, as I got a soup, a meze platter, a main course, baklava & ice cream, and a fruit platter.
— Price also includes water and tea after your meal
— Service was quick and efficient
— Atmosphere of the restaurant is really relaxed, and it didn’t get loud at all even when completely full
— Chef comes to your table to ensure you’re happy with your food, and to answer any questions (although his English is not the best)
— The food, while definitely Turkish, has been made more fusion and more palatable to Western tastes. Still, there were some things that were really local (like the cheese and the dried meat in the meze platter)
Cons:
— You don’t know what is on the menu until the day, so this is not a suitable place for people with very picky dietary requirements. They can tailor the dishes, but limited
— Hard to find. If you see the Osman Bey hotel on your left, keep going straight for another 100m or so. It’s there.
Overall I still prefer TopDeck, but this was one of the best meals I’ve had in Turkey and would happily go back here again.

Very nice gourmet restaurant with a casual, modern interior. There is no menu; the chef cooks up something new every day. And what a cook he is! This is absolutely one of the better restaurants I’ve come across in Turkey over the last few weeks.
Dishes are fresh and delicately spiced. You get a four course meal. There is always a choice between lamb and beef. Vegetarian is available on request. I paid 40 lira for the food including water. Other drinks are charged extra. In terms of value for money, it won’t get better than this.
If you’re looking for a place to eat in Göreme, check this one out. Reservations are recommended. Credit cards are not accepted (bring cash from the ATM down the street).

Easily one of the best meals we had in Goreme! The food is gourmet Turkish, elegantly presented and freshly prepared in this tiny restaurant. The service is attentive but not intrusive.
Set prix fixe menu offering 4 – 5 course dinners including soup, meze platter, main course, desert and cay/​coffee. Reservations required for seating around or after 8:00 pm.
Bring cash, no credit cards accepted. Enjoy your meal.

Pumpkin Restaurant was the first restaurant I ate at while staying in Goreme and it was by far my favorite. The gem of Goreme? You decide.
I’m gonna list this one out.
1. New menu every night
2. Set prix fix menu 60 TL per person
3. The chef has the most adorable puppy in the world. If you visit Turkey, you’ll know how endearing it is to find a Turk with a pet dog that they spoil.
4. The food is just simply fabulous. Fresh, flavorful and I feel that it’s very authentic.
5. Romantic ambiance.
6. Turks and tourists love this place — a good crowd indeed.
7. I just love this place! Go and enjoy yourself.