Turkish Airlines food appreciation thread

[Mattg]

Turkish Airlines has, in my opinion, some of the consistently best on-board catering of any airline. It uses Do&Co as its main caterer, and in all my flights with TK, I can't really recall ever getting a bad meal or being hungry. Even in Y, TK typically provides good quality hot meals and I find flying TK J to be a culinary treat.

In a similar vein to the Singapore Airlines business class meals/menus and Qatar Airways Business/First class meals threads, I invite you to post a photo and brief description of the menu and food/drinks you've been served on Turkish Airlines here. This could be in Economy or Business. Please mention the route you were flying.

 

[Mattg]

This was the business class menu on TK1361, the 9.10pm departure from IST to FCO:




Great meal. For the main I had the spicy chicken makhani. I wish I could have also tried the artichoke pasta, which looked excellent.

 

[Mattg]

This was the business class menu on TK121 from JED to IST, an afternoon flight:



I had the same menu on TLL-IST last year. I suspect this is a standard menu used for the return leg of rotations that are double-catered out of Istanbul.



For the main course I had the manti, which was excellent.



One slightly unusual thing about this flight is that the drinks list on this flight had no alcoholic options. Understandable though, since it was a flight from Saudi Arabia.

 

[Human]

It really is a dilemma when flying out of IST … do you fill yourself up with some of the delicious food in the Lounge, or hold off until the flight?

I do have one question relating to the fact that I’m intending to book a Turkish Airlines flight from IST to CDG (about a 3-hour flight). The airline seems to use a combination of A330s and A320s for this route. Is there any difference in the quality of the catering or should we expect the same quality of the menu regardless of whether we’re on a widebody or narrowbody?

 

[Mattg]

It really is a dilemma when flying out of IST … do you fill yourself up with some of the delicious food in the Lounge, or hold off until the flight?

Yes indeed, the lounge food is really good too in Istanbul!!

I do have one question relating to the fact that I’m intending to book a Turkish Airlines flight from IST to CDG (about a 3-hour flight). The airline seems to use a combination of A330s and A320s for this route. Is there any difference in the quality of the catering or should we expect the same quality of the menu regardless of whether we’re on a widebody or narrowbody?

In my experience it doesn't really make a difference if you're on a narrowbody or widebody. The catering should be the same. In fact, if you're on one of the A330s with a high-density J configuration, the actual seats are pretty similar to the A320. I would still personally take the A330 as there's a bit more room between each row, and it's just a more "fun" experience being on a widebody.

 

[Scarlett]

2019 VNO-IST short haul narrow body. Pretty certain I had the kebab and it was nice.



Then had baklava in the lounge waiting for my onwards connection to BKK via A330.

 

[RooFlyer]

IST-RMO (Chișinău) 90mins 'regional' flight, breakfast in business






The return flight about a week later; mid morning flight but meal labelled as breakfast

 

[ellen10]

Looks good. I will be flying Turkish airlines later this year in J.
I will look forward to sampling some of their menus.

 

[clifford]

While the food on TK is generally fine (and the food and wine in the lounge is better, IMO), one of my gripes with TK is that as a Turkish (Islamic) airline the FA's (male in particular) sometimes have an unspoken disdain to serving alcohol. They will do it, of course, but in their own time with their own attitude and delivering very small serves.

Obviously this is not an issue with most passengers, but I do expect to have a complimentary glass or two with my meal.

Oh, and another gripe is the seating on the 777's. Like who wants to sit in a middle seat in J? (EK Pax excepted).

 

[Mattg]

While the food on TK is generally fine (and the food and wine in the lounge is better, IMO), one of my gripes with TK is that as a Turkish (Islamic) airline the FA's (male in particular) sometimes have an unspoken disdain to serving alcohol. They will do it, of course, but in their own time with their own attitude and delivering very small serves.

Obviously this is not an issue with most passengers, but I do expect to have a complimentary glass or two with my meal.

Oh, and another gripe is the seating on the 777's. Like who wants to sit in a middle seat in J? (EK Pax excepted).

I've never experienced that re. the service of alcohol (on routes that have it, which is most). But totally agree about the 777 J - that middle seat looks awful.

 

[Mattg]

TK55 SIN-IST, overnight flight in J

This was the menu:



Great food and meal services overall, except for two things:

1. The omelette I got for breakfast was pretty average.
2. Both the dinner and breakfast services took way too long and ate into the time available for sleeping.

This was dinner:




Chicken tikka masala main:




Breakfast:

 

[Mattg]

A breakfast flight from IST to HEL in J.

This was the menu:



I had the wrap as the main course.

 

[boomy]

TK1452 OPO-IST J B38M







TK1636 MUC-IST J A333



TK70 IST-HKG J B77W

 

[boomy]

I do love the food onboard TK J but they have a major flaw which is a very poor wine list. I get the desire to showcase local wines but unfortunately Turkish wines are not great to say the least… The champagne offered on short haul routes is very basic and while on long haul routes it’s more decent the wine list not on par with other major airlines.

 

[ellen10]

Thanks for sharing the photos. Looks like lots of delicious choices.
@boomy we are on the reverse of your Porto flights. IST-OPO in August.

 

[diesel canberra]

Husband and I just flew CGK to IST then on to Munich in J. The food on our first flight was lovely but took a long time coming given we boarded at 9pm. The main issue for us was that they didnt offer any drinks at the same time as they served the meals. We had to wave the steward down for both wine and water to go with our meals.
On the short flight thru to Munich, we had the best breakfast we had ever experienced in the air. Food and juices were outstanding. Wish I had taken some photos.
First time on TK and for us they represent a good value product.

 

[dajop]

Last month I took the fifth freedom day flight from SIN-MEL in J with TK. I had heard good things about TK, but it felt a little underwhelming. The beef was quite tender, so that was a plus.

 

[AL10]

Last month I took the fifth freedom day flight from SIN-MEL in J with TK. I had heard good things about TK, but it felt a little underwhelming. The beef was quite tender, so that was a plus.

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Thank you for sharing. I'm taking this flight later this month, and that does look a little underwhelming...perhaps I should have stuck with SQ.

 

[Mrsfefe]

TK 1844, ATH - IST, 1035, B777

 

[clifford]

....perhaps I should have stuck with SQ.

I think so, IMO. I find the TK hard product can be OK (not 777 or 330), but sometimes the soft product can be underwhelming (food + personnel). It's not my go to airline, apart from flights in Europe, where they excel in J, against very poor alternatives.