Best of Cappadocia

A family breakfast spot tucked up on a viewpoint above Ürgüp, and worth the short walk uphill. Deringöller does a proper, generous Turkish breakfast: a long spread of cheeses, eggs, olives and an array of jams, including a lovely rose jam, with eggplant-and-eggs and a good Turkish coffee among the highlights. The reward is the quiet terrace and the view over the town below, away from the crowds. It is unfussy, friendly and easy on the wallet. Come early, take your time, and treat it as the slow morning the place was made for.

The dependable sweet stop in Avanos, beautifully placed on the banks of the Kızılırmak river. Mado is Turkey's best-known ice cream and dessert name, and this branch is a relaxed riverside spot for an afternoon treat. Order the dondurma, the famously stretchy, chewy Turkish ice cream thickened with salep and mastic, or a slice of San Sebastián cheesecake with a Turkish coffee. It is a chain rather than a hidden gem, but the quality is consistent and the setting is genuinely lovely. A good cooling-off break after the Avanos pottery workshops.

A terrace built for the view, a short stroll from Uçhisar Castle. Termessos pairs a magical outlook over the valleys and the castle with quality, traditional Turkish cooking, which is a rarer combination here than you might think. Take an outdoor table and let the panorama do the work over a long lunch or a sunset tea. Service is warm and unhurried, and it stays calmer than the busier Göreme spots. Our pick when you want the Cappadocia view without the crowd, and good food to go with it.

A cave-concept cafe in Göreme that has put real thought into how it looks and feels. Sovi pairs a warm, photogenic interior with comfortable indoor and outdoor seating, the kind of place you settle into rather than rush through. The crowd-pleasers here are the pizzas and the desserts, so it works as a casual lunch, an afternoon coffee-and-cake, or an easy evening bite. It is part of a small cave hotel, which adds to the cosy, lived-in feel. Our pick for a relaxed, good-looking break when you are not after a formal meal.

Coffee & Waffle Time in Uçhisar is a compact take-away stop that pairs well with a walk up to the fortress — quick, convenient, and a local favourite for a reason.