Even the biggest foodies in Jersey may not know that Cliffside Park is known for Turkish restaurants—but if you do a quick online search for Turkish spots here, more than a dozen come up.
Starting at the end of the 20th century, the aroma from Turkish restaurants began to waft through the town. First was Kervan (now closed), where chef Nazmi Cardak set up shop in 1985; but when Dayi’nin Yeri opened its doors in 1994, its momentum was infectious enough to launch a boom, drawing a plethora of Turkish eateries to the area.
This restaurant, Turkish for “uncle’s place”—now has two locations in town, and they still put out some of the tastiest Turkish food in Cliffside.
“A lot of our customers have been coming for decades, so that loyalty has really helped us grow and stay strong, even with more Turkish restaurants opening,” says Murat Bashelvaci, owner of Dayi’nin Yeri.
When you go, order the lebni dip, a kabob, and at least one of their pides, a sort of Turkish spin on pizza. My personal favorite is the sucuklu pide, which features a heavenly spiced Turkish sausage twisted together with melted cheese to form a divinely distinctive bite.
Just up the road sits Beyoglu Grill, which offers a cozy, ethereal atmosphere accented by authentic Turkish lamps adorned with intricately colored mosaic glasswork. Those able to stop themselves from filling up on their fabulous bread will be rewarded handsomely once the main courses arrive, the most unforgettable of which is the Iskender, a layered dish of lamb resting over lightly toasted bread with yogurt and tomato sauce that made me a loyal customer on the spot.
