STORIES

The Story Behind the Name: Why 7 Mehmet?

Many people who hear it for the first time ask the same question: “Where does the seven in 7 Mehmet come from?” What kin...

Fresh Green Beans Served to Atatürk

On Monday, 18 February 1935, at around 2:30 p.m., the Great Leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk docked at the Antalya pier aboa...

The Beginning of 7 Mehmet

“Grandson” Mehmet begins to tell the story of how “grandfather” Mehmet opened his first restaurant… “My grandfather star...

The First Restaurant, The First Flame

Before hearing the full story from Mehmet, I was already familiar with the “handing-down ceremony” and the “never-exting...

The Move to Yayla Palas

When the municipality began renovation works in the area of the fish market, a demolition order was issued for the corne...

Would You Travel to Istanbul for a Plate of Rice?

As someone who has been a regular guest of 7 Mehmet Restaurant for many years, I see this place as a school, almost an i...

A New Generation Rises: Hakkı Akdağ

The man who built the unshakable walls upon the solid foundations laid by “grandfather” Mehmet Akdağ is “son” Hakkı Akda...

The Contributions of the Cretans to Antalya Cuisine

With the Ottoman conquest of Crete in 1669, the island became a settlement of Muslim Turks under Ottoman rule until its ...

Staff Who Eat the Guests’ Dishes

7 Mehmet’s Illness and the Lessons It Left Behind

“We lived the same lives, my father and I.” You will soon understand what I mean by this. But first, my grandfather’s s...

The Konyaaltı Seafront Place

As 7 Mehmet Restaurant was a municipal tenant, the difficulties previously experienced during its relocation from the ol...

Municipal Police, Fire Department, Cemetery Director

The place located in Konyaaltı holds great significance for 7 Mehmet Restaurant. Home to countless memories and stories,...

Did the Credit Ledger Burn?

As many years have passed since the unfortunate fire of 1985, only its more humorous moments are remembered today. Mehme...

Transition to the Restaurant in Atatürk Park

From the fish market to Yayla Palas, then to the seaside restaurant, it would be impossible not to mention the story of ...

Weddings Performed at the Restaurant

Although private meetings and dinners are held in the upstairs halls, one of 7 Mehmet Restaurant’s unwritten rules is th...

Sezen Pilaf

“One night during the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival, Sezen Aksu was in Antalya. After her performance, around midn...

The Girl Who Took the Photos and the 25th Anniversary Exhibition

Don’t you look at restaurants differently when, as a child, your family took you there because you couldn’t reach the ta...

Squid on the Line

“That year, they had an exceptional Bozcaada squid. We couldn’t resist—both my father and I bought it. Step by step, we ...

A Thousand Avocados

As we mentioned in the “Ingredients” section of the book, the Alanya avocado holds a special place at 7 Mehmet Restauran...

Hakkı Father’s Illness

The Spoon Inherited from Grandpa

Mehmet has a wooden spoon, passed down from both his grandfather and father, now kept safely and half-worn from use. Val...