Carrying the Flame of Southern Turkish Cooking: The Story of Taci’s Beyti

For many restaurant owners, the business starts with a recipe. For others, it begins with a journey.

For the family behind Taci’s Beyti, it began with both.

In the mid-1970s, Ersen Bek’s father immigrated to the United States from Adana, Turkey, a city in the country’s southern region known for its vibrant street food culture and deep culinary traditions. In Adana, grilling is an art form. Street vendors build loyal followings, neighborhoods gather around open flames, and dishes are perfected through technique rather than complexity.

That philosophy eventually made its way to New York.

From Union City to Brooklyn

In 1986, Ersen’s father, Taci Bek, and his uncle, Adam Bek, opened their first restaurant in Union City, New Jersey.

They were self-taught cooks from a town where food was central to everyday life, relying on family techniques and a deep understanding of Turkish flavors.

Two years later, they relocated the restaurant to 1953–1955 Coney Island Avenue in Brooklyn, where it remains today.

Spanning two adjacent spaces, the restaurant seats about 150 guests and serves a diverse neighborhood that includes Turkish, Jewish, Russian, and longtime Brooklyn locals.

Growing Up in the Restaurant

For Ersen Bek, the restaurant was more than a business. It was where he grew up.

“I spent my summers learning all about the business,” he says.

From a young age, he watched how his father and uncle handled everything from food preparation to customer relationships.

Since 1999, Ersen has been running the restaurant full time.

“My father and uncle have since passed,” he says. “But their memories live on.”

The Foundations of Turkish Cooking

Turkish cuisine is built on a philosophy of simplicity and ingredient quality. Rather than relying on heavy sauces, the cuisine highlights natural flavors through careful preparation and time-honored techniques.

Traditional Turkish cooking rests on several key principles:

• Fresh herbs and spices used with restraint
• High-quality proteins, particularly lamb and beef
• Fresh seasonal vegetables
• Premium olive oil
• Cooking techniques passed down through generations

This approach means ingredient quality directly determines the quality of the dish. It is a philosophy that restaurants like Taci’s Beyti continue to follow today.

Proteins at the Heart of the Menu

Protein, especially lamb, plays a central role in Turkish cuisine.

For centuries, lamb has been prized for its rich flavor and versatility. Many of the most recognizable Turkish dishes revolve around carefully prepared cuts of lamb cooked over an open flame.

At Taci’s Beyti, several classic preparations highlight this tradition.

Shish Kebabs

Cubed lamb is marinated and grilled on metal skewers over open heat, allowing the meat to develop a smoky flavor while remaining tender.

Doner Kebab

Thin slices of lamb are stacked on a vertical spit and slowly rotate as they cook. The outer layer caramelizes while the interior stays juicy.

Lamb Chops

Simply seasoned and grilled to highlight the natural quality and flavor of the meat.

Beef is also widely used in Turkish cuisine, particularly in kebabs and grilled dishes, while coastal regions of Turkey emphasize fresh seafood influenced by Mediterranean traditions.

The Art of the Turkish Kebab

Grilling is central to Turkish cooking, and kebabs represent the pinnacle of this tradition. Each style requires specific technique and careful attention to heat and timing.

One of the most famous styles originates from Adana, the southern Turkish city where Ersen Bek’s family roots trace back.

Adana Kebab

Ground lamb mixed with spices and onions is molded around flat metal skewers and grilled over an open flame. The result is a crisp exterior with a juicy interior, and is typically served with rice, grilled vegetables, and bread.

These techniques, refined over centuries, are still practiced in traditional Turkish kitchens today.

Customer Favorites

Several dishes have become longtime staples for regulars.

Pan-Fried Liver

One of the most talked-about dishes on the menu.

“Even people who don’t like liver love ours,” Ersen says. “It’s the way it’s prepared and executed.”

Shepherd Salad

A fresh Turkish classic that balances the richness of grilled meats.

Mixed Grill

A generous platter featuring lamb chops, shish kebab, doner kebab, and the restaurant’s signature Adana kebab.

Lahmacun

Often described as Turkish flatbread pizza, topped with finely seasoned meat and baked until crisp.

Whole Branzino

Also known as St. Peter’s Fish, this whole grilled Mediterranean sea bass highlights the restaurant’s philosophy of letting ingredients shine.

“The food itself is simple,” Ersen says. “But the preparation is the big factor.”

Catering and Special Occasions

Taci’s Beyti has also become a go-to destination for celebrations and group gatherings.

The restaurant spans two adjoining spaces on Coney Island Avenue, with one side dedicated to dining and the other designed specifically for private occasions. The separate room is often used for birthdays, family gatherings, and community celebrations.

For customers hosting events at home or at the office, the restaurant also offers a catering menu available for delivery and takeout. Popular catering orders often include mixed grill platters, kebabs, fresh salads, and traditional favorites designed to serve groups.

Whether guests are dining in, hosting a celebration, or ordering for a large gathering, the goal remains the same: bringing the flavors of Turkish cooking to the table.

Balancing Dining, Delivery, and Takeout

Today, the business is split almost evenly between dine-in and off-premise orders, with about 50 percent of sales coming from delivery and takeout.

That balance allows the restaurant to remain a neighborhood gathering place while also serving customers who prefer to enjoy Turkish food at home.

“Help our community thrive by supporting Taci’s Beyti and ordering directly from our website to keep more of your money local. Every meal you enjoy strengthens small businesses and builds a vibrant neighborhood.”

Marketing That Works (and What’s Changed)

Like many long-standing restaurants, Taci’s Beyti has experimented with different marketing channels over the years.

One method continues to stand out.

“We noticed direct mail has been the most efficient,” Ersen says.

The restaurant previously invested in television advertising, but with more customers shifting to streaming services, those campaigns have become less effective.

Now the restaurant is exploring newer platforms.

“We have hopes in social media,” Ersen says.  

While marketing channels evolve, Ersen believes revisiting and refreshing past strategies could also bring results.

The Secret Sauce: Consistency

After nearly four decades in business, Ersen credits the restaurant’s longevity to a simple principle.

“Consistency is the secret,” he says. “And I repeat, consistency is the key.”

Maintaining the same quality of ingredients, preparation, and service year after year has helped the restaurant build a loyal following across generations.

Operator Takeaway

For restaurant operators, Taci’s Beyti is a reminder that longevity rarely comes from chasing trends. It comes from mastering the fundamentals.

Nearly forty years after opening their first restaurant, the Bek family continues to rely on the same principles that built their reputation in the first place: quality ingredients, careful preparation, and unwavering consistency.

Marketing channels evolve. Technology changes. Customer habits shift.

But the restaurants that endure follow the same core discipline.

“Do the simple things exceptionally well. And do them the same way every time.”

As Ersen puts it simply:

“Consistency is the secret sauce.”

by Eileen Strauss