Grand Park Lara Food Guide: Vegetarian-Friendly Dining & Drinks

When we booked our stay at Grand Park Lara in Antalya, the food was a big deciding factor. Both my husband and I are vegetarians and we were also out exploring every single day of our holiday. This meant a hearty breakfast in the morning and a relaxed, filling dinner in the evening really mattered to us. Grand Park Lara delivered on both.

Contains affiliate links

Before booking, I spent a lot of time searching for food options at Grand Park Lara, especially vegetarian ones. This post answers the questions I had back then and shares our honest experience.

If you are planning your trip to Antalya, and you can find all our Turkey travel guides and hotel stays in one place.

Zephyrantes Main Restaurant

The Zephyrantes Restaurant is where most guests dine. It is the main restaurant and serves an all-inclusive open buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The spread includes Turkish and international dishes, with plenty of vegetarian options at every meal.

We found the food fresh, well labelled and varied. Even after several days, meals did not feel repetitive as something different would appear on the menu each morning.

The bread selection at Grand Park Lara was good. It was much more than basic loaves and rolls. At breakfast, there were sesame-crusted simit, simple and doughy gevrek, and soft poğaça, served both plain and filled.

Alongside these, there was a good choice of pide with different fillings, plus fresh everyday breads and rolls. There was always something warm and freshly baked, which paired perfectly with the cheeses and olives.

The cheese counter was excellent and very varied. It quickly became one of our favourite parts of breakfast. There was a good mix of mild and strong flavours, so it suited all tastes.

Options included Beyaz Peynir, a classic white cheese similar to feta, Kaşar, a mild yellow cheese often used in sandwiches and pide, Mihaliç, a hard and holey cheese similar to Parmesan, and Divle Obruk Peyniri, a cave-aged cheese with blue veins. This range made breakfast feel indulgent without being heavy.

Olives are a big part of Turkish food culture, and this was clear at Grand Park Lara. Turkey is one of the world’s largest olive producers, and olives are eaten daily across the country, especially at breakfast. The hotel did a great job of reflecting this tradition.

The selection included Tavşan Yüreği (Rabbit Heart) olives, known for their rich oil and fleshy texture, Domat olives which are large and ideal for stuffing, Memecik olives with a strong, distinctive flavour, and Gemlik olives, small black olives that are a breakfast staple in Turkey. The selection changed slightly from day to day, which kept things interesting.

We also sampled a lovely variety of Turkish jams (reçel), mainly at breakfast. They were rich, colourful, and full of fruit, often with large pieces still intact. Alongside familiar flavours like fig (incir), sour cherry (vişne), and apricot (kayısı), there were also strawberry and citrus options. They paired really well with fresh bread and cheese.

One jam that stood out was Patlıcan Reçeli, a brinjal jam I had never tasted before. It was surprisingly sweet and delicate, nothing like you would expect from aubergine.

The vegetarian dishes at Grand Park Lara were varied and full of flavour. Many of the options were traditional Turkish recipes made with vegetables, olive oil, and gentle spices. Some dishes I clearly remember include Soslu Patlıcan, a comforting aubergine dish cooked in a rich tomato sauce, and Biber Dolması, peppers stuffed with rice and herbs. There was also okra cooked with tomato and olive oil, which was light but very satisfying. This was one dish that I had with every meal. I love okra and this was a new way to enjoy it.

Pide, a Turkish flatbread, was served regularly with different vegetarian fillings.

Alongside the hot dishes, there were plenty of lighter options. Turkish rice pilaf with tomatoes and greens appeared often and worked well as a side. The cold meze selection was also strong, with ezme, a spicy tomato and chilli dip, muhammara, made with red peppers and walnuts, and hummus, which, while not strictly Turkish, was frequently available. We also enjoyed kısır, a bulgur salad with tomato and pepper, which was fresh and filling.

Another dish that stood out was zeytinyağlı taze fasulye, green beans cooked slowly in olive oil with tomatoes. It was simple, light, and very typically Turkish. These are just some of the dishes I remember, but there was always more choice available for vegetarians, making it easy to enjoy something different at each meal.

Dessert Selection at Zephyrantes Main Restaurant

The dessert counter at Grand Park Lara was one of my favourite parts of the dining experience. There was a wide mix of cakes, pastries, and milk-based sweets, all neatly laid out and topped up often. As vegetarians, we could enjoy almost everything on offer. The range changed slightly each day, which kept it interesting, and it was hard not to go back for seconds.

There were plenty of cream and sponge cakes, including layered chocolate and vanilla slices, cocoa-dusted cakes, and chocolate squares topped with soft cream. These were light and not overly sweet. Alongside them were fruit and custard desserts, such as individual fruit tarts with a custard base and simple fruit-flavoured cakes, which felt fresher and lighter after a big meal. Chocolate lovers were well catered for too, with cream-filled éclairs and rich chocolate cake slices that disappeared quickly in the evenings.

I especially loved the traditional Turkish desserts, which were freshly made and beautifully juicy. There were different baklava varieties, from classic nut-filled layers to lighter versions with less syrup, making them easier to enjoy after dinner. Then there was tulumba as well, a popular Turkish doughnut soaked in syrup and crisp on the outside.

The milk-based and nut desserts, often made with honey, dried fruit, and biscuits, had a soft texture and paired perfectly with tea or coffee. Overall, the dessert selection was generous, varied, and a real highlight of the dining experience.

Other Dining Venues at Grand Park Lara

In addition to the main restaurant, Grand Park Lara has a few additional dining venues on site. The Tulip Bistro offers late breakfast, dinner, and 24-hour food service, making it useful for late arrivals or night-time snacks. It has both indoor and outdoor seating. Although it was closed during our stay, it is still good to know this option exists.

The hotel also has two à la carte restaurants for guests who want something different from the buffet. Peppermint A’La Carte Restaurant serves international dishes in a stylish setting and is open six days a week, with a reservation and extra charge required. The Sushi A’La Carte Restaurant offers freshly prepared Far Eastern dishes for dinner. These are not part of the all-inclusive plan but are nice for a change.

Bars and Drinks

Grand Park Lara has several bars spread across the hotel, including poolside and beach options. This made it easy to grab a drink without having to go far.

The all-inclusive drinks menu includes soft drinks, fresh juices, tea, coffee, cocktails, and mocktails, along with local alcoholic drinks such as Raki. Some drinks come at an extra cost, but we never felt limited in our choices. The Grande Lobby Bar was our go-to spot in the evenings and a great place to relax after a full day out.

Service, Ambience and Practical Advice

The service and ambience across the dining areas at Grand Park Lara were very good. The restaurants were kept clean at all times, with cleaning staff constantly working in the background. We visited during the shoulder season, so it was not as crowded as the peak summer months, but even then the staff managed the numbers well. We never had to wait for a table, either at breakfast or dinner. The atmosphere was lively, friendly, and made the food even more tempting.

In terms of practical advice, going slightly earlier for breakfast and dinner helps if you prefer a calmer setting. If you want to avoid queues altogether, aim for the first hour of service. Do not miss the desserts, which are a real highlight, and keep an eye out for special touches like the gözleme stall or Turkish night, as these add something extra to the dining experience.

If you plan to dine at one of the à la carte restaurants, it is best to book early, especially in busier months. Slots can fill up quickly, and booking in advance gives you more choice. Overall, a little planning goes a long way and helps you enjoy the dining experience even more.

Tips for Vegetarian Guests

If you are vegetarian, Grand Park Lara is a safe and comfortable choice. Several Turkish dishes are naturally vegetarian, which makes dining easy and stress free. The buffet clearly shows ingredients, so it is simple to see what suits your diet.

Fresh salads, breads, cheeses, and olives are always available, even if you want to keep things light. 

The staff are also helpful which made us feel confident and relaxed at every meal. I spoke to them on several occassions with questions about dishes, ingredients etc. and they were happy to answer all my questions.

Dining at Grand Park Lara was a big plus point of our stay. We spent our days out exploring Antalya, using the hotel as a base for sightseeing. Coming back to a good dinner every evening made a big difference to our overall experience.

The breakfast spread set us up for long days out, and dinner was something we genuinely looked forward to. The vegetarian options were varied, satisfying and full of local flavour. The desserts were a real treat. 

If you’re planning your trip, you may also find these useful:

• Our full review on staying at Grand Park Lara
• A guide to the top things to do in Antalya
• A handy list of top Turkey souvenirs to look out for

If food matters to you as much as it did to us, Grand Park Lara is a solid choice.