A Turkish Feast in an Old Seacoast Train Depot

At Anatolia Mediterranean Restaurant, warm lavash arrives with the presence of a main event. The bread is dramatically oversized—well beyond the usual basket-of-rolls scale—and comes hot enough to make a fine first stop before anyone has settled on the rest of the meal.

This is Turkish and Mediterranean food arranged for a lingering table: dips passed around, soup paired with bread, a few appetizers in the middle, then kebabs or vegetarian plates. The setting adds another layer. Anatolia occupies an old train station or depot near the tracks, where aged stone and brick and train-themed details give dinner a little more character than the standard restaurant strip.

The building has an old-fashioned, tucked-away quality, sitting behind another structure near the train tracks. Finding it can feel pleasantly separate from the usual errand-running landscape of the Seacoast, as if dinner has been moved into a small destination rather than simply another dining room.

Inside, the old depot identity remains visible in exposed stone and brick, with train-related décor folded into the room. It is intimate without being precious: a place with booths, a bar area and enough comfort for an unhurried conversation.

There is also outdoor patio seating. Indoors, the room has been described as quiet enough for talking across the table, an underrated trait when the plan involves more than a quick plate of food.

The fresh lavash sets the rhythm of the meal. Rather than functioning as a small side, it lands as a broad, shareable centerpiece, large enough to pull several people into the same opening course.

Use it with hummus, haydari, babaganush or other cold mezze, tearing off pieces as the dishes make their way around the table. A mixed appetizer platter can include four dips, including hummus, haydari, babaganush and Istanbul tabouli, which gives a group a sensible way to sample without turning the first course into a negotiation.

Lentil soup is another natural companion for the bread, with its warm, savory simplicity. Cheese rolls offer a more substantial Turkish appetizer, while stuffed grape leaves bring another familiar, easy-to-share plate to the table.

Anatolia has enough vegetarian choices that the meal does not have to revolve around the grill. Falafel comes generously portioned and full of flavor, and the menu reaches beyond the usual hummus-and-salad fallback with tabouli, Mediterranean salsa and babaganush.

The stuffed portobello mushroom is a notable vegetarian entrée for someone who wants a composed main dish rather than a collection of sides. It is the sort of option that makes it easier for a mixed group to order broadly and still have everyone find a proper plate.

Sharing works especially well here because the table can build in stages. Begin with cool dips and warm bread, add a salad or falafel, then let the entrées arrive after everyone has had a chance to settle into the meal.

Kebabs are central to the restaurant's cooking, with lamb shish, lamb kebab, chicken kebab, beef shish, kofte and Adana kebab among the choices. The emphasis is on well-seasoned meat, careful grilling and marinades that carry flavor without burying the main ingredient.

Lamb has several routes through the menu. A lamb sauté, lamb shish and lamb kebab wrap each take the meat in a different direction, from a fork-and-knife entrée to something more casual. Lamb can also be prepared medium rare, a useful detail for diners who prefer it that way.

Adana kebab is especially succulent and flavorful, while kofte comes with rice and Turkish-style mashed potatoes. Plates may also include tomato salad, giving the richer grilled dishes a bright, fresh counterpoint.

For diners who like more fire, extra-hot pepper flakes may be brought to the table. They are there for the people who regard a little heat as an invitation rather than a warning.

The range is broader than a kebab house alone suggests. Lahmacun, the thin Turkish flatbread dish, is worth noting for a table that already has mezze in motion and wants another shareable item before the entrées.

More substantial plates include lamb-stuffed eggplant, which brings a heartier, slower-paced option to the menu. Seafood has also appeared in specials, including sea bass served with rice and a bright salad dressing; specials, naturally, can change.

That variety gives Anatolia an advantage for families and groups with different appetites. One person can settle on a grilled meat plate while another goes for falafel or a stuffed mushroom, and the shared appetizers keep the meal from splitting into separate tracks.

Baklava arrives in small pieces that lend themselves to passing around after dinner. It is a sweet finish without demanding that every person commit to a large dessert of their own.

Turkish coffee offers the traditional final note, particularly fitting after a meal built around dips, bread and grilled meats. The drink list also includes Turkish wines alongside other wine choices, and a signature cosmopolitan-style drink gives the bar side of the room a lighter option.

Service is welcoming and knowledgeable, with staff able to help steer a table through the menu. Reservations can be useful for some visits. Free street parking is available, though finding a spot can vary, so the old depot setting is best approached with a little patience before the lavash appears.