These are the questions that reach the Meze Atlas inbox most often, usually in the week before someone flies. I have kept the answers short and pushed the longer explanations into the guides themselves, so every reply ends with the page that goes deeper.
How does Meze Atlas choose what to cover
Nobody pays to be here, so the shortlist comes from the dishes I keep ordering anyway: markets, counters and small rooms where the shared plates are made daily. I walk the neighbourhood first, order at least four plates before judging a room, and go back at a different hour if the first visit felt like a fluke. Nothing is ranked by who paid us, because nobody does.
Which page should I read first
If a trip is already booked, start with the city guide for where you are going and read it in order: what to order on the first night, then markets, counters, drinks and the hours that matter. If you are cooking instead, start with the dish you already like and read outward. The Start Here page lays out the three routes and is the shortest way into a large archive.
How are the recipes tested
Every recipe is cooked in a normal home kitchen with ordinary equipment, more than once, and the timings assume one person cooking after work. Nothing goes up because it looked good on paper.
- Ingredients are listed by weight, with volume measures where a scale is unlikely.
- Prices are checked in local currency first, so the numbers still mean something next year.
- Failure notes are kept: what went wrong the first time, and how the step changed because of it.
Do you accept payment for coverage
No sponsored posts, no paid rankings, no affiliate links in the guides. Sampling visits are welcome when they are arranged in advance and editorial control stays with us, and when a meal was paid for, the piece says so in a line of its own. Corrections from readers are checked the same way everything else is checked here: by going back and looking again.
How current are the hours and prices
Prices and hours are rechecked whenever a guide is updated, and every page carries the date of the last visit. Kitchens close without notice in this part of the world, so treat the numbers as a strong hint rather than a guarantee. If you are making a long trip for one counter, check it the same morning before you set out.
Can I reprint an article or use a photograph
Reprints need written permission and a link back to the original page, and most photographs are cleared for editorial use with credit. Write to the address on the contact page with the article title and what you intend to do with it; a person answers within two business days, Monday to Friday.