What to Eat in İznik: Famous Dishes and Local Products

Famous Dishes of İznik

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  Göl Balığı Tava (lake fish fried in cornmeal)

  Prepared by coating freshwater fish from İznik Lake in cornmeal and frying them. Served fresh in restaurants on the lakeside.

• 🥩

  İznik Köftesi (grilled meatball)

  Prepared by kneading a mix of beef and lamb mince with onion and bread crumb, then grilling. Served with piyaz and roasted peppers.

• 🧀

  Höşmerim (fried fresh cheese dessert)

  A traditional dessert made by mixing fresh cheese with flour and sugar and cooking it in a pan. It is also eaten at breakfast tables in İznik and the surrounding area.

These dishes are known throughout Bursa province; see the provincial food guide for details.

• 🥙

  İskender Kebap (döner on pide with butter and yoghurt)

  Developed by İskender Efendi in 1867, this is döner served on pide with butter, tomato sauce and yoghurt, registered as Bursa döner kebabı.

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  İnegöl Köfte (İnegöl grilled meatballs)

  Lightly spiced, grilled meatballs with a registered geographical indication.

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  Bursa Pideli Köfte (meatballs on pide)

  Registered meatballs served on pide with butter and yoghurt.

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  Bursa Kestane Şekeri (candied chestnuts)

  A confection with a registered geographical indication.

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  Mustafakemalpaşa Peynir Tatlısı (cheese dessert in syrup)

  A syrupy dessert with a registered geographical indication.

• 🫓

  Cantık (minced-meat pide)

  A registered Bursa pide with a minced-meat filling.

What to Buy in İznik: Local Products

• İznik Çinisi (İznik ceramics) İznik Çinisi was registered as a designation of origin on 30 December 2009 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 137). Product group: handicrafts other than carpets, kilims and woven textiles. Registered by: İznik Municipality.
• İznik Derbent Dokuması (İznik Derbent weaving) İznik Derbent Dokuması was registered as a protected geographical indication on 16 May 2023 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 1357). Product group: woven textiles. Registered by: İznik Municipality.
• İznik Müşküle Üzümü (İznik Müşküle grapes) İznik Müşküle Üzümü was registered as a designation of origin on 20 August 2021 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 869). Product group: processed and unprocessed fruits, vegetables and mushrooms. Registered by: İznik Municipality.

What İznik Is Famous For: Culture and Traditions

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  İznik Councils

  İznik is the place where two important ecumenical councils of Christian history met, in 325 and 787. The First Council of Nicaea established the basic principles of the Christian faith.

• 🎨

  Tile-Making Tradition

  In the Ottoman period, İznik was the world's most important centre for tile production. Today the İznik Tile Foundation and various workshops keep this tradition alive and run tile courses.

Frequently Asked Questions

İznik Travel Guide

• 📍 Things to Do in İznik 13 places to visit →
• 🗺️ What to Eat in Bursa All the famous dishes of the province →

What to Eat in Other Districts of Bursa

• Büyükorhan 3 dishes Keşkek (wheat and lamb porridge), Mantı (dumplings) and Bazlama (griddle flatbread)
• Gemlik 4 dishes Gemlik Zeytinyağlı Enginar (artichokes in olive oil), Balık Buğulama (steamed fish) and Pideli Köfte (meatballs on flatbread)
• Gürsu 3 dishes İskender Kebap, Cantık (minced meat flatbread) and Kestane Şekeri (candied chestnut)
• Harmancık 3 dishes Etli Ekmek (meat flatbread), Keşkek and Gözleme
• İnegöl 5 dishes İnegöl Köfte, Pideli Köfte and Cantık
• Karacabey 3 dishes Göl Balığı, Karacabey Pidesi and Süt Helvası
• Keles 5 dishes Keles Sorgun Peyniri (Keles Sorgun cheese), Keşkek (wheat and meat porridge) and Çorba Aşı (flour soup)
• Kestel 3 dishes İskender Kebap, Chestnut Candy and Süt Helvası
• Mudanya 7 dishes Trilye Balığı, Zeytinyağlı Enginar and Midye Dolma
• Mustafakemalpaşa 5 dishes Kemalpaşa Tatlısı, Cantık and Keşkek
• Nilüfer 3 dishes Cumalıkızık Breakfast, İskender Kebap and Chestnut Candy
• Orhaneli 3 dishes Keşkek, Mantı and Gözleme
• Orhangazi 3 dishes Göl Balığı (lake fish), Pideli Köfte (meatballs on pide bread) and Zeytin Ezmesi (olive paste)
• Osmangazi 4 dishes İskender Kebap, Chestnut Candy and Süt Helvası
• Yenişehir 3 dishes Yenişehir Pidesi, Keşkek (wheat and meat dish) and Höşmerim (fried fresh-cheese dessert)
• Yıldırım 3 dishes İskender Kebap, Pideli Köfte and Kemalpaşa Dessert