Dishes you should try in Izmir: İzmir Boyozu (Sephardic oil pastry), İzmir Kumrusu (sausage and cheese sandwich), İzmir Gevreği (Izmir sesame ring) and İzmir Lokması (syrupy fried dough). This guide also covers the local products to buy and what Izmir is famous for.
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A breakfast pastry with an oily dough, inherited from Sephardic cuisine, with a registered geographical indication.
A sandwich made with sucuk, cheese and tomato, with a registered geographical indication.
Izmir's version of the simit; it has a registered geographical indication.
A syrupy dessert with a registered geographical indication.
A syrupy semolina dessert with a registered geographical indication.
Meatballs with a registered geographical indication.
A traditional fish soup made with fresh fish from the Aegean, served with lemon and garlic.
Artichokes grown around Aliağa are cooked with olive oil, lemon and dill and served cold.
A wild herb dish of Cretan origin which, in Aliağa, merged with the cuisine of Balkan and island migrants and became one of the signature dishes of the region.
A red mullet dish prepared in the oven, specific to Şakran, which stands out for its olive oil culture.
Olive oil obtained from the Aliağa and Şakran region, described as high quality in terms of its chemical and sensory properties.
Traditional pomegranate molasses produced by natural methods in the homes of the Çıtak Neighbourhood at the foot of Dumanlı Mountain, where pomegranate trees grow.
A pastry handed down from generation to generation, made in the Çakmaklı Neighbourhood, where the population of Bosnian Herzegovinian origin is concentrated. In the area it is also known as Boşnak böreği (Bosnian pastry).
Keşkek made in the villages of Aliağa, especially Güzelhisar, at weddings, festivals and when soldiers are sent off.
Boyoz, the emblem of Izmir, is prepared by folding thin dough and baking it. It is sold fresh in Balçova's bakeries.
Izmir köfte with tomato sauce and potatoes is served baked in the oven. Prepared from recipes passed down from generation to generation, this dish is an important part of the local culinary culture.
Thin-dough minced meat Bayındır pide, baked in a stone oven over a wood fire. It is one of the best-known pide varieties of İzmir.
Prepared by simmering wheat and meat for a long time and then pounding them together, keşkek is the traditional dish of weddings and festive meals in Bayındır.
Boyoz, the signature flavour of Izmir, is prepared fresh every morning in Bayraklı's traditional bakeries. It is eaten together with boiled eggs.
Lokma, prepared by frying balls of dough and soaking them in syrup, is a traditional dessert distributed on special occasions in Izmir.
Bergama Köftesi was registered as a protected geographical indication on 8 December 2022 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 1272). Product group: processed and unprocessed meat products. Registered by: Bergama Chamber of Commerce.
Bergama Tulum Cheese was registered as a protected geographical indication on 6 June 2024 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 1597). Product group: cheeses. Registered by: Bergama Chamber of Commerce.
Beydağ Simit Dürüm was registered as a geographical indication on 4 August 2023 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 1437). Product group: bakery and pastry products, dough products, desserts. Registered by: Beydağ Municipality.
Prepared by slowly cooking and pounding wheat and meat together, keşkek is the traditional dish of wedding and bayram tables in Beydağ.
Thin dough filled with cheese, spinach or minced meat and cooked on a griddle. Gözleme is a traditional treat in Beydağ's villages.
Chestnuts grown in the district, described in the source as being of exceptionally high quality; they are among the district's important products.
Boyoz, an indispensable flavour of Izmir, is prepared fresh every morning in Bornova's traditional bakeries.
Boiled beef and offal, thinly sliced and served with onion, parsley and spices. It is one of Bornova's street foods.
Boyoz, the emblem of Izmir, is prepared fresh every morning in Buca's traditional bakeries.
Prepared with semolina, yoghurt and sugar, şambali is one of Izmir's traditional desserts. It is topped with almonds, baked, and then soaked in syrup.
Çeşme kumrusu, a toasted sandwich of sucuk, kaşar cheese and tomato in kumru bread, is the best-known street food in İzmir.
Wild herb dishes served at Alaçatı's world-famous herb festival are among the most authentic flavours of Aegean cuisine.
Fresh fish and seafood caught in the Aegean are served at Çeşme's seafront restaurants with olive oil and herbs.
Boyoz, İzmir's signature pastry, is baked fresh every morning in the bakeries of Çiğli.
Midye dolma, mussels stuffed with spiced rice, is one of İzmir's most popular street foods.
Fresh Aegean fish cooked in a clay pot with tomatoes, peppers and olive oil.
Wild herbs gathered around Dikili are cooked in olive oil and served cold. Radika, sirken and chicory are the most commonly used herbs.
Fresh fish and seafood caught in the Aegean are served at Foça's seafront restaurants with olive oil and herbs.
Aegean mezes served at Foça's meyhanes, made of dishes such as olive oil-dressed wild herbs, sea purslane and octopus salad.
İzmir köfte, with tomato sauce and potatoes, is baked and served. It is prepared using the traditional recipe in restaurants in Gaziemir.
Boyoz, İzmir's signature pastry, is sold fresh every morning in the bakeries of Gaziemir.
Fresh fish from the Güzelbahçe harbour, served grilled or steamed at the seafront restaurants.
A salad made from fresh boiled octopus with olive oil, lemon and parsley, the classic meze of the Aegean coast.
Boyoz, İzmir's signature pastry, is baked fresh every morning in the bakeries of Karabağlar.
Kumru bread filled with sucuk, kaşar cheese and tomato, made into a toastie. It is one of İzmir's most popular street foods.
Sea bass from the clear waters of Karaburun, served grilled or baked in salt.
Mastic squash, native to Karaburun, stuffed with a rice filling and cooked in olive oil.
Boyoz, İzmir's signature pastry, is baked fresh every morning in Karşıyaka's historic bakeries.
Boiled beef and offal, thinly sliced and served with onion and spices. It is a classic dish of the local restaurants in Karşıyaka bazaar.
Made by baking balls of dough made with Kemalpaşa cheese and soaking them in syrup. Known across Türkiye as 'Kemalpaşa tatlısı', this dessert is a geographically indicated product of the district.
Jam, compote and cake made with Kemalpaşa's famous cherries are sold in local patisseries.
Harvested in Kemalpaşa, these are among the first cherries to be harvested in the northern hemisphere; they are the district's well-known local product.
Made by slow-cooking wheat and meat and then pounding them together, keşkek is the traditional dish at weddings and festival tables in Kınık.
A traditional Aegean dessert made with fresh cheese, flour and sugar, cooked in a pan and served.
Kiraz pide, with its thin dough, is baked in a stone oven in minced meat and cheese varieties.
Keşkek, made by cooking and pounding wheat and meat for a long time, is an indispensable dish at weddings in Kiraz.
Chestnuts from the chestnut forests at the foot of Bozdağ are used in confectionery and as a local delicacy.
Table and wine grape varieties are grown in Kiraz, and grape molasses and vinegar are produced.
Boyoz, a pastry specific to İzmir, comes from the Sephardic Jewish cuisine. It is made by folding layers of rich dough and baking, and is eaten with boiled egg.
İzmir köfte, baked with potato purée and tomato sauce, is one of the city's most traditional home dishes.
Artichokes grown around Menderes are cooked with olive oil and lemon and served cold.
Small pieces of meat threaded onto thin skewers and grilled over charcoal; a popular street food of the Aegean.
A mandarin known by the name Gümüldür, which contributes to economic activity in the region.
Menemen, made by cooking tomatoes, peppers and eggs in olive oil, takes its name from this district. It is an essential dish on the Turkish breakfast table.
Izmir's signature boyoz is also made by bakeries in Menemen using the traditional recipe.
A dish of tomatoes, peppers and eggs, said to have been made by Cretan Turks and to have taken its name from the district.
Fresh fish from the Mordoğan harbour is served grilled or steamed at seafront restaurants.
Wild herbs gathered around Mordoğan are cooked in olive oil and served cold.
Izmir's signature boyoz is prepared fresh every morning in Narlıdere's bakeries.
Fresh mussels coated in flour and fried, served with tarator sauce.
Ödemiş Çekişte Zeytinyağı was registered as a protected designation of origin on 26 October 2020 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 579). Product group: solid and liquid oils, including butter. Registered by: Ödemiş Chamber of Commerce.
One of the best-known examples of Ödemiş's ready-cooked food culture.
A soup among the local dishes of Ödemiş.
The Sığacık Market, set up every Sunday, is famous for homemade preserves, olive oil dishes, fresh cheeses and local produce.
Jam made from Seferihisar's geographically indicated mandarins, one of the best-known flavours of the area.
Fruit wines made in the village of Şirince from fruits such as peach, blackberry, pomegranate and sour cherry. Tastings can be held at the village wine houses.
Olive oil dishes made with wild herbs gathered around Selçuk, among the most authentic flavours of Aegean cuisine.
Small pieces of lamb threaded onto thin skewers and grilled over embers. It is Selçuk's most popular street food.
Tire Şiş Köfte was registered as a protected geographical indication on 12 February 2021 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 671). Product group: dishes and soups. Registered by: Tire Chamber of Commerce.
Tire köftesi is kneaded with finely chopped onion and spices, then grilled. It is one of the best-known köfte varieties in Izmir.
Thin-dough Tire pide, baked in a stone oven in minced meat and cheese varieties.
Prepared with special sandwich bread and Tire sausage, Tire toast can be eaten in the toastmakers' street in the district.
Jam made from Tire's famous black mulberries, poured over sweet lor cheese. This dessert is very light and delicious.
Torbalı Kuru Domatesi was registered as a protected geographical indication on 18 August 2022 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 1196). Product group: processed and unprocessed fruits, vegetables and mushrooms. Registered by: Torbalı Chamber of Commerce.
Izmir's emblem, boyoz is a classic breakfast dish served with boiled egg.
An Izmir dish of boiled tongue and cheek meat served with spices.
The olive oil dishes of Aegean cuisine, prepared with herbs.
Urla's famous artichokes are stuffed with olive oil, rice and spices and then cooked. They are at their most delicious when fresh artichoke season arrives in spring.
Aegean mezes served in Urla's wine houses, including olive oil herb dishes, cheeses and seafood, make a rich spread.
A fair held at Kültürpark every September since the early years of the Republic.
The anniversary of the Turkish army's entry into the city in 1922.
The legacy of the ancient city where, according to tradition, Homer was born.
A spring festival that showcases the wild herbs of the Aegean.
Gatherings on the shore of the gulf at sunset, with the imbat sea breeze.
Izmir is known for 6 local dishes, above all İzmir Boyozu (Sephardic oil pastry), İzmir Kumrusu (sausage and cheese sandwich), İzmir Gevreği (Izmir sesame ring) and İzmir Lokması (syrupy fried dough). A breakfast pastry with an oily dough, inherited from Sephardic cuisine, with a registered geographical indication.
Izmir is known for İzmir Boyozu (Sephardic oil pastry), Urla Sakız Enginarı (Urla mastic artichoke) and Izmir International Fair. Its best-known sights include Ephesus Ancient City and Pergamon Acropolis (Bergama).
Local products and souvenirs to buy in Izmir include Urla Sakız Enginarı (Urla mastic artichoke), Çeşme Damla Sakızı (Çeşme mastic gum), Bozdağ Kestane Şekeri (Bozdağ candied chestnuts) and İzmir Tulum Peyniri (Izmir tulum cheese).