Dishes you should try in Konak: İzmir Kumrusu (grilled sandwich), Boyoz and İzmir Köfte. This guide also covers the local products to buy and what Konak is famous for.
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Famous Dishes of Konak
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İzmir Kumrusu (grilled sandwich)
İzmir kumrusu, a toasted sandwich of sucuk, kaşar cheese and tomato in kumru bread, is the city's best-known street food.
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Boyoz
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.
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İzmir Köfte
İzmir köfte, baked with potato purée and tomato sauce, is one of the city's most traditional home dishes.
Dishes from Izmir Cuisine
What to eat in Izmir →These dishes are known throughout Izmir province; see the provincial food guide for details.
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İzmir Boyozu (Sephardic oil pastry)
A breakfast pastry with an oily dough, inherited from Sephardic cuisine, with a registered geographical indication.
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İzmir Gevreği (Izmir sesame ring)
Izmir's version of the simit; it has a registered geographical indication.
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İzmir Lokması (syrupy fried dough)
A syrupy dessert with a registered geographical indication.
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İzmir Şambalisi (semolina syrup cake)
A syrupy semolina dessert with a registered geographical indication.
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Ödemiş Köftesi (Ödemiş meatballs)
Meatballs with a registered geographical indication.
What to Buy in Konak: Local Products
- Boyoz Boyoz, İzmir's protected geographical indication product, is produced fresh every morning in the city's historic bakeries.
- İzmir Tulum Cheese Tulum cheese made from goat's milk, one of İzmir's traditional cheeses.
What Konak Is Famous For: Culture and Traditions
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Cosmopolitan Port Culture
For centuries İzmir has been a cosmopolitan port city where Turkish, Greek, Armenian, Jewish and Levantine communities lived together. This diversity is reflected in its cuisine, architecture and everyday traditions.
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Kemeraltı Tradesmen's Culture
Kemeraltı Bazaar is a living example of the traditional tradesmen's culture that has been maintained for centuries.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I eat in Konak?
Konak is known for 3 local dishes, above all İzmir Kumrusu (grilled sandwich), Boyoz and İzmir Köfte. İzmir kumrusu, a toasted sandwich of sucuk, kaşar cheese and tomato in kumru bread, is the city's best-known street food.
What is Konak famous for?
Konak is known for İzmir Kumrusu (grilled sandwich), Boyoz and Cosmopolitan Port Culture. Its best-known sights include İzmir Clock Tower and Kemeraltı Bazaar.
What to buy in Konak?
Local products and souvenirs to buy in Konak include Boyoz and İzmir Tulum Cheese.
Konak Travel Guide
What to Eat in Other Districts of Izmir
- Aliağa 8 dishes Aliağa Fish Soup, Stuffed Artichokes in Olive Oil (Zeytinyağlı Enginar) and Şevket-i Bostan (wild herb dish)
- Balçova 2 dishes Boyoz and İzmir Köfte
- Bayındır 2 dishes Bayındır Pidesi and Keşkek
- Bayraklı 2 dishes Boyoz and Lokma
- Bergama 2 dishes Bergama Köftesi and Bergama Tulum Cheese
- Beydağ 4 dishes Beydağ Simit Dürüm, Keşkek (wheat and meat porridge) and Gözleme (stuffed flatbread)
- Bornova 2 dishes Boyoz and Söğüş
- Buca 2 dishes Boyoz and Şambali
- Çeşme 3 dishes Çeşme Kumrusu, Alaçatı Ot Yemekleri and Taze Deniz Ürünleri
- Çiğli 2 dishes Boyoz and Midye Dolma
- Dikili 2 dishes Dikili Balık Güveç (fish casserole) and Zeytinyağlı Ot Yemekleri (wild greens in olive oil)
- Foça 2 dishes Foça Fish and Ege Mezeleri (Aegean meze)
- Gaziemir 2 dishes İzmir Köfte and Boyoz
- Güzelbahçe 2 dishes Güzelbahçe Fish and Octopus Salad
- Karabağlar 2 dishes Boyoz and Kumru
- Karaburun 2 dishes Karaburun Sea Bass and Sakız Kabağı Dolması (stuffed mastic squash)
- Karşıyaka 2 dishes Boyoz and Söğüş (sliced boiled beef and offal)
- Kemalpaşa 3 dishes Kemalpaşa Tatlısı (cheese dough balls in syrup), Cherry Desserts and Kemalpaşa Cherries
- Kınık 2 dishes Keşkek (wheat and meat dish) and Höşmerim (fried cheese dessert)
- Kiraz 4 dishes Kiraz Pidesi (thin-crust flatbread), Keşkek (wheat and meat dish) and Kestane (chestnuts)
- Menderes 3 dishes Zeytinyağlı Enginar (artichokes in olive oil), Çöp Şiş (skewered meat) and Gümüldür mandarin
- Menemen 3 dishes Menemen (Egg and Vegetable Dish), Boyoz and Menemen
- Mordoğan 2 dishes Mordoğan Fish and Stuffed Wild Greens in Olive Oil (Zeytinyağlı Ot Yemekleri)
- Narlıdere 2 dishes Boyoz and Midye Tava (fried mussels)
- Ödemiş 4 dishes Ödemiş Çekişte Zeytinyağı (Ödemiş Çekişte olive oil), Ödemiş Köftesi (Ödemiş meatballs) and Ödemiş Kebabı
- Seferihisar 2 dishes Sığacık Market Delights and Mandarin Jam
- Selçuk 3 dishes Şirince Wine, Ege Ot Yemekleri (Aegean herb dishes) and Çöp Şiş (skewered lamb pieces)
- Tire 5 dishes Tire Şiş Köfte (Tire skewered meatballs), Tire Köfte (Tire meatballs) and Tire Pidesi
- Torbalı 4 dishes Torbalı Kuru Domatesi (Torbalı sun-dried tomatoes), Boyoz and Söğüş
- Urla 2 dishes Urla Enginar Dolması (stuffed artichokes) and Ege Mezeleri (Aegean mezes)