Dishes you should try in Kırklareli: Kırklareli Köftesi (Kırklareli meatballs), Ahmetbey Köftesi (Ahmetbey meatballs), Brakana Tatlısı (Brakana dessert) and Kırklareli Hardaliyesi (grape and mustard-seed drink). This guide also covers the local products to buy and what Kırklareli is famous for.

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Famous Dishes of Kırklareli

  • Kırklareli Köftesi (Kırklareli meatballs)

    Meatballs with a registered geographical indication.

  • Ahmetbey Köftesi (Ahmetbey meatballs)

    Meatballs specific to the town of Ahmetbey in Lüleburgaz, with a registered geographical indication.

  • Brakana Tatlısı (Brakana dessert)

    A dessert with a registered geographical indication.

  • Kırklareli Hardaliyesi (grape and mustard-seed drink)

    A non-alcoholic fermented drink made with grapes and mustard seed.

Local Specialities from the Districts of Kırklareli

What to eat in Kırklareli Central District

  • Hardaliye (grape juice drink)

    A traditional Thracian drink made by fermenting grape juice with mustard seed and cherry leaves. It is non-alcoholic and is drunk to refresh, especially in summer.

  • Ciğer Tava (Thracian fried liver)

    Finely chopped beef liver, floured and fried in the Thracian style and served with fried peppers.

What to eat in Babaeski

  • Trakya Usulü Ciğer Sarma (Thracian-style liver wrap)

    Lamb liver wrapped in its membrane and grilled, ciğer sarma is one of Babaeski's famous meze dishes.

  • Peynir Helvası (cheese halva)

    Made with fresh cheese, flour and sugar, peynir helvası is a traditional dessert of Thrace. It is made in Babaeski, especially during the winter months.

  • Ayçiçeği Yağlı Pide (sunflower oil pide)

    Pide made with plenty of Thracian sunflower oil, in cheese and minced meat varieties, is indispensable to Babaeski's bakeries.

  • Babaeski Garlic

    A local product listed among the province's geographical indication products in an announcement by the Kırklareli Governorship.

What to eat in Demirköy

  • Coastal Fish

    Whiting, flounder and bonito caught off the Black Sea coast of İğneada are served fresh, grilled or pan-fried.

  • Forest Mushroom Dishes

    Wild mushrooms gathered from the rich forest cover of the Yıldız Mountains are prepared as kavurma and soup. Mushroom gathering in autumn is a widespread tradition.

  • Trakya Usulü Kavurma (lamb cooked in its own fat)

    Kavurma, prepared by slowly cooking lamb in its own fat, is one of the basic dishes of Demirköy's rural cuisine.

  • Demirköy oak honey

    Featured as the subject of a socio-economic study of beekeepers producing oak honey in Demirköy district.

What to eat in Kofçaz

  • Kırma Buğday Pilavı (cracked wheat pilaf)

    Pilaf made by roasting cracked wheat in butter. It is one of the staple dishes of Kofçaz's rural cuisine.

  • Kuzu Kapama (lamb casserole)

    Lamb slow-cooked with vegetables in a casserole dish. It is served especially at Bayram and wedding feasts.

What to eat in Lüleburgaz

  • Lüleburgaz Köftesi (grilled beef meatballs)

    Made from beef mince, Lüleburgaz köftesi is one of Thrace's most famous types of meatball. It is grilled over embers and served with piyaz and hot pepper.

  • Trakya Usulü Kaşarlı Pide (Thrace-style cheese pide)

    Pide prepared with plenty of Thrace's kaşar cheese is the most preferred product of Lüleburgaz bakeries.

  • Hardaliye (mustard-seed grape drink)

    A traditional Thracian drink made by fermenting grape juice with mustard seed. It is also widely produced and consumed in Lüleburgaz.

What to eat in Pehlivanköy

  • Trakya Pilavı (Thracian rice pilaf)

    The Thracian version of rice pilaf, prepared with butter and meat stock. It is indispensable at Pehlivanköy tables.

  • Kıymalı Börek (minced-meat pastry)

    A börek made by layering thin yufka pastry with a minced meat and onion filling and baking it in the oven. It is one of Pehlivanköy's homemade favourites.

What to eat in Pınarhisar

  • Trakya Usulü Kelle Paça (Thracian-style head and trotter soup)

    Soup made by simmering sheep's head and trotters for a long time. In Pınarhisar it is eaten for breakfast, especially in winter.

  • Peynirli Pide (cheese pide)

    Pide made with plenty of Thracian white cheese, the most popular product of Pınarhisar's bakeries.

  • Süt Helvası (milk halva)

    A traditional dessert made with milk, flour and sugar, prepared in Pınarhisar for feast days and special occasions.

What to eat in Vize

  • Kıyıköy Midyesi (mussels)

    Mussels freshly harvested from the Black Sea, prepared fried or stuffed. A main flavour on the seafood menus of Kıyıköy's seaside restaurants.

  • Trakya Usulü Kuzu Tandır (Thrace-style lamb tandır)

    Lamb slow-cooked for a long time in an earth tandır oven. A traditional dish prepared on special occasions in Vize's rural villages.

  • Peynir Helvası (cheese halva)

    A traditional Thracian dessert made from fresh lor cheese, flour and sugar, prepared in Vize especially in the winter months.

  • Oğlak çevirme ve kiremitte mantarlı alabalık (spit-roasted kid and mushroom trout baked on a tile)

    Listed among Vize's local dishes on the tourism page of Vize Municipality.

  • Vize peyniri ve ıhlamur çiçeği balı (Vize cheese and linden blossom honey)

    Listed among Vize's local dishes on the tourism page of Vize Municipality.

What to Buy in Kırklareli: Local Products

  • Kırklareli Beyaz Peyniri (Kırklareli white cheese) A white cheese with a registered geographical indication.
  • Kırklareli Eski Kaşar Peyniri (Kırklareli aged kaşar cheese) A kaşar cheese with a registered geographical indication.
  • Kırklareli Kıvırcık Kuzu Eti (Kırklareli Kıvırcık lamb) Lamb with a registered geographical indication.
  • Kırklareli Meşe Balı (Kırklareli oak honey) Honey from the Istranca forests, with a registered geographical indication.
  • Babaeski Sarımsağı (Babaeski garlic) Garlic with a registered geographical indication.
  • Poyralı Dokuması (Poyralı weaving) A woven textile with a registered geographical indication.

What Kırklareli Is Famous For: Culture and Traditions

  • Hıdrellez

    The spring festival celebrated on 5–6 May, on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

  • Kakava

    The traditional festival celebrated by the Roma at Hıdrellez.

  • Balkan migrant culture

    The cuisine and customs of migrants who came from the Balkans.

  • Grape harvest

    The grape harvest held in August–September and the making of hardaliye.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I eat in Kırklareli?

Kırklareli is known for 4 local dishes, above all Kırklareli Köftesi (Kırklareli meatballs), Ahmetbey Köftesi (Ahmetbey meatballs), Brakana Tatlısı (Brakana dessert) and Kırklareli Hardaliyesi (grape and mustard-seed drink). Meatballs with a registered geographical indication.

What is Kırklareli famous for?

Kırklareli is known for Kırklareli Köftesi (Kırklareli meatballs), Kırklareli Beyaz Peyniri (Kırklareli white cheese) and Hıdrellez. Its best-known sights include İğneada Longoz Forests National Park and Dupnisa Cave.

What to buy in Kırklareli?

Local products and souvenirs to buy in Kırklareli include Kırklareli Beyaz Peyniri (Kırklareli white cheese), Kırklareli Eski Kaşar Peyniri (Kırklareli aged kaşar cheese), Kırklareli Kıvırcık Kuzu Eti (Kırklareli Kıvırcık lamb) and Kırklareli Meşe Balı (Kırklareli oak honey).

Kırklareli Travel Guide

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