Where to eat in Izmir

If you are wondering where to eat in Izmir (or in Turkey) you should pick a place specializing in just one type of meal. You can be sure they will be doing that one thing really really well. Sometimes they have been doing it for generations! Bonus points if you see the place crowded with Turkish people. Forget the tourist restaurants serving 30 different types of kebabs.

Don’t worry about what time it is, most places are open and serve food all day. As a French person used to strict 12-to-2 pm and 7-to-9 pm rules, I found it weird at first but it’s so convenient! Another thing that used to weird me out, was how quickly waiters come to clear your plate as soon as you put your fork down. It made me feel rushed, like they couldn’t wait for me to leave the table but I realized it’s a cultural thing. Since Turkish people usually don’t have 2 hours-long family meals, they are not used to staying at a table with dirty dishes in front of them.

What to drink

I encourage you to order ayran (a cold beverage made with yogurt, salt, and water) to accompany every meat, pilaf, or spicy dish. It’s delicious and super refreshing! After your meal, and if you order dessert, don’t forget to drink a glass of çay (tea). If you order a kahve (Turkish coffee), don’t mix it with your spoon or you will have to wait for the unfiltered ground coffee beans to drop down at the bottom of your cup again.

If you want a drink say bir adet ayran (ayran), bir adet su (water), bir adet soda (sparkling water), bir adet çay (tea), bir adet kahve (coffee). Or simply point on the menu in front of you 😉

I don’t really like the appellation” “best restaurants” so I wrote a round-up of where to eat in Izmir if you want to eat like a local. Take your pick according to what you feel like eating.

Öz Gerçek Bursa: for iskender döner

If there is something I deplore now that I moved back to France, it’s the lack of good döner. Look at this beauty! Don’t you want to lick off your screen? Öz Gerçek Bursa serves 4 different types of kebab but their Iskender döner is the main reason I go there. It’s off-this-world good!

Thinly cut grilled lamb is topped with hot tomato sauce and a good amount of sizzling melted butter is poured over the dish at the table. And under all these, soaking up all the meaty and buttery juice, are slices of fluffy pita bread. The meat is so tender, it melts in your mouth! Also, the contrast between the hot and spicy meat and the cold yogurt, served on the side, is superb. What a kebab!

They will serve you some çiğ köfte (spicy bulgur balls), a salad, and a small dessert alongside your order. But if you still have room, I would advise you to try their künefe (pastry layered with cheese and pistachio), with a glass of çay of course. It’s the perfect sweet treat to end a perfect meal!

To order one kebab say: tek iskender kebap or buçuk iskender kebap if you are hungry and want a little bit more. To order dessert say bir adet künefe,lütfen.

Edirne Tava Ciğeri: for fried liver (yaprak çiğer)

I know that some of you might want to run as soon you read ‘liver’. Offal is hard to get into if you didn’t grow up eating it. But ciğer, and this family-owned restaurant, really deserve a try! The beef liver pieces are dunked into flour and spices before being deep-fried and oh my god are they flavorful! If there is one meal that could convert people to offals, it’s çiğer. Everything tastes better fried, am I right? Drizzle lemon juice on your çiğer and sprinkle some extra cumin, you won’t regret it.

The very friendly, owner is from Edirne so he cooks çiğer the way they do it there. The main difference is that they cut the liver very thinly (instead of cutting it into small cubes). That’s why it’s called yaprak çiğer, yaprak meaning leaves. The traditional side for çiğer is piyaz (cold white bean salad). You should definitely order some as the meal wouldn’t be complete without it. One last note, be careful with the dried chilies, served on top, they’re ex-tre-me-ly hot, and if you don’t have ayran to wash it down, you’ll be in a pickle.

To order one plate say: tek ciğer or buçuk çiğer if you are hungry and want a little bit more. To order the bean salad on the side say bir adet piyaz, lütfen.

Köfteci Okan: for meatballs (köfte)

Is there anything more comforting than a big plate of meatballs? These traditional Turkish meatballs are tender, perfectly flavored with cumin, and grilled just the right way. They are served with grilled green peppers, sliced tomatoes, and tomatoey rice or bulgur. You can also ask for piyaz (cold white bean salad). But the prize for greatest accompaniment ever goes to the ekmek (bread) they bring along your plate of meatballs. They grill huge slices of soft white bread next to the meatballs and they soak the meaty juice beautifully. Seriously amazing! For the full Turkish experience ask for yogurt on the side (Turkish yogurt and köfte are a match made in heaven).

Köfteci Okan only has a small number of tables and it’s always busy but they are worth a 10-minute wait. They also serve grilled marinated chicken but their meatballs are the real reason to visit them.

To order one plate say: tek köfte or buçuk köfte if you are hungry and want a little bit more. If you also want to try their chicken you should ask for karışık (mixed plate). To order the bean salad say bir adet piyaz, lütfen and if you want yogurt on the side say yoğurt alabilir miyim? .

Söğüşçü Cimbom: for offal wraps (söğüş)

Okay, this one is definitely weirder than the fried liver and you won’t find many tourists there, I’ll give you that. Söğüş is a wrap filled (very generously) with chopped offals. You’ve got thinly chopped tongues, brains, and cheeks! Crunchy raw vegetables, herbs, and spices cut through the fatty meat most wonderfully. All of this is bursting out of a very thick and pillowy flatbread. Come on, you must feel intrigued.

The friendly owner is a fan of the Galatasaray football club, so everything is painted yellow and red. The place is full of Galatasaray memorabilia, you might find it kitsch but I think it’s a fun place. If you’re feeling adventurous and want to try something new, have a söğüş! I recommend drinking ayran alongside it.

To order 1 söğüş say bir adet acısız söğüş. If you want a spicy one say bir adet acılı söğüş.

Katmercim: for baklava and katmer

Katmercim is a small shop but boy are they worth the stop! You can choose from a wide variety of baklavas, and I always seem to spot some I never tried before. It’s a flaky pastry, pistachio and syrup heaven! I used to live down their road, and I would always find the perfect excuses to treat myself to their baklavas. Midterms done? Baklavas. Birthdays and anniversaries? Baklavas. Feeling a bit low? Baklavas.

But Katmercim isn’t only about baklavas! If you have time, you should sit down and enjoy some warm katmer with a big dollop of maraş ice cream. Katmer is a thin crispy pastry made of yufka (a sort of filo pastry) filled with kaymak (clotted cream) and sprinkled with a lot of ground pistachio. It’s super good!

To order, show them which baklava you want and explain how many you want; bir (1), iki (2), üç (3), dört (4), …, yarım kilo (1 pound), bir kilo (2 pounds). If you want to order 1 katmer, say bir adet katmer.

Map

If you’re in Izmir it’s probably because you’re making a stopover before visiting Ephesus, Pamukkale or maybe you are on your way to a beach resort on the Aegean coast. Whether you’re spending a day or just a few hours in Izmir, hitting the bazaar in Kemeraltı is a great idea. You can stock up on spices, get a feel for the local culture, and sit down for a cup of warming salep (sweet drink made with orchid) in winter, or freshly pressed juice in summer.

As you can see on the map, most of my favorite places to eat in Izmir are in the bazaar. It’s fortunate since the bazaar and the clock tower, located at its entrance, are pretty much the only tourist sites in Izmir. In Izmir’s defense, a big part of the city burned down in 1922 during the Turkish Independence War. I also wrote about some restaurants in different neighborhoods, which would be perfect if your hotel isn’t in the city center or if you have more time to roam around! In any case, I hope you found something that suits you and gives you ideas about where (and what) to eat in Izmir.

Special mentions

Meşhur Hisarönü Şambalicisi: for their semolina cakes (şambala tatlısı), an institution in Kemeraltı
Meşhur Kemeraltı Turşucusu Tahsin: for their pickles and pickle juice (very refreshing), another institution

Now, please tell me about your favorite places to eat in Izmir! I’ll happily go check them out next time I’m there 🙂

Can’t travel to Izmir? Here are all of my favorite Turkish recipes to make at home!