İzmir
Kemeraltı's best-loved kebapçı (kebab eatery) is located near Konak Sq and serves an excellent İskender kebap (döner served on fresh pide and topped with…
Must-see restaurants in İzmir & the North Aegean
Çeşme
Occupying a converted Ottoman stone house and opened in 1945, this pastane (patisserie) is known throughout the region for its house-made dondurma (ice…
İzmir & the North Aegean
A premium location right on the water in the shadow of Bozcaada Castle gives this eatery an edge over the competition, but it's the party atmosphere and…
İzmir
Romantic rendezvous, reunions and regular catch-ups – the terrace at this long-established cafe has been hosting all three for six decades. It's an…
İzmir & the North Aegean
Right on the marina, Liman is known throughout the region for its fresh fish and mezes. Seating is on the terrace or in the huge dining room, which…
İzmir & the North Aegean
This is the best place to sample the town's speciality of Manisa kebap (cylindrical köfte served on pide and topped with tomato sauce and yoghurt).
Alaçatı
There are some who say the ‘Cheers Tavern’ serves the best meze in town – there's certainly many types to choose from. Fresh fish (priced by weight) is…
İzmir & the North Aegean
On game days, the queue in front of this stand selling dondurma (Turkish ice cream) is of formidable proportions, and summer evenings are nearly as busy…
İzmir & the North Aegean
Serving mantı (Turkish ravioli), avcı boreğı (‘hunter’s börek’; pastry filled with meat or cheese) and a good range of meze, this restaurant has a lovely…
İzmir & the North Aegean
The ‘Long House’ is the pick of the seafront restaurants and garners the most lively crowd, especially on weekends in high season. Blue wooden chairs line…
İzmir & the North Aegean
With an elevated terrace and streetside tables overlooking the Büyük Deniz, Fokai has the best location in town. Sadly, every stray cat in Foça agrees,…
İzmir & the North Aegean
Australian Lisa Lay opened this casual cafe in an old bakery near the iskele two decades ago, and has built a loyal clientele of expats and island…
İzmir & the North Aegean
Located on a busy corner, this ultrafriendly pidecı (pide place) is probably the most popular eatery in town. The pides (Turkish-style pizzas) are…
Çeşme
This rough-and-ready meyhane (tavern) near the Greek Orthodox church is a popular venue for late-night carousing. The menu includes soups, stock-standard…
İzmir & the North Aegean
Formerly a fine-dining restaurant, Kybele is now a more informal garden eatery with excellent views across Bergama. The bar serves up good cocktails,…
İzmir
At the end of Konak Pier, %100 has an upmarket shopping-mall feel inside, but its tables out on the pier are alluring. Its lengthy menu features pizzas,…
İzmir & the North Aegean
Kervan is popular among locals for its cheap and tasty dishes. The menu features a good range of kebaps, pide, çorba (soup) and, for dessert, künefe …
İzmir & the North Aegean
Named after the papalina balıǧı, a popular local sprat (one portion ₺20), this old-fashioned place has a lovely position right next to the fishing boats…
İzmir & the North Aegean
In addition to four types of köfte (meatballs) – reputedly the best in town – the ‘Wonderful Köfte House’ serves various types of çorba (soup) and tavuk…
İzmir
Thought by many to serve the best döner kebap in the city, clean and cheerful Altın Kapı is located in a side street off pedestrianised Kıbrıs Şehitleri…
Alaçatı
On the south side of the ring road near the turn-off into Alaçatı, this eatery serves pides, grills and pre-prepared meat and vegetable dishes. Its food…
Ayvalık
It ain't haute cuisine (far from it), but the Ayvalık tost (Ayvalık 'toast') is famous throughout Turkey, and this is one of the many local places where…
İzmir & the North Aegean
‘Phosphorescence’ lights the way with its massive meze trays groaning under the weight of things fishy, olive oily and yoghurty. There's a good local wine…
Çeşme
Çeşme’s first restaurant, which opened back in 1953, is set in a bamboo-roofed atrium with a fountain and plants. It's popular with local shoppers and…
İzmir & the North Aegean
Highly recommended by locals, this seafood restaurant enjoys a prominent position on the quay just opposite the sanctuary of Cybele. The mezes are…
İzmir & the North Aegean
This lokanta is a great lunch choice. Make your choice of meat, vegetable and rice dishes from the bain-marie (the friendly Mesut and Fatoş will help).
İzmir & the North Aegean
One of the more dependable local restaurants on the main street, the ‘Ivy’ has a heavy rotation of ready-made stews, soups and rice dishes.
İzmir
This Alsancak branch of the national chain serves tasty soups, pides, kebaps and lahmacun (Turkish-style ‘pizza’). No alcohol.
Ayvalık
Established in 1903, this bakery in the Macaron quarter of the Old Town has hardly changed over the century. Sells bread and sweet treats.
İzmir
This institution is serious about the sweet stuff. Decadent delights include fruit-topped cheesecakes and creamy gateaux.
İzmir
To enjoy an ice cream while strolling along the kordon, head to this branch of the popular national chain.
İzmir
‘Snacking’, located on a lane running north of Şehit Nevresbey Bulvarı, offers enormous jacket (baked) potatoes (kumpir) with a choice of fillings that…
İzmir
Opposite the Basmane train station, this friendly eatery never sleeps and specialises in ızgara (grills).
