10 delicious foods from 10 different districts of Turkey

Mehmet Yaşin

It is possible to encounter beautiful flavors in every corner of Turkey, which has such a rich cuisine. But what really matters is being able to discover those delicious foods along with knowing good places to eat. Here is a tip for you… Take a break for a cup of coffee before lunch and make new friends while drinking tea. 

Here you can find 10 delicious foods in 10 districts of Turkey.

I suggest 10 in total but the number could be much more than 10 if it was for me. 



1-URLA/İzmir: It is the perfect place for Güveç (casserole). This charming district of İzmir is a place where nature and history come together. Its history dates back to about 4000 B.C. Important in antiquity, the district is also the birthplace of poet Yorgo Seferis, who won the Nobel Prize in 1963. It is possible to find all manners of vegetables and plants in the marketplace on Sundays.

Although most people think Urla is famous for its fish, casserole is in fact the best food in Urla. People from all over İzmir once flocked to Urla for this food, only for it to lose some of its reputation. If you go to Urla, you should definitely try this wonderful meal. And the best address that I can suggest is Beğendik Abi restaurant.




2-ÇEŞME/İzmir: Kumru, called a feast between two pieces of bread, is another masterpiece from the Çeşme district of İzmir. This settlement, located in Turkey’s western part, is a favorite among visitors coming from all over Turkey. The establishment of the district dates back to the seventh century B.C. The expert of this sandwich is called Master Chef Hüseyin. His invention of a sandwich with grilled sausage, salami and tomato continues to get people coming back for more. 




3-SELÇUK/İzmir: Perhaps more famous for Ephesus, Selçuk is the address for meatballs. Selçuk, which raised many philosophers in ancient times, is famous for dishes made with olive oil. It is also famous for skewers and meatballs along with vegetarian dishes. One of the featured addresses for this issue is Selçuk Köftecisi. The taste of the skewers, grilled meat and meatballs will remain.




4- EDREMİT/Balıkesir: The perfect place for those who are looking for quality and taste. Edremit is one of the most important centers in Turkey with the Kaz Mountains behind and the blue Aegean Sea in front. It produces the most delicious olive oil in Turkey. There is an important increase in population during the summer thanks to its touristic areas like Altınova and Akçay. Cumhuriyet Lokantası is one of the best restaurants, founded in 1923. People coming to eat half cooked-half raw beef ribs are willing to wait a long time to find a table.




5- BOZDOĞAN/Aydın: This green town of Aydın, named after a big family, the Bozdoğan Tribe, which migrated from Çukurova, is located on Madran Mountain. Pitta bread and tandoori cooked in pits are among the major delicious foods. However, the taste of Bozdoğan’s pitta bread is completely different. Visitors coming to eat pitta bread are the reasons for the crowd in the town on weekends. Moreover, one of the perfect addresses to taste wonderful flavors is Mikado. Ahmet Usta, who has been at this work for many years, argues that the secret of pitta bread is water coming from Madran Mountain. Besides, many varieties of this pitta bread are prepared on the marble without using rolling pin.




6- KORKUTELİ/Antalya: Famous for burnt ice cream, Korkuteli has been an important settlement since ancient times. Its cuisine is mainly composed of meats since most of the population has Turkmen origin. This settlement, where people come during the summer to escape from Antalya’s high temperature, is also Turkey’s mushroom cultivation center. 

The taste of its burnt ice cream is a legend. You smell the smoke of the milk while eating. The best place for this ice cream for the past 60 years has been Giliğ Ice Cream. This city-sized district of the Mediterranean is one of the major touristic and industrial centers of Turkey. This district, which dates back to 333 B.C., is famous for its natural beaches, windy plateaus in the Nur Mountains and its harbor. 



7- TAŞKÖPRÜ/Kastamonu: Taşköprü is the king of kebabs. This historic district of Kastamonu is one of the oldest Turkish settlements in Anatolia. The taste of Taşköprü’s garlic is famous all over the world, while its marketplace on Tuesdays is among one of the most frequently visited local places. The famous Kuyu Kebab can also be found at Yılmaz Kebab and Master Chef Osman.




8- SALİHLİ/Manisa: Everyone thinks that this town is known as cherry land. This is true because Turkey’s most delicious cherries are grown here, but the district is not just famous for its food. The city of Sardis, where the first money in the world was printed, is actually the Salihli district of Manisa. Moreover, the Pyramid of Anatolia, called “thousand hills,” is one of Turkey’s most interesting archaeological centers. People also flock to eat meatballs called “Odun Meatballs” cooked in the embers of oak trees.



9- İNEGÖL/Bursa: İnegöl is the capital of meatballs. This district in Bursa is also one of the largest industrial centers in Turkey. The statue of meatballs at the entrance of the district is a perfect proof that the locals of the settlement loves meatballs. There are lots of restaurants and all the meatballs cooked in the restaurants are tasty.



10- İSKENDERUN/Hatay: One of the first things that comes to mind about İskenderun is künefe, a dessert made of pastry and cheese. The most delicious künefe is made in Petek Patisserie, one of the meeting centers in the district.