İzmir is one of Turkey's culinary capitals, renowned for its Aegean cuisine, which emphasizes fresh vegetables, olive oil, seafood, herbs, and local wines.
FOOD
Boyoz – İzmir's signature pastry, introduced by Sephardic Jews. This flaky, buttery pastry is traditionally enjoyed for breakfast with a boiled egg and Turkish tea.
Kumru – A famous toasted sandwich made with a special sesame bread roll, filled with cheese, sucuk (spicy sausage), tomatoes, and peppers.
İzmir Köfte – Meatballs baked with potatoes, peppers, and tomatoes in a rich tomato sauce.
Seafood – Fresh sea bass, sea bream, octopus, calamari, mussels, and anchovies are widely available in the city's waterfront restaurants.
Aegean Meze – Small sharing plates such as grilled octopus, stuffed vine leaves, artichokes in olive oil, smoked eggplant salad, haydari (strained yogurt with herbs), and samphire.
Herb dishes (Ot Yemekleri) – Seasonal wild greens like chicory, fennel, nettles, and purslane are prepared with olive oil or lightly sautéed.
WINE AND DRINKS
Turkish white wines – Try wines made from Narince, Emir, or Sultaniye grapes, which pair beautifully with seafood and meze.
Turkish red wines – Oküzgözü, Boğazkere, and Kalecik Karası are excellent local varieties for grilled meats and kebabs.
Rosé wines – The Aegean region produces crisp rosés that are especially enjoyable during the summer.
Rakı – Turkey's national spirit, traditionally enjoyed with seafood and meze.