İzmir is Turkey's third-largest city, a cosmopolitan Aegean port that blends ancient Greek ruins, Ottoman bazaars, and a modern waterfront promenade. Known for its liberal culture, vibrant café scene, and easy access to Ephesus, Çeşme, and Pamukkale, it serves both history seekers and beach lovers.
İzmir cooking is the heart of Aegean cuisine: olive oil-braised vegetables, fresh Aegean fish, meze platters, and wild herbs. The city is also famous for İzmir köftesi (spiced meatballs), kumru (sesame-roll sandwiches), and boyoz (a flaky pastry of Sephardic Jewish origin sold at every bakery from 06:00).
Top restaurants
Handpicked picks for the best dining experiences.
Veli Usta Balıkçısı
Popular Aegean Turkish seafood restaurant in İzmir.
Known for: Freshest daily catch from Aegean waters
Atatürk Caddesi No:19, 35220 Alsancak, İzmir
Sakız Restaurant
Popular Aegean Turkish restaurant in İzmir.
Known for: Upscale Aegean meze with waterfront terrace
Atatürk Caddesi No:1/A, 35220 Alsancak, İzmir
Kemal'in Yeri
Popular Turkish meyhane restaurant in İzmir.
Known for: Authentic İzmir meyhane atmosphere with live music
Kıbrıs Şehitleri Cad. No:111, 35220 Alsancak, İzmir
1888 Restaurant (Swissôtel)
Popular International & Aegean restaurant in İzmir.
Known for: Award-winning hotel fine dining with Aegean panorama
Gaziosmanpaşa Bulvarı No:1, 35210 Alsancak, İzmir
Kahve Dünyası Kordon
This is a branch of Kahve Dünyası, the nationwide Turkish coffee chain, set on the Kordon — İzmir's waterfront promenade in Alsancak. The format is standardized across the chain: coffee roasted and ground on the premises, sold both to drink in and to take away by the kilo, alongside a case of syrupy pastries.
Known for: Classic Turkish coffee chain with Kordon sea views
Atatürk Caddesi No:49, 35220 Alsancak, İzmir
Ege Lokantası
Popular Aegean home cooking restaurant in İzmir.
Known for: Daily changing menu of Aegean olive-oil dishes
875 Sokak No:4, 35250 Konak, İzmir
İzmir Börek Evi
Popular Turkish börek restaurant in İzmir.
Known for: Fresh-baked İzmir-style börek
1369 Sokak No:4, 35210 Çankaya, İzmir
Asansör Restaurant
Popular Turkish & mezze restaurant in İzmir.
Known for: Panoramic Aegean views from hilltop terrace
Mithatpaşa Caddesi No:55, 35270 Karataş, İzmir
Restaurants by cuisine
Browse picks grouped by cuisine type.
Turkish
Kışla Meyhane
Known for: Classic evening meyhane with raki and live fasıl music
1368 Sokak No:12, 35210 Çankaya, İzmir
Bornova Döner Evi
Known for: Best budget döner near the university district
Mustafa Kemal Caddesi No:14, 35040 Bornova, İzmir
Mado İzmir
Mado is a national dessert and ice cream chain that started in Kahramanmaraş, and this Alsancak branch on Atatürk Caddesi puts it on İzmir's seafront promenade (Kordon). The ice cream is the stretchy, mastic-and-salep style associated with the Maraş tradition, hand-scooped and served with a knife rather than a scoop. The room is a standard chain café layout - bright counters, glass dessert cases, indoor and terrace seating facing the water.
Known for: Iconic Turkish dessert chain on the Kordon
Atatürk Caddesi No:37, 35220 Alsancak, İzmir
Tarihi Bozacı Salonu
Known for: Historic 100-year-old boza house in the bazaar
Anafartalar Caddesi No:502, 35250 Konak, İzmir
Punta Mutfak
Known for: Home-style Turkish food at student-friendly prices
Şair Eşref Bulvarı No:10, 35220 Alsancak, İzmir
Meydan Kahvesi
Known for: Sprawling weekend brunch culture in a garden setting
Kıbrıs Şehitleri Cad. No:67, 35220 Alsancak, İzmir
İki Kapılı Han Restaurant
Set inside a restored Ottoman-era han in the Kemeraltı bazaar, the restaurant uses the building's stone courtyard and arched former shop units as its dining rooms, so much of the seating is open to the sky rather than in a single indoor hall. The kitchen sticks to Ottoman court and home cooking rather than a modern reinterpretation, with slow-cooked meat dishes and rice-based sides forming the core of the menu.
Known for: Dining inside a restored 18th-century Ottoman caravanserai
İki Kapılı Han, 35250 Konak, İzmir
Seafood
Deniz Restaurant Çeşme
Known for: Seafood by the Çeşme marina with Chios Island views
Çeşme Marina, 35930 Çeşme, İzmir
Yengeç Restaurant
Known for: Specializes in Aegean blue crab and rare shellfish
Sahil Yolu No:12, 35400 Güzelbahçe, İzmir
Aegean
Kargı Restaurant
Known for: Rustic Aegean fish house with vine-covered terrace
Sahil Yolu No:28, 35400 Güzelbahçe, İzmir
Aegean Fish
Sedefçi Balık Pişiricisi
Known for: Choose your fish from the market, have it grilled on the spot
Balık Pazarı, 35600 Karşıyaka, İzmir
Anatolian Dishes
Arap Hasan Lokantası
Known for: Old Basmane working-class eatery open since 1952
Anafartalar Cad. No:247, 35240 Konak, İzmir
Contemporary Aegean
OKA Restaurant
Known for: Modern fine-casual restaurant using local farm and sea produce
1453 Sokak No:29, 35220 Alsancak, İzmir
Fusion
Halka Bar & Kitchen
Known for: Trendy late-night spot merging cocktail bar with creative small plates
1482 Sokak No:8, 35220 Alsancak, İzmir
İzmir Kumru
Kumrucu Başar
Known for: İzmir's iconic kumru sandwich — sesame roll with sucuk and cheese
Kemalpaşa Caddesi No:22, 35060 Konak, İzmir
Rural Aegean
Şirince Köy Restaurant
Known for: Village fare with local fruit wines and views over olive groves
Şirince Köyü Merkez, 35920 Selçuk, İzmir
Wild Herb & Aegean
Alaçatı Ot Evi
Known for: Wild Aegean herbs foraged from local hillsides — Alaçatı's signature dish concept
Kemalpaşa Cad. No:86, 35937 Alaçatı, İzmir
Food tours & tastings in İzmir
Eat your way through İzmir with a guide.
Browse food experiences in İzmirWe may earn a commission from bookings made through these links.
Street food
Local flavours at affordable prices.
Food markets
Where locals shop and graze.
Dining etiquette & tips
Navigate the local food scene confidently.
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Food budget guide
What to expect at different price points.
| Level | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | $5-15/meal | Street food, local eateries, and simple restaurants. |
| Mid-range | $15-40/meal | Sit-down restaurants with good service and varied menus. |
| Upscale | $40+/meal | Fine dining, international cuisine, and premium experiences. |