İzmir has a culinary identity all of its own, and the meal that defines the day here is breakfast. That kitchen has two sources: the Aegean tradition of wild herbs and olive oil, and the Sephardic, Greek and Levantine influence left by the city's port history. The guide below covers not only what to eat but when and where to eat it — in İzmir, timing is half the flavour.
Morning: boyoz and gevrek
Boyoz is a layered pastry inherited from Sephardic cuisine, eaten with a boiled egg and strong tea. Freshness is the whole point: boyoz is properly flaky only in the first hours out of the oven and grows heavy as the day goes on, which is why it is a morning food. Locals call the sesame bread ring gevrek rather than simit, and that is not merely a difference of name — gevrek is thinner, drier and, as the word says, crisp. You will find both at street bakeries and mobile stalls, and the one bought at the bakery is always the better of the two.
Midday: kumru, söğüş and olive-oil dishes
Originally from Çeşme, the kumru and its distinctive bread is İzmir's most famous sandwich, filled with tulum cheese, tomato and cured sausage, and finished by toasting the bread. For bolder palates, söğüş is a genuine local classic. If you would rather keep lunch light, the real treasure is the olive-oil counter in the family-run restaurants: artichoke, green beans, borlotti and whatever Aegean herbs are in season. Herb season is spring — do not expect the same counter in winter.
Evening: İzmir köfte and fish
At dinner, İzmir köfte — meatballs baked in tomato sauce — is the home-cooking classic. On the fish side, the port's influence means the season decides: asking which fish is in season gives a better result than choosing from the menu. If you want to try the meyhane tradition, the mezes are the centre of the table and the evening is long, so plan accordingly.
Sweet: şambali, lokma and ice cream
The semolina dessert şambali and lokma, tied to the tradition of giving, are the sweet face of İzmir's streets; both are eaten standing up and the portions are small, which means they still fit after lunch. The historic dessert shops of Kemeraltı have both. For the full bazaar route, see our Kemeraltı guide.
Eating well in Bornova
The Kazımdirik area around MyMahall Hotel is a university neighbourhood, and that is a concrete advantage at mealtimes: bakeries and cafés are dense, fresh gevrek is a few minutes from the door in the morning, there is no shortage of family-run restaurants at lunch, and prices are measured as they tend to be in a student district. We described the food fabric of the Bornova bazaar in our bazaar guide.
A question of season
İzmir's kitchen is tied to the seasons more tightly than İstanbul's or Ankara's, because herbs and vegetables sit at the centre of the counter. Spring fills it with golden thistle, wild fennel, chicory and artichoke; summer brings green beans, peppers and aubergine to the front; in winter the olive-oil range narrows and gives way to pulses and baked dishes. So the answer to "what should I eat in İzmir" changes month by month — asking what is on the counter in the season you arrive works better than ordering from a list.
A one-day tasting plan
Gevrek and boyoz from a Bornova bakery in the morning, the olive-oil counter at the bazaar for lunch, the metro down to Konak and şambali in Kemeraltı in the afternoon, fish on the Kordon in the evening — four different faces of İzmir's kitchen in a single day, all of it possible on public transport.
Where to stay
Building this plan from Bornova rather than the centre removes the parking and traffic problem. Take a look at our rooms, use the contact page for questions, and call (0232) 461 95 95 to book.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where and when should I eat boyoz?
At street bakeries and mobile stalls, in the morning. It is properly flaky only in the first hours out of the oven and grows heavy later in the day, so do not leave it until the afternoon.
What is the difference between gevrek and simit?
İzmir calls the sesame bread ring gevrek, and the difference is not only in the name: gevrek is thinner, drier and, as the word suggests, crisp.
What is a kumru?
İzmir's most famous sandwich, originally from Çeşme, made with its own distinctive bread and filled with tulum cheese, tomato and cured sausage; the classic version is finished by toasting the bread.
Are there good places to eat in Bornova?
Yes. Kazımdirik, where the hotel is, is a university neighbourhood with a high density of bakeries, cafés and family-run restaurants, and prices are measured compared with the city centre.