Celebrating Turkish cuisine, this feature has been created by the team at Cesme Marina, near Izmir, to offer insight into the delicacies of Ottoman Cuisine, which can be described as a fusion and refinement of Central Asian, Middle Eastern, Eastern European and Balkan cuisines.
Turkish cuisine has influenced those and other neighbouring cuisines, including those of Southeast Europe (Balkans), Central Europe, and Western Europe. The Ottomans fused various culinary traditions of their realm with influences from Levantine cuisines, along with traditional Turkic elements from Central Asia (such as yogurt and mantı), creating a vast array of specialities.
Here is a list of TOP 10 favourite dishes available at the award-winning Cesme Marina, Turkey:
1. Traditional Food: KUMRU – Kumrucu Hüseyin/Çeşme Marina
A traditional pastry in the shape of a Dove gets grilled, buttered up and gets stuffed with your choice of cheese, sucuk, tomatoes and salami. Served with a side of crunchy cucumber and pepper pickles.
Kumru can be eaten by people who want to begin the day with a satisfying breakfast, who want to eat something quick for lunch, who always want to have something on their five o’clock tea table, and at night…
2. Sea Food/Fish Restaurant – Ferdi Baba/Çeşme Marina
Rich sea food by the experienced, educated and elegant team of our Port Restaurant that is situated in Çesme Marina you can view sunset of our lovely town Çeşme. In the Ferdi Baba restaurant, fish have a taste of sea, salads and hors d’oeuvres are extremely delicious and fresh; the guests raise their glasses in the most limpid of blue tones as well as chatting peacefully.
3. Döner Kebab and Turkish Cuisine Restaurant - Tokmak Hasan/Çeşme
Tokmak Hasan Restaurant has an historical value by now. As you enter to the restaurant a wide variety of traditional Turkish foods are displayed. Beans over Rice, Fried Eggplant & Green Pepper with yogurt, stuffed eggplant and green pepper, mashed potatoes, Aegean specialities in olive oil like okra, green bean, artichoke and many other varieties are delicious. Also Doner kebab, which is filet of meat stacked on a vertical spit and roasted at a vertical grill, is the most wanted steak food in the menu.
4. Olive Oil Dish – Asma Yaprağı/Alaçatı
Asma Yaprağı in Alacati, is truly a hidden gem in Alaçati’s side streets. The mezes, small appetisers and olive oil dishes are delicious. Also slow cooked lamb with rosemary & meatballs in cinnamon yogurt sauce is the special of the restaurant.
5. Pizza – Baba Pizza/Çeşme Marina
Baba Pizza, with its rich menu and unique taste, offers you real Italian pizza… You can eat your delicious pizza at the unique view of Cesme Marina.
6. Baklava - Traditional Dessert – Mado/Çeşme Marina
Turkish traditional dessert “Baklava” and Maraş ice-cream are the products come to mind about MADO. The most popular baklava is made of pistachio and it is delicious. Also Mado offers many ice-cream varieties. MADO’s current product range covers not only baklava and ice-cream but also breakfast meals, local dinner meals, various desserts ranging from local desserts to worldwide known ones like tiramisu, profiterole, and cheesecake.
7. Ice Cream – Dondurmino Gelato/Alaçatı
Dondurmino’s flavours, taste and concept brought it a reputation which exceeded the borders of the country in a very short time. Fresh and natural ingredients are produced daily into gelato with passion and love. About 20 different flavours made by mastic, lemon, mulberry, pumpkin, peanut butter, bitter chocolate, caramel, biscuit…
8. Breakfast – Tuzu Biberi/Çeşme Marina
Tuzu Biberi is a restaurant chain in Izmir. The menu based on delicious Turkish breakfast. Especially “Serpme kahvaltı”, “mıhlama”, “menemen” and “atom” are the most famous dishes in the menu.
9. Street Food / Fritto – Cesme Marina Yacht Club
Fritto is located within the Marina Yacht Club in Cesme Marina where you could spend a nice evening with wonderful views accompanied by live music. Its menu consists of seafood as well as meat-chicken wraps, fries, hot dog and semolina dessert with ice cream are also available.
10. Desserts made of Mastic – İmren / Çeşme-Alaçatı
This is the best place to eat deserts made of “mastic”. İmren was being in service since 1941 in Alaçatı. It is also a local bakery where you can find several different desserts accompanied by Turkish Coffee. The favourite dessert is “sakızlı muhallebi” a Turkish type of pudding with gum flavour from Mastic.
Are you ready to explore the area? Read all about beautiful Çeşme in Turkey.
To enjoy all of these culinary delights, click here to book a berth at Cesme Marina.