Gastronomic tourism, one of the popular trends of recent years, is perfect for those who love to travel and eat. I will try to point out where to go with gastronomic tourism in Turkey and 9 Outstanding Cities in Turkey for Foodie Travelers.
For gastronomic tourism, we can say to discover alternative places to discover different tastes. It is a kind of travel style that reflects the traditions and cultural values of the region and presents the dishes specific to the region. Gastronomic tourism, with its different cultures, has become the most popular form of travel in recent years.
Let’s look at a few of these regions together;
Gaziantep City Cuisine
Selected as one of the 9 best gastronomy cities in the world by UNESCO, Gaziantep is a veritable city of history and culture, which has hosted many civilizations since prehistoric times, as well as its internationally rich cuisine. The cuisine of Gaziantep, which is described as the “capital of gastronomy”, has a richness worthy of this title.
Gaziantep’s local style of cooking is delicious. Stuffed dried aubergines, fellah meatballs, micırık dish, cauliflower tzatziki are just a few of these delicacies. For dessert, the first thing that comes to mind is carrot slices, şöbiyet, and pistachio wrap. We used delicious pistachios in most of the desserts made in Gaziantep.
Diyarbakir City Cuisine
Diyarbakır, the center of Mesopotamian culture, stands out, especially with its catering culture. There are so many treats in the restaurants here that they will surprise you and give you hard time deciding what to try.
Diyarbakır, the city on the 2021 UNESCO Creative Cities National List, is a place where you can attend events on gastronomy. For example, you can taste regional cuisine products at the Mesopotamia Tourism and Gastronomy Fair. You can feel the gravity of meat recipes and spices in Diyarbakır cuisine. The famous kebab culture of the Middle East makes itself felt here as well. Especially if you like liver kebabs, you can find the best ones here.
Konya City Cuisine
Konya is an ancient city in the heart of Anatolia and has hosted many important civilizations. The region, which bears traces of very rich culture and has been home to a name that left its mark on the history of humanity like Mevlana, is famous for its thousands of years of history and its gastronomic delicacies.
Since Konya is on trade routes, it has always taken something from different cultures. Developing its cuisine in this way, Konya is one of the most important gastronomy stops in Turkey. The city, which has a very rich food culture, also draws attention to its cooking techniques and presentation styles.
Adana City Cuisine
This city, which carries traces of different cultures, has a wide culinary culture. The first thing that comes to mind is, of course, Adana-style kebab. It is possible to come across a kebab shop every step of the way while walking around the streets of Adana. Meat is consumed so much here that it is not possible to find a place to eat skewered liver even for breakfast. For those who want to cool off from the heat of Adana, bici bici dessert, which is served cold, is recommended.
Afyonkarahisar City Cuisine
Afyonkarahisar, the gastronomy city of the Aegean Region, became the last Turkish city to be included in the “creative cities” network in gastronomy by UNESCO in 2019. Afyonkarahisar’s most prominent flavor, which contains delicious dishes, which are known with local names, draws attention to Afyon Sucuk, which is produced on average 20 thousand tons per year. Another well-known flavor of the city is cream.
Hatay City Cuisine
Hatay, which acts as a bridge between the Mediterranean and Southeastern Anatolia and is known as the “City of Civilizations”, is a city that has reflected its multiculturalism to its original cuisine. Hatay, which has hundreds of flavors from appetizers to salads, from local dishes to desserts, has a worldwide reputation in gastronomy.
Hatay city, which has dozens of options for appetizers offers appetizers such as muhammara, hummus, mutabbel, broad bean paste, abagannuş, tebbuli, salty yogurt, and ashur. For dessert, the most popular is, of course, künefe.
Aegean Region Cuisine
The Aegean region, which fascinates everyone with its climate, location, and historical beauties, impresses with its unique culinary culture. When Aegean cuisine is mentioned, olive oil dishes and local herbs come to mind first. Especially by adding spices such as thyme and chili pepper to olive oil, bread is eaten with pleasure.
As for meat, its meatballs are quite famous. In fact, every region such as İzmir, Manisa, Tire, Akhisar, Aydın, has its own special meatballs. Boyoz and dove stand out as street delicacies. As for dessert, donuts, fig dessert, curd dessert, zerde, and şambali are the most popular ones.
Bursa City Cuisine
Bursa, the first capital of the Ottoman Empire and a favorite of cultural trips with its historical and cultural values, takes its place on my list with its delicious dishes. Gastronomic tourism in the city is developing day by day. Therefore, in order to try these unique flavors, countless tourists from all over the country visit Bursa all year round just to eat. This is such a city that it appeals to both the eyes and the stomach.
Iskender, cantık, pita meatballs, tahini pita, İnegöl meatballs, Elbasan pan, Muradiye soup, sheet pan, candied chestnut, Kemalpaşa dessert, milk halva, and walnut Turkish delight are among the flavors that you should definitely eat in Bursa.
Black Sea Region Cuisine
It is a cuisine that gives the right to gastronomic tourism. Because of its different climate, this region is home to fish such as anchovy, bluefish, and bonito. Rich butter and cheese options add a distinct flavor to breakfasts. Muhlama made with cornflour, kaygana, natural eggs, honeycomb honey are among the indispensable tastes of breakfast tables.
Get Your Foodie Tour Guide in Turkey
Food always has been an important part of an excellent travel experience in Turkey. I love to eat local delicacies in little restaurants and take my guests into these not so tourist restaurants. Contact me to learn what to eat and where to eat while traveling in Turkey. Also, write to me to hire a local Turkish foodie tour guide who is experienced in gastronomical tours in Turkey. See you soon, Hasan Gülday.
BONUS CONTENT! 😊
Nobody can skip Nusret Gökçe who is known as ”Salt Bae” internationally when it comes to speaking about being a foodie in Turkey! Here is the link to the famous chef’s Instagram page. You can stop by any of his restaurants to try some famous Turkish meat dishes.
