İzmir has street food of its own, boyoz and kumru, plus Aegean fish and meyhanes with live music. My saved list had no food or bars at all, so all of these come recommended by travel guides: 34travel, the Michelin Guide's İzmir food story and local food guides. I checked every one on Google: still open, rated 4.2 or higher, with more than a hundred reviews. Later I added two more on the advice of the local guide Mes Prestiges: Ayşa in Kemeraltı and Sakız on the Kordon. All descriptions are put together from Google Maps reviews; I have no notes of my own yet. Cafés and bars have their own article.
Prices are Google's average spend per person; valid as of 7 October 2026. Rate: 100 ₺ ≈ $2.
In short
- An İzmir breakfast: boyoz with egg at Alsancak Dostlar Fırını and kumru with gevrek at Zeynel Ergin, both bakeries in Alsancak, open from 6:30.
- The most local dish: söğüş at Söğüşçü Cimbom in Kemeraltı, for the adventurous.
- Fish: cheap at Kemer 6 opposite Kızlarağası Hanı; with sea views and meze at Birinci Kordon Balık and Sakız on the Kordon.
- Lunch in the bazaar: a Turkish-Bosnian buffet at Ayşa inside Kemeraltı.
- Sweets: şambali with kaymak at Hisarönü Şambalicisi and cakes at Sevinç, open until midnight.
- A night with music: Endülüs meyhane in Alsancak, meze, rakı and live singers.
Where to eat
Zeynel Ergin Gevrek Fırını
Alsancak · bakery, kumru and boyoz · 200–400 ₺ (≈$4–8) · daily 6:30–19:00
Google Maps · website · 1466. Sk. 2
According to Google Maps reviews (4.6 from 7,400+): an old wood-oven bakery opposite the French St. Joseph school, run by Zeynel Ergin's family since the 1960s. Reviewers praise the crisp gevrek (İzmir's simit) with butter or cheese, hot kumru, and boyoz filled with aubergine, spinach, or leek with tulum cheese. You can sit outside on stools, the local way, or in the newer café on the corner with spotless toilets. Expect a queue in the morning.
Alsancak Dostlar Fırını
Alsancak · bakery, boyoz · 200–400 ₺ (≈$4–8) · daily 6:30–21:00
Google Maps · website · Kıbrıs Şehitleri Cd. 120
According to Google Maps reviews (4.5 from 12,500+): the go-to place for boyoz, the flaky pastry Sephardic Jews brought to İzmir. There are dozens of fillings: spinach, tahini, mozzarella, labneh, vegetables, and above all artichoke. The classic order is boyoz with a hard-boiled egg, olives and cheese; you can also try sübye, a melon-seed drink. The queue outside is long but moves fast; one guest didn't think the boyoz was the best in town.
Söğüşçü Cimbom
Kemeraltı · söğüş and breakfast · 200–400 ₺ (≈$4–8) · Mon–Fri 9:30–19:00, Sat to 19:30, closed Sun
Google Maps · 855. Sk. 17/A
According to Google Maps reviews (4.3 from 1,100+): a family place making söğüş, cold boiled lamb's head (cheek, tongue and brain), sliced thin and wrapped in flatbread. Many call it the best söğüş in İzmir; the meat has no gamey smell, and you can ask for extra brain. The crowd is mostly local and few staff speak English, but they happily explain how it's eaten. Breakfast is served too.
Kemer 6 Balık Restaurant
Kemeraltı · fish and seafood · 400–600 ₺ (≈$8–12) · Mon–Fri 10:00–20:00, Sat to 19:00, closed Sun
Google Maps · 861. Sk. 16
According to Google Maps reviews (4.3 from 1,000+): a fish restaurant opposite Kızlarağası Hanı that locals use. Reviewers praise the hot stuffed mussels, fish soup, fish fillet and fish sandwich; staff are friendly and some speak English. Food guides say it serves no alcohol. Downsides: busy at lunch, and one guest found the fish not fresh, liking the signature plate more than the regular fish dishes.
Ayşa
Kemeraltı · Bosnian and Turkish home cooking · 400–600 ₺ (≈$8–12) · Mon–Sat 9:00–18:00, closed Sun
Google Maps · Anafartalar Cd. 228, Abacıoğlu Hanı
According to Google Maps reviews (4.5 from 1,000+): a family lokanta in the courtyard of an old han in the middle of Kemeraltı, also known as Ayşa Boşnak Börekçisi. You pick from the counter: Turkish and Bosnian dishes from the recipes of a family that came from the Balkans long ago, with lots of vegetables, so vegetarians do well; the desserts get praise too, especially the tres leches. Portions are small, so everything stays fresh, and prices are very fair. Downside: busy at lunch, though the line moves fast. Mes Prestiges recommends it too.
Balmumu Dükkan Lokanta
Alsancak · Aegean lokanta · 600–1,400 ₺ (≈$12–29) · Mon–Fri 12:00–20:00, Sat to 19:30, closed Sun
Google Maps · Instagram · 1388. Sk. 5
According to Google Maps reviews (4.2 from 900+): a modern lokanta with seasonal Aegean food; you pick your dishes at the counter. Olive-oil dishes, spinach with lamb and the green plate get the most praise, with bread, olive oil and aged cheese on the side. Guests mention recognition from Michelin and Gault & Millau. Downside: one visitor found it decent but nothing to rave about. It closes in the early evening, so it's a lunch place.
Birinci Kordon Balık Restoran
Kordon · seafood restaurant · 2,000 ₺+ (≈$41+) · daily 12:00–22:30
Google Maps · website · Atatürk Cd. 196/A
According to Google Maps reviews (4.3 from 900+): a long-running fish restaurant on the Kordon seafront with a big display of fresh fish. Reviewers praise the fish meze, fish soup, grilled sea bass and bream, and calamari done two ways; the waiters help you choose and suggest what goes with what. Downsides: pricey, and the bar next door can be very loud.
Sakız Alsancak
Kordon · fish and Aegean food · daily 11:00–23:30, Sun from 12:00
Google Maps · website · Atatürk Cd. 158/A
According to Google Maps reviews (4.5 from 1,500+): a seafood restaurant on the Kordon with an open kitchen where you can watch your food being cooked. Reviewers praise the grilled sea bass and octopus, octopus with aubergine, the paella, fava purée, seasonal salads and local wine, and, surprisingly, the grilled chicken. Downsides: hardly any desserts, and one review describes the wrong dish arriving and extras on the bill, so check it. Mes Prestiges recommends it too.
Coffee, sweets and a meyhane
Kırkmerdiven
Karataş · café in an old house · 200–400 ₺ (≈$4–8) · daily 10:00–23:30
Google Maps · 305. Sk. 59/A
According to Google Maps reviews (4.3 from 800+): a café in a restored house at the top of the Kırk Merdiven stairs in Karataş, a short walk from the Tarihi Asansör. Cosy interior, good music, street tables and a black cat; oat and almond milk are available, and the cappuccino and cakes get praise. It's self-service. Downsides: a bit pricey, and not everyone liked the coffee.
Sevinç Pastanesi
Alsancak · patisserie and breakfast · daily 7:00–0:00
Google Maps · website · Ali Çetinkaya Blv 27
According to Google Maps reviews (4.3 from 7,000+): one of İzmir's best-known patisseries, with an old-school pastane feel. Reviewers praise the meze breakfast with fresh orange juice, the San Sebastián cheesecake, the chocolate mousse cake and the tea; it's open until midnight, handy for dessert after dinner. Downside: one review reports food poisoning after börek.
Meşhur Hisarönü Şambalicisi
Kemeraltı · traditional desserts · up to 200 ₺ (≈$4) · daily 9:00–22:00
Google Maps · website · 901. Sk. 13/A
According to Google Maps reviews (4.3 from 2,700+): a sweet shop in Hisarönü making şambali, semolina cake in syrup, since 1942, served here with kaymak. A good stop while exploring Kemeraltı; the ice cream gets surprising praise too, and many call it great value. Downsides: one guest found the şambali stale, another was pushed to order the set with coffee.
Endülüs Meyhane
Alsancak · meyhane with live music · 2,000 ₺+ (≈$41+) · usually 17:00–1:30, Sun to 0:00 (Google's hours are muddled, check first)
Google Maps · 1435. Sk. 4/A
According to Google Maps reviews (4.4 from 600+): a classic meyhane running since the late 1990s: meze, hot starters, fish and köfte to live music, sometimes with two singers. Made for a loud night with a big group; attentive staff. Downsides: the room is small, so you sit elbow to elbow with little space to dance, and reviewers say the crowd skews older. This is not a new-wave meyhane.
One last thing
İzmir's day starts early and with pastry: boyoz and kumru in Alsancak are best before nine, while they're hot. On Sundays Söğüşçü Cimbom, Kemer 6, Ayşa and Balmumu are closed, which leaves the bakeries, Sevinç and fish on the Kordon.
More on İzmir: what to see, cafés and bars.