What to Eat in Balıkesir?

Balıkesir attracts attention not only with its historical riches and beaches, but also with its traditional dishes and geographically indicated flavors. Offering healthy and satisfying flavors, Balıkesir cuisine has a diverse gastronomic heritage bearing the traces of different cultures. Cheeses, lamb, ayran, the famous Balıkesir toast, höşmerim dessert and chickpea bread, which stand out in Balıkesir's world of flavors, offer inviting options to discover this local cuisine. How about starting this unique flavor journey right away?

Akkız

Akkız, also known as Şevketi Bostan, is a flavor that has become increasingly popular in recent years. This herb, which is usually preferred as a side dish instead of a main dish, is enriched with ingredients such as lamb, chicken broth and parsley. Known for its health benefits, Akkız has found a place on tables from past to present, standing out as a nutritious and delicious alternative.

Ayvalık Toast

In Balıkesir, not only traditional home cooking but also street food is quite popular. Ayvalık toast is one of the most prominent snacks consumed on the streets throughout the year. Ayvalık toast, which is as famous as Susurluk toast, offers a unique taste by being prepared with ingredients such as special bread, sausage, kashar cheese or tulum cheese. This toast, which also attracts great attention from foreign tourists, has become popular all over Turkey, beyond the borders of Balıkesir. Ayvalık toast, which is usually made with butcher sausage, leaves an unforgettable mark on the palate with its delicious taste.

Balikesir Ravioli

It is possible to come across different types of manti made in different styles in almost every region of Turkey. However, if you happen to be in Balıkesir, you should not leave without trying the Balıkesir manti, which is unique to this city. The most important feature that distinguishes Balıkesir manti from others is that it is prepared with chickpeas and lamb (sometimes with chicken breast). Enriched with spices and sauces specific to the region, this manti is not only delicious, but also has a very high nutritional value. You should definitely discover this unique manti variety specific to Balıkesir.

Bigadic Casserole

Casserole dishes have always had a special place in Turkish cuisine. When it comes to casserole in Balıkesir, the first thing that comes to mind is Bigadiç casserole. This delicious dish is prepared with ingredients such as lamb and kid meat, lamb fat, tomatoes and peppers. Bigadiç casserole, which is flavored with special spices, takes its name from the Bigadiç district of Balıkesir. If you happen to be in Balıkesir, the best way to taste this traditional dish is to stop by the restaurants in Bigadiç. With its rich aroma and the perfect cooking of the meat, Bigadiç casserole offers an unforgettable gastronomic experience.

Wedding soup

Wedding soup, which is an indispensable part of the table with its delicious and nutritious features, is frequently encountered in Balıkesir cuisine, especially in the winter months. This soup, prepared with beef, stands out with its high nutritional value. In the wedding soup, where the beef is used in pieces, flour and yogurt are also important ingredients. We recommend that you consume it by adding mint, hot sauce and lemon to increase its flavor. This satisfying soup offers a flavor that will warm you up on the cold days of the winter months.

Edremit Meatballs

Every city, even a district, can have its own meatballs and it is possible to find many different types of meatballs in our country. Edremit Meatballs are also among these varieties. Edremit meatballs, which can be served both in bread and as a portion, differentiate their flavor with spices such as baking soda, thyme and red pepper powder. This flavor, which attracts meatball lovers, is sometimes served enriched with various sauces and leaves an unforgettable taste on the palate.

Clove and Chickpea Bread

Balıkesir is famous not only for its toasts but also for its unique bread varieties. Bread with cloves and chickpeas is among the healthiest and most delicious breads in the city. These special breads, made especially by women at weddings, have spread throughout Balıkesir over time. Prepared with the aromatic taste of cloves and the nutritional properties of chickpeas, these breads have become indispensable for local tables and have taken their place among healthy alternatives.

Kekekek

Although Keşkek is a popular flavor all over Anatolia, it also has an important place in Balıkesir cuisine. This laborious dish, which is usually made at weddings, holidays and special celebrations, is still prepared as a traditional wedding meal in the rural areas of Balıkesir. Made with basic ingredients such as chickpeas, wheat and beef, keşkek is flavored with rich spices in the Balıkesir style. Cooked for a long time using traditional methods, this dish is an important cultural heritage that is still kept alive in the villages of Balıkesir.

Curd Dessert

Among the desserts with syrup, lor dessert can be found in many cities of the Aegean Region, but the real home of this dessert is Ayvalık. Brought to Ayvalık by families migrating from Crete in the 1920s, this dessert culture has survived to the present day and has managed to receive a geographical indication. The fact that the lor dessert used is unsalted is an important detail for its flavor. Both the preparation of the dessert and the preparation of its sherbet require expertise. Especially when served with mastic ice cream, lor dessert creates a delightful flavor duo.

Mihaliç Cheese

One of the most famous flavors that comes to mind when Balıkesir is mentioned is cheese. While there are more than 50 types of local cheese in Balıkesir, one of the most prominent among them is Mihaliç cheese, also known as kelle or Manyas cheese. This flavor, which you can consume for breakfast either fried or plain, is unique to Manyas, but can easily be found in many places in Balıkesir. With its hard texture and unique flavor, Mihaliç cheese is one of the favorites of local cheese lovers.

papalina

Papalina is a delicious fish known as the small baby sardine that you can taste in the Ayvalık district of Balıkesir. Papalina, which comes to tables fresh in August, is easily consumed almost like a snack thanks to its thin bones. This fish, served grilled or fried in oil, is one of the indispensable parts of Ayvalık cuisine. Papalina, with its light and crispy texture, offers a flavor that can be enjoyed by the seaside, especially in the summer months.

Eggplant with Cheese

Eggplant with cheese, which has a unique place in Balikesir cuisine, is a flavor that stands out with its healthy and natural ingredients. The combination of Bostan eggplant, olive oil and cheese specific to the region makes this dish unique. You may have tasted eggplant in different recipes, but eggplant with cheese brings a brand new touch to this classic vegetable. This dish, which is especially popular in Manyas, can often be found in tradesmen's restaurants and restaurants serving home cooking in Balikesir. When you try its flavor, it will be etched in your memory as a modern interpretation of traditional cuisine.

Fringed Ravioli

In addition to the classic manti of Balıkesir, we would like to introduce you to a completely different type of manti: Fringed manti. This flavor, usually preferred for dinner, is prepared with boiled chicken and chicken broth. At first glance, Fringed manti may seem more like pasta than manti because it is cut into long strips. However, with its unique form and rich content, it stands out as one of the original flavors of Balıkesir cuisine.

Susurluk Toast

Susurluk toast, one of Turkey’s most iconic flavors, pairs perfectly with the region’s ayran. This toast, which is frequently encountered at stopovers on intercity journeys, takes on a completely different flavor in Susurluk, despite being prepared with practical and simple ingredients. Although Susurluk toast, made with cheese, tomato paste and village bread, is also offered in cafes and buffets in other cities, the unique flavor of Susurluk cannot always be captured. Ready to serve in an average of 5 minutes, this flavor is one of the most famous gastronomic symbols of the region.

Sop

Tirit, which has an important place in Balıkesir cuisine, is actually a Middle Eastern dish. Asia It is known as a dish of origin. It is usually found on tables as a side dish served after the main course, not as a main course. Balıkesir tiridi is prepared with ingredients such as beef, garlic, butter, pita, yoghurt and black pepper. This healthy dish, served with yoghurt or tomato paste sauce, has different characteristics from Konya style tiridi.

The answer to the question of what to eat in Balıkesir begins with a rich and diverse cuisine. Among Balıkesir’s unique dishes, the geographically indicated Mihaliç cheese, delicious Ayvalık toast, Bigadiç stew made with lamb and lor dessert stand out. In addition, local flavors such as tirit and saçaklı mantı offer visitors to the region a unique gastronomic experience. Filled with many flavors from papalina fish to cheese eggplant, Balıkesir cuisine offers many flavors worth discovering.

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