What to Eat in Trabzon?

Trabzon, the pearl of the Black Sea, fascinates its visitors not only with its fascinating nature and historical riches, but also with the unique flavors in its cuisine. In the middle of natural beauties and the wild Black Sea, Trabzon cuisine offers an unforgettable gastronomic experience with the freshness of local products, the simplicity of local recipes and flavors that leave a mark on the palate.

In this blog post, you will discover the legendary food culture of Trabzon and learn the most popular regional flavors. A guide awaits you where you can find every detail from local restaurants where you can take a break while exploring the city to the flavors that can be tasted in the tea gardens along the coast. Let's start this flavor journey from cornbread to kuymak, from stuffed anchovies to laz borek!

What to Eat in Trabzon List

Trabzon is a heaven of tastes that contains all the richness of the Black Sea cuisine. Traditional recipes prepared with natural ingredients meet with flavors that reflect the unique texture of the region. From the freshest anchovies from the sea to the delicious dairy products from the plateaus, Trabzon cuisine offers its visitors a feast.

Under this heading, we have listed the local flavors that you should definitely taste when you come to the city. Get ready to discover these flavors that will both delight your palate and provide an unforgettable gastronomic experience in Trabzon!

Akçaabat Meatballs

This meatball, which is unique to the Akçaabat district of Trabzon, is an indispensable flavor for both locals and visitors. Unlike ordinary meatballs, Akçaabat Meatballs have their own characteristics both in preparation and service.

Features:

• Quality of Meat : Akçaabat Meatballs are prepared only from the meat of animals raised in the region. This meat is an important element that gives the meatballs a unique flavor.
• Ingredients : It is prepared with a simple but effective recipe by mixing minced meat, stale bread crumbs, garlic and salt. No spices are used; the natural taste of the meat is at the forefront.
• Cooking Method : It is usually cooked carefully over a coal fire. While the outside of the meatball is lightly browned, the inside remains juicy and soft.

How to Serve?

Akçaabat Meatballs are usually served with Trabzon bread, piyaz, roasted peppers and tomatoes. Add a glass of ayran and you have a perfect Black Sea dish.

Where to Eat?

If you want to taste this flavor in person, you can visit the restaurants in Akçaabat. The restaurants by the coast offer meatball pleasure accompanied by a sea view. You can also find Akçaabat Meatballs in some local restaurants in Trabzon city center.

Kuymak (Mihlama)

One of the most iconic dishes of the Black Sea cuisine, kuymak is an indispensable taste of breakfast tables, especially in Trabzon and its surrounding areas. Prepared with a combination of butter, corn flour and local cheese, this dish is remembered for both its practicality and unique taste.

Features of Kuymak

• Ingredients : The basic ingredients used in making Kuymak are butter, corn flour and Trabzon cheese (or string cheese). The consistency is adjusted by adding milk or water.
• Taste Secret : The abundant use of butter and the melting and stretching consistency of the cheese determine the unique taste of kuymak. The freshness of the local cheese also distinguishes this dish from its counterparts.

How to Serve?

Kuymak is usually served hot and consumed with fresh bread. Serving it in a traditional copper pan is a detail that completes the flavor.

Where to Eat?

You can find kuymak at almost every breakfast place in Trabzon. You can especially have an authentic kuymak experience at the restaurants on the road to Sumela Monastery or at the local breakfast places in the city center.

Kale Rolls

One of the most popular dishes of the Black Sea cuisine, kale sarma, is one of the unique flavors of Trabzon. Thinly wrapped kale leaves, combined with the spicy and delicious stuffing inside, take the first place on the table. A healthy and filling dish, kale sarma reflects the traditional texture of Trabzon cuisine.

Features of Kale Rolls

• Ingredients : The main ingredient is fresh kale leaves. The filling is usually prepared with rice, onion, tomato paste, olive oil, various spices and optionally ground meat.
• Taste Secret : Softening the kale leaves by boiling them and carefully preparing the filling are the most important details that determine the taste of the sarma.

Where to Eat?

You can find authentic kale sarma in many local restaurants in Trabzon, especially in the highland restaurants. You can also try this flavor in the city center or in restaurants by the seaside.

Anchovy Rice

Anchovy pilaf, one of the most special recipes of anchovy, which has become a symbol of the Black Sea, is one of the most beloved flavors of Trabzon cuisine. This dish, which is formed by combining the unique aroma of anchovy with spicy and abundant pilaf, appeals to both the eye and the palate.

Features of Anchovy Rice

• Ingredients : Anchovies, rice, onion, dill, currants, pine nuts, olive oil and spices are the basic ingredients of this recipe. Using fresh anchovies directly affects the flavor of the dish.
• Taste Secret : The most important feature of this dish is that the anchovies are integrated with the rice and their outer surface becomes crispy after being cooked in the oven.

Where to Eat?

You can find anchovy pilaf in its freshest form in Trabzon's coastal restaurants and restaurants serving local food. Especially the famous fish restaurants of the Black Sea are an ideal choice to taste this flavor.

Surmene (Trabzon) Pita

Surmene pide, unique to the Surmene district of Trabzon, is one of the most famous flavors of the Black Sea cuisine. With its thin and crispy dough, plenty of butter and rich filling, this pide is a must-try for visitors to the region.

Features of Surmene Pita

• Dough : The dough of Sürmene pita is thin and crispy. It gains a unique consistency by being baked in a stone oven over wood fire.
• Ingredients : The filling is usually prepared with minced meat, Trabzon cheese, kashar cheese or eggs. Butter is spread on the pita to maximize the flavor.
• Shape : Sürmene pita has a long and thin structure. The edges are slightly folded upwards to ensure that the ingredients remain on the pita.

How to Serve?

Surmene pita is served hot and is usually served sliced. It is recommended to consume it with ayran or tea. Surmene pita is a meal that is both filling and offers rich flavors specific to the Black Sea region.

Where to Eat?

You can try it in its most authentic form at the pita shops in the Surmene district. It is also possible to find Surmene pita in many restaurants and pita bakeries in the city center of Trabzon.

Hamsiköy Rice Pudding

Hamsiköy rice pudding, named after Hamsiköy in Maçka district of Trabzon, is one of the most famous desserts of the Black Sea region. Prepared with natural ingredients and without any additives, this dessert is made with milk from the fertile plateaus of the region. Prepared with a traditional recipe, Hamsiköy rice pudding offers an unforgettable taste with its thick consistency and slightly burnt surface.

Features of Hamsiköy Rice Pudding

• Ingredients : Fresh milk, rice, sugar and an optional baked or caramelized layer for topping.
• Taste Secret : The milk used in the production of the rice pudding is obtained from cows grazing on the plateaus of Hamsiköy. The natural aroma and consistency of the milk enhances the flavor of the dessert. The slightly burnt layer on top of the baked product gives the dessert an authentic touch.

How to Serve?

Hamsiköy rice pudding is usually served warm or cold. Cinnamon sprinkled on top enhances the flavor of the dessert. In some places, fresh seasonal fruits or walnuts may be served with the rice pudding.

Where to Eat?

It is possible to taste it in its most authentic form in the village restaurants in Hamsiköy. Apart from that, you can also find it in the city center of Trabzon, especially in places that offer local flavors.

Corn Soup

Corn soup, one of the healthy and nutritious flavors of the Black Sea cuisine, is one of the frequently consumed local dishes in Trabzon. Prepared using fresh corn and corn flour grown in the region, this soup reflects the simple but satisfying culinary culture of the Black Sea. It is one of the first choices for those who want to make a warm start, especially on cold winter days.

Features of Corn Soup

• Ingredients : Corn kernels, corn flour, milk, butter, water or broth are the basic ingredients of the soup. Some recipes add variety by adding green beans or beet greens.
• Taste Secret : The natural flavor of the butter and corn used determines the aromatic and slightly sweet flavor of the soup.

How to Serve?

Corn soup is served hot and is recommended to be consumed with Trabzon bread. Its aroma can be enhanced by adding a pinch of chopped dill or black pepper.

Where to Eat?

You can experience an authentic corn soup at the local restaurants of Trabzon, especially along the coast or in the highland restaurants.

Laz Pastry

Laz Boregi, one of the most famous desserts of Trabzon and its surroundings, is one of the traditional flavors of the Black Sea cuisine. This dessert is made with plenty of clotted cream and milk pudding between thin sheets of dough, and is a very rich dessert both visually and in taste. It has an important place in the cuisine of the Laz people of Trabzon in particular.

Characteristics of Laz Pastry

• Dough : Laz pastry is made using yufka or baklava dough. This dough is rolled out thinly and has a crispy top.
• Filling : The filling is prepared with a thick pudding made with milk, flour, starch, sugar and clotted cream. This pudding is the most important part of the dessert.
• Taste Secret : The harmony of the creamy pudding and crispy yufka makes Laz börek unique. Powdered sugar or sherbet sprinkled on top can add extra flavor to the dessert.

How to Serve?

Laz böreği is usually served by slicing it after it has cooled. It is often preferred during tea time or dessert breaks. A glass of Turkish coffee or tea with it doubles the pleasure of this dessert.

Where to Eat?

In Trabzon, you can find fresh and authentic Laz pastry in dessert shops and local restaurants, especially in the city center. Also, many cafes along the coast offer this delicacy.

Roasted Pickles

Roasted pickles, one of the local dishes of Trabzon, is one of the practical and delicious recipes of the Black Sea cuisine. This dish, which takes its place on the tables especially in the winter months, offers a unique flavor with the combination of the sharp taste of the pickle and roasted ingredients. Roasted pickles, which can be consumed as a main course with meat dishes or on its own, is a dish that the people of Trabzon love and prepare frequently.

Characteristics of Roasted Pickles

• Ingredients : Its main ingredients are pickles, onions, olive oil, peppers, tomatoes and spices. While olive oil adds richness to the pickle roast, the acidic structure of the pickle makes the dish very special.
• Taste Secret : Roasting the pickle, which is the main ingredient of the dish, thoroughly first intensifies the flavor. The acidic taste of the pickle combines with the other ingredients to create a different aroma.

How to Serve?

Roasted pickles are usually served hot. It can be consumed with rice or bread. In some places, it is preferred to be served with yoghurt or ayran. It also goes very well with meat dishes.

Where to Eat?

You can find this flavor in local restaurants in Trabzon, especially those serving home cooking. This dish, which is frequently prepared in traditional kitchens in the city center and in highland villages, is a perfect opportunity to discover Trabzon's cuisine.

Slippery

Kaygana is one of the most popular and traditional breakfast dishes of Trabzon. One of the simple but delicious tastes of the Black Sea cuisine, kaygana is a dish frequently consumed especially for breakfast. Essentially a type of omelet, kaygana is flavored with various ingredients and is usually served hot. This dish, which is both nutritious and filling, reflects the breakfast culture of the Black Sea in the best way.

Features of Kaygana

• Ingredients : Kaygana is prepared with basic ingredients such as eggs, flour, water and salt. Some recipes can be diversified by adding cheese, sausage, pastrami, olives or spices.
• Taste Secret : Kaygana's main ingredients are eggs, flour and water, mixed to form a fluid dough. Then, it is cooked in butter to give it a crispy texture.
• Varieties : Kaygana can be made plain or enriched with added ingredients. Kaygana with cheese or kaygana with sucuk are the most popular varieties.

How to Serve?

Kaygana is served as a main course for breakfast or with a glass of tea. It is recommended to serve it hot. Butter or yogurt can also be added on top. In addition, varieties with cheese or sausage can make breakfast tables richer.

Where to Eat?

Kaygana is served fresh and delicious in local breakfast places and village restaurants in Trabzon. Especially in the highland villages of Trabzon, kaygana can be much more delicious when made with fresh milk and butter of that region.