What should I eat first in Trabzon?

Akçaabat köfte, a Black Sea fish plate and a kuymak breakfast cover the three main local traditions.

When is hamsi season?

Anchovy is a cold-season fish and is most associated with the late autumn and winter months.

Are vegetarian options available?

Yes — mezes, cornbread, cheese-based dishes like kuymak, soups and salads are widely available, though menus are meat and fish heavy.

Restaurants

Black Sea cooking is its own world: kuymak, hamsi, Akçaabat köfte and endless tea. Here is where to eat it properly.

6 places

Black Sea seafood

Hamsi in winter, fresh catch year round, best near the coast and harbours.

Akçaabat köfte

Charcoal-grilled meatballs served with piyaz — a local staple, not a tourist gimmick.

Highland breakfast

Kuymak, honey, village butter and tea, usually best mid-morning on a terrace.

All areas Trabzon Center Uzungöl Akçaabat Maçka Yomra Sürmene Çaykara Family friendly

Featured

Kalender Restaurant

4.6

Classic Trabzon cooking in a stone house near the old town.

Trabzon Center₺₺Verified

Featured

Akçaabat Köfte Evi

4.7

The köfte that made the district famous, grilled over charcoal.

Akçaabat₺₺Verified

Boztepe Tea Garden

4.5

Tea and a full view over the city and the sea from the Boztepe hill.

Trabzon Center₺Verified

Uzungöl Alabalık Evi

4.3

Fresh trout served on a wooden terrace over the stream.

Uzungöl₺₺Verified

Bordo Mavi Balık

4.4

A harbour fish restaurant where hamsi is the whole point in winter.

Trabzon Center₺₺₺Verified

Sürmene Sahil Restaurant

4.2

A coastal kitchen east of the city with home-style Black Sea dishes.

Sürmene₺₺Verified

Trabzon's food map follows the geography. Along the coast and around the harbours the menus are fish-led, and in winter hamsi appears in everything from the grill to cornbread. In the centre you'll find kebab houses, soup shops and long-running köfte grills, while Akçaabat is the reference point for charcoal köfte.

Head uphill and the food changes again: kuymak, village butter, honey and dark cornbread on highland terraces, usually served slowly and best treated as a late breakfast rather than a quick stop. Trout is the standard around Uzungöl and the mountain valleys. Portions are generous, tea comes constantly, and most local places are busiest right after Friday prayers and on Sunday afternoons.

Frequently asked

What should I eat first in Trabzon?: Akçaabat köfte, a Black Sea fish plate and a kuymak breakfast cover the three main local traditions.
When is hamsi season?: Anchovy is a cold-season fish and is most associated with the late autumn and winter months.
Are vegetarian options available?: Yes — mezes, cornbread, cheese-based dishes like kuymak, soups and salads are widely available, though menus are meat and fish heavy.

Need help planning your trip to Trabzon?

Tell us your dates and we will come back with hotel, transport and tour suggestions.

+90 530 688 7555