A Three-Day Taste Route: Discover Turkaegean Vegan Cuisine

The Aegean coast hides fragrant and delicious flavours behind its fertile green lands and crystal-clear waters. Each corner of the Aegean is embellished with health-giving vegetables, fruits, herbs, and foliage. With one of the richest plant-based food cultures, Turkaegean cuisine offers new flavours for vegans and vegetarians.

Through this three-day route for tasting vegan and vegetarian Turkaegean cuisine, you can explore a variety of delicacies from this authentic food culture:

8 Points

720 km

10 h

Route points

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On the first day, our destination will be Ayvalık, a beautiful coastal town in Balıkesir. The district is a key centre for olive oil, one of the essential ingredients in the Aegean vegan and vegetarian cuisine. Visitors can sample the natural and delicious olive oils produced by local villagers. They can also explore olive oil-based vegetable dishes, herb dishes, and mezes. Ayvalık is an ideal destination for vegans and vegetarians looking to explore authentic local flavours.

On a day in Ayvalık, you can start by wandering through the old Ayvalık houses and going to Cunda Island. The island has many stylish and renowned restaurants where you can taste unique and local dishes. An evening at Şeytan Sofrası (Devil’s Feast) in Sarımsaklı will become an unforgettable memory, with its breathtaking sunset view. Before leaving Ayvalık, visit the local olive oil shops and try the high-quality, natural olive oils and various olive products.

For more about the importance of olives and olive oil in Turkaegean cuisine: Turkish Olives and Olive Oils.

İzmir is another remarkable destination for vegans and vegetarians, offering a wide variety of plant-based food options. The city can be considered the centre of Turkaegean cuisine due to its location and rich agricultural products.

Vegetables braised in olive oil, mezes or herb-based dishes create a variety of food for vegetarians. İzmir's local cheeses, such as İzmir tulumu or lor cheese, and yoghurt-based dishes, are excellent options to enrich any meal.

At the Alaçatı Herb Festival held in İzmir at the beginning of April, local people from the nearby villages promote the various wild herbs and their products. Renowned chefs and gourmets also attend this festival to enlighten people interested in these herbs and their usage.

Urla is also worth adding to your route: the Urla Wine Route pairs vineyard visits and tastings with seasonal, farm-to-table Aegean plates, while the Urla Artichoke Festival celebrates the region’s iconic enginar through local producers’ stalls, creative cooking demos, and plenty of olive-oil dishes built around fresh spring produce.

While in İzmir, experience the vibrant festival atmosphere and savour the various dishes made with local wild herbs. The green-coloured world of wild herbs in İzmir opens new doors for vegans and vegetarians with fresh and authentic delicacies.

Muğla, one of the most beautiful cities on the Aegean coast, is the last destination of the three-day route to discover local vegan and vegetarian flavours. Standing out with its mezes and herb-based dishes, the city showcases the authentic aspects of Turkaegean cuisine through the rich wild herb fauna and plant diversity grown in its fertile soils.

Yeşilüzümlü Dastar and Morel Mushroom Festival, held in April, makes the city highly attractive for vegans and vegetarians. Since mushrooms are one of the most used plants in vegan and vegetarian diets, the festival is an excellent stop for discovering new flavours and tasting plant-based dishes.

Local people promote the mushroom species growing in this area and the various products made from them. Visitors can try mushroom species and dishes, including the rare and precious morel mushroom. After enjoying the festival’s many activities, you can head to Ölüdeniz, located near the festival village, and relax in its calm, cool waters.