taste

The fact that Balıkesir is located in an important geography for olives, grain and legume production, with coasts to the two different seas and the unique nature of the region are reflected in the city's culinary culture. The development of olive oil production in the Gulf region has made the use of olive oil widespread in meals. 50 different types of local cheese are produced in Balıkesir.

Keşkek, şura, tirit, saçaklı mantı, zerde, höşmerim, Balıkesir kaymaklısı, papalina, Mihaliç cheese (Mihaliç peyniri), Ayvalık olive oil, Susurluk tostu, Ayvalık tostu and börülce ekşilemesi; these are some of the important tastes of Balıkesir cuisine.

Höşmerim Dessert

Höşmerim Dessert is a historically registered geographical indication cheese dessert identified with Balıkesir, whose origins date back to the Central Asian Yörüks (nomads) and is also mentioned in Evliya Çelebi's Seyahatname (Book of Travels). Deriving its name from the Persian words "khosh" (sweet) and "maram" (clotted cream), the greatest secret of this geographically indicated delicacy is the unsalted fresh cheese made from the thickened late-spring milk of sheep fed on medicinal herbs in the pastures.According to its registered recipe handed down from the Ottoman Empire to the present day, this dessert is prepared by continuously stirring and cooking 50% raw milk, 40% sugar, 9% semolina, 0.98% egg yolk, and 0.01% colorant in cauldrons. With its unique slightly sour-sweet aroma and a silky texture that melts in the mouth, Höşmerim is one of Türkiye’s most deep-rooted and authentic culinary heritages.

Tirit

Bread for tirit or yufka is cut into small pieces and placed on a tray. Chicken broth is poured over it. Chicken meat is added. Butter is heated and poured over it. Black pepper is added. The meal is garnished with black pepper and parsley and served.

Zerde

Ingredients: 1 glass of rice, 2.5 glasses of sugar, 50 gr. barberry sugar, 2 tablespoons rose water, 3-5 cloves, half a teaspoon cinnamon.

Preparation: Boil rice with water. After boiling, sugar and rose water are added and cooked. When it is served, it is garnished with barberry sugar and cinnamon.

Susurluk Toast

Susurluk Toast is a registered local delicacy unique to the Susurluk district of Balıkesir, standing out from ordinary toast with its distinctive ingredients and preparation method. The ultimate secret of this toast lies in its special pan bread, produced exclusively in Susurluk using traditional sourdough, combined with quality beef garlic sausage (sucuk) and a special "kelle" (tost) cheese made from cow's milk—which is rich, lightly salted, and aged in cold storage for at least two months. Instead of cheddar or feta, this specific cheese is used because it is kept in brine for 3 to 6 days to prevent it from completely falling apart while melting; the sandwich is then pressed in cast-iron grills and brushed with fat on the outside until perfectly crispy. Especially when paired with a glass of frothy Susurluk ayran, this toast remains one of the region's most iconic gastronomic heritages.

Susurluk Ayran

Susurluk Ayran, identified with the Susurluk district of Balıkesir, is one of the most iconic geographically indicated beverages in Turkish culinary culture, renowned for its thick white foam overflowing from the glass and its slightly sour, creamy flavor. The ultimate secret that sets it apart from ordinary ayran lies in using additive-free yogurt made from the full-fat milk of livestock naturally grazed in local pastures, and aerating it through a mechanical circulation method where it is continuously pumped upward by special machines and poured back into the reservoir from a height. Thanks to this natural aeration process that contains no artificial ingredients, this ice-cold Susurluk Ayran which features a silky foam that does not dissolve for hours, a high fat content, and a light saltiness creates an indispensable flavor duo for road trips and Aegean gastronomy alongside the famous Susurluk toast.

Ayvalık Toast

Ayvalık Toast is one of Türkiye's most popular street foods, unique to the Ayvalık district of Balıkesir, standing out with its rich ingredients and generous size. The most fundamental element that makes it unique is the special Ayvalık toast bread, which—thanks to the chickpea yeast used in its dough—becomes perfectly crispy on the outside while remaining soft on the inside.

Typically prepared with an abundance of ingredients such as sausage, salami, sucuk (garlic sausage) grilled on a cast-iron griddle, melted kashar cheese, Russian salad, and pickles, this hearty toast is one of the most popular and iconic symbols of Aegean gastronomy, especially at the Ayvalık Toast Bakers Bazaar.

Balıkesir Kaymaklısı

Balıkesir Kaymaklısı (Balıkesir Cream Dessert) is one of the city's most distinguished geographically indicated traditional delicacies, deeply identified with Balıkesir as its name suggests. It is prepared by combining pure, dense Balıkesir clotted cream (kaymak)—obtained especially from water buffalo and cow milk—between specially rolled, thin, and crispy pastry layers. With a light syrup poured over it, this geographical indication registered dessert features both a syrupy and a rich milky/creamy texture, maintaining its prominent place in Balıkesir's culinary culture with its light yet incredibly rich flavor.

Ayvalık Lor Tatlısı

Ayvalık Lor Tatlısı (Ayvalık Curd Cheese Dessert) is one of the region's lightest and most authentic geographically indicated traditional delicacies, deeply identified with the Ayvalık district of Balıkesir. The foundation of this special dessert is the completely unsalted, fresh, and full-fat Ayvalık curd cheese, obtained from the milk of livestock grazing in local pastures. Baked either without flour or with a very small amount of flour and semolina, this geographical indication registered delicacy completely absorbs the light syrup poured over it, achieving a silky texture that melts in the mouth. Generally served with water buffalo clotted cream or mastic ice cream on top, it is one of the most distinguished heritages of Aegean culinary culture.

The Balıkesir Breakfast

The Balıkesir Breakfast is a unique culinary experience that brings the rich agricultural, livestock, and olive-growing culture of the city—located at the intersection of the Marmara and Aegean regions—to the table. Gathering the culinary heritage of all districts, this rich table features Manyas' "kelle", İvrindi's basket, and Ayvalık's curd (lor) and goat cheeses. Accompanied by Ayvalık's early harvest extra virgin olive oils and fleshy olives, it offers a natural taste with clotted cream (kaymak), churned butter, and the pine and comb honeys of the Edremit Gulf. Enriched with specially crafted sausages and warm olive oil-sautéed herbs, the table is completed with delicacies like the famous Höşmerim and Ayvalık curd desserts. With this wide range of products, the Balıkesir Breakfast stands out as one of Türkiye’s most deep-rooted breakfast traditions.

The Papalina Fish

The papalina fish, closely identified with Ayvalık, is an endemic local delicacy grown in the clean, plankton-rich waters of the Edremit Gulf, commonly known among locals as a smaller relative of the sardine and belonging to the herring family. Its most defining characteristic is its incredibly thin, almost unnoticeable scales and bones that provide a boneless feel, along with a meat that is much lighter, oilier, and more flavorful compared to anchovies. Generally harvested during the summer months, papalina plays the leading role in Ayvalık's traditional seafood restaurant culture. The most common and preferred preparation method involves cleaning and lightly flouring the fish, then deep-frying them in Ayvalık's award-winning extra virgin olive oil until they are perfectly crispy. Consumed entirely like a crunchy chip—bones, head, and all—and served with a squeeze of fresh lemon, papalina is an indispensable summer classic of Aegean tables. 

The Edremit Gulf Green Scratched Olive

The Edremit Gulf Green Scratched Olive (Edremit Körfezi Yeşil Çizik Zeytini) is a very special, geographically indicated product obtained from the "Edremit" (Ayvalık) olive tree variety grown in the microclimate of the Edremit Gulf, shaped by the rich oxygen and wind currents of Mount Ida (Kazdağları). The most defining characteristic of this olive is that it is carefully hand-harvested in autumn before reaching full maturity while still green, and sweetened traditionally by solely making longitudinal scratches on it. Slow-ripened without any chemical processing by being kept in a natural brine consisting only of water and salt, the green scratched olive fully preserves its fruity aroma and distinctive, slightly tart flavor. With its pit easily separating from the flesh, its thin skin, and its firm yet melting texture, the Edremit Gulf Green Scratched Olive stands out as one of the most distinguished and natural heritages of the region's centuries-old olive-growing culture.

Savaştepe Mihaliç Kelle Cheese

Savaştepe Mihaliç Kelle Cheese is a very special geographically indicated cheese obtained from the milk of sheep and cows naturally grazed in the pastures of Balıkesir's Savaştepe district, reflecting the region's centuries-old dairy tradition. As one of the most qualified examples of the Mihaliç cheese family, this delicacy is produced in large wheels (kelle) using traditional natural rennet and is aged for a long time in salty brine. Thanks to Savaştepe's unique climate and flora, this geographical indication registered cheese possesses a distinctively sharp aroma and a hard texture with rich eyes (holes), preserving its freshness for a long period due to its thick outer rind. Particularly indispensable for famous toasted sandwiches owing to its excellent melting and stretching properties when heated, Savaştepe Mihaliç Kelle Cheese plays a leading role both on breakfast tables and in traditional pastries with its rich flavor profile.

Manyas Kelle Cheese

Manyas Kelle Cheese (Manyas Kelle Peyniri) is a historically registered geographical indication cheese produced from the milk of sheep, goats, and cows fed in the lush and rich pastures around Balıkesir's Manyas district, particularly surrounding Lake Manyas. Standing out as the most authentic representative of the Mihaliç cheese tradition in this region, this delicacy is crafted in large round wheels (kelle) using entirely natural rennet. Its most defining characteristics are its distinctively eyed (holed) structure, light yellow color, unique slightly salty-sharp aroma, and firm texture. Achieving its characteristic flavor by being aged for months in special brine pools prepared with sea salt, this cheese is a sought-after and respected traditional classic of breakfast tables with its intense aroma, in addition to its melting texture that flavors the region's registered toasted sandwiches.

Ayvalık Kelle Cheese

Ayvalık Kelle Cheese (Ayvalık Kelle Peyniri) is one of the strongest representatives of a centuries-old dairy tradition, produced from a blend of milk from sheep, goats, and cows naturally grazed in the pastures of Ayvalık, which possesses the unique microclimate of the Northern Aegean. Pressed into large round wheels (kelle) using traditional natural rennet, this cheese achieves its characteristic structure by being aged for a long period in special brines prepared with sea salt. Standing out with its firm texture, light yellow color, and eyed (holed) structure, Ayvalık Kelle Cheese pairs perfectly with the region's famous extra virgin olive oils and early harvest olives. Adding a unique flavor to the region's famous toasted sandwiches due to its excellent melting and stretching properties when heated, this cheese is a sought-after traditional classic of Aegean charcuterie culture and rich breakfast tables with its intense and sharp aromatic profile.

Ayvalık Mastic Cookie

Ayvalık Mastic Cookie (Ayvalık Sakızlı Kurabiyesi) is a very special, geographically indicated registered delicacy identified with Ayvalık, carrying the deep-rooted culinary culture of the Northern Aegean and the gastronomic heritage of the population exchange period to the present day. The most defining secret of this cookie lies in the quality of the flour used in its dough, its balanced texture combined with the region's award-winning extra virgin olive oil or pure butter, and most importantly, the authentic mastic (mastika) aroma sourced from the opposite shores of the Aegean. Characterized by the unique scent it diffuses while baking, its crumbly texture that melts in the mouth, and the refreshing aftertaste of mastic it leaves on the palate, this traditional delicacy contains no artificial colors or additives. Particularly served alongside olive blossom cologne and a strong Turkish coffee, the Ayvalık Mastic Cookie is one of the most elegant and prestigious sweet heritages, bringing the warmth of stone ovens in the district's historic streets to the tables.

Kirli Hanım Cheese

Kirli Hanım Cheese (Kirli Hanım Peyniri) is a very special traditional delicacy unique to Ayvalık and the Edremit Gulf region, preserving its true identity with its centuries-old history and rising from its ashes just as it was about to be forgotten. Produced entirely from sheep's milk, this special cheese achieved a major international success on the global culinary stage by winning third place in the world at a prestigious competition held in Norway in 2023, which featured 4.502 cheeses from 43 countries. The production process of the cheese relies completely on the rhythm of nature and traditional dairy craftsmanship. Molded in June and July during the peak of sunny days, the cheeses are left outside to dry for periods varying between 10 days and a month. Under the influence of the region's scorching sun and famous northern winds, its outer surface dries and takes on a dark color while its inner part releases its moisture and remains pure white; the name "Kirli Hanım" (Dirty Lady), which gives the cheese its unique character, derives precisely from this natural ripening process. Shrinking, firming up, and gaining a highly intense, rich aromatic profile as it rests under the sun, Kirli Hanım Cheese stands out as one of Türkiye’s most extraordinary culinary heritages, serving as a source of pride with both its deep historical roots and its world-class achievement.