Where to eat in Bodrum – a food and dining guide

Bodrum’s dining scene offers a plethora of choice that caters for nearly all food preferences from traditional to international dishes. The traditional Turkish cuisine is exceptional in the region, with travelers able to sample kebabs, traditional mezes and sweet pastries from a huge number of restaurants and stalls along the promenade. A Turkish trip wouldn’t be complete without sampling some delicious Turkish delight at a local café or tavern.

Noteworthy specialties to sample while in Bodrum include Börek, thin layers of dough stuffed with meat or cheese as well as typical Turkish dishes such as Dolma - delicious vine leaves stuffed with rice and/or meat.

 

Bodrum Town

 

Bodrum is a unique town with much appeal as a place where visitors will find themselves entertained 24/7 by its activity and vibrancy. Cafes and restaurants serve a large variety of cosmopolitan ‘international’ fare as well as tasty Turkish kebabs and Chinese, Mexican, Indian or Thai specialties. Many of the restaurants offer tavern style entertainment with live music and belly dancers but there are equally many spots to just sit back, sip your drink and enjoy the breath-taking views of Bodrum Marina. Visit the popular Zazu Restaurant for a great atmosphere and delicious food – the veal tenderloin comes highly recommended.

 

• Zazu Café Restaurant Bar, Neyzen Tevfik Cad. No144/A, Bodrum City. Tel +90 252 313 3645

 

Meyhane

 

A ‘meyhane’ is a traditional Turkish bar or restaurant. In Bodrum’s busy Meyhane Sokak, there are plenty to choose from where you’ll find a lively and buzzing atmosphere every day of the week. The experience of a meyhane is not to be missed as it involves picking from a large selection of hot and cold mezes and then popping to the fish market or butchers next door to select and buy your main course which will then be taken to your chosen restaurant and cooked on the spot for you. Head to Harem Meyhane to try some delicious grilled octopus.

 

• Harem Meyhane, Selehattin engine, Bodrum City. Tel +90 252 313 0128

 

Goltürkbükü

 

This lovely village falls into a small group of quieter resorts that are favoured by the wealthy from Istanbul. Restaurants can be found nestled along the side of the Aegean and this experience is only further enhanced by some of the restaurants actually spilling out onto the water. To accompany your meal, try the light aniseed flavored national drink Raki or locally produced wine. Visit Miam Restaurant for a wide choice of meat and fish, but bear in mind this is a more expensive area.

 

• Miam Restaurant, Menemene Mah. Ataturk Cad. No: 51A, Golturkbuku

 

Gümüşlük

 

A visit to Bodrum wouldn’t be complete without a delicious seafood meal. Arguably, the best place for this is in Gümüşlük, a small seaside village and fishing port located at the tip of the Bodrum Peninsula about 30 minutes drive from the city center. This peaceful village feels worlds away from the hustle and bustle of the well-trodden tourist track in the west of the peninsula. Famed for its seafood, Gümüşlük provides the perfect opportunity to dine right by the water’s edge, sampling fish which you can often choose straight from the fisherman’s crate.

 

• Gumuscafe Fish Restaurant, 1120 sokak, No: 82, Yali Mevkii, Gumusluk 48970. Tel +90 252 394 4234