In Kusadasi the table centres on fresh fish and seafood: fish chosen at the counter, grilled octopus, calamari and shrimp. Aegean meze join them — samphire, wild radish greens, olive-oil dishes and Cretan dip. Local specialities also include Aydın figs and the çöp şiş skewers of the Selçuk area.
What is Kuşadası cuisine based on?
One look at a table laid for a meal answers the question of what to eat in Kuşadası: the sea, olive oil and greens. Kuşadası cuisine lets good ingredients do the talking, not complicated sauces. Fish is simply grilled. Greens meet olive oil and lemon. Mezes change with the seasons.
Kuşadası is one of the coastal districts of Aydın province. With the Aegean in front and olive groves behind, its table draws on both the sea and the land. The ten flavours below are a starter list for first-time visitors. You'll find most of them in a fish restaurant's meze display and at its fish counter; one of them will send you to the market.
From the sea: fish, octopus, calamari and prawns
1. Fresh fish chosen from the counter. In Kuşadası, eating fish properly starts at the counter. Sea bass, sea bream or pandora? You choose with your own eyes. In most places you can also discuss how it will be cooked there and then. On the Aegean, a good fish usually needs nothing more than the grill, a little olive oil and lemon. Choose the size of the fish to suit the number of people at the table; sharing a large fish is also an option. At Şef Restaurant Kuşadası, too, guests choose their fish from the counter; fish are sold at the day's price or per kilo. For the list of species, see the fish menu, and for which fish are at their best in which month, see our seasonal fish guide.
2. Grilled octopus. Octopus features on Aegean tables in almost every season. It's usually cooked until soft first, then given a short spell on the grill, which leaves it lightly smoky outside and tender inside. If you'd like to start with something cold, cold sliced octopus (ahtapot söğüş) is a good choice; for a more filling plate, try octopus with beğendi, a smoky aubergine purée. Grilled and tandır (slow-roasted) octopus are among the hot starters.
3. Calamari and prawns. Good fried calamari has a thin, crisp coating and a tender inside. Stuffed squid and baby calamari bring different textures to the same table. There's plenty of choice with prawns, too: cold boiled prawns if you like them cold, fried prawns or prawn tempura if you prefer them hot, and prawns with beğendi if you want a richer plate.
Aegean mezes: greens, olive oil dishes and dips
4. Samphire (deniz börülcesi). This slender green shoot, which grows in the salt marshes along the coast, is one of the emblems of Aegean meze. It's boiled, pulled off its tough central fibre and served with olive oil, garlic and lemon. Its lightly salty, refreshing taste whets the appetite before the fish. It's usually at its freshest in late spring and the summer months.
5. Radish greens, purslane and mixed greens. On the Aegean, greens are an everyday part of the table. Radish greens (turp otu) are eaten both as a cold salad and sautéed in olive oil. In summer, purslane is paired with yoghurt. Depending on the season, wild greens such as radika (wild chicory), şevketibostan (golden thistle) and arapsaçı (wild fennel) also fill the market stalls. If you'd like something warm to start with, sautéed mixed greens are a good choice.
6. Olive oil dishes (zeytinyağlılar). Artichokes and fresh broad beans cooked in olive oil carry the taste of spring. Stuffed vine leaves are on the table for most of the year, joined in winter by stuffed cabbage leaves. Olive oil dishes are eaten cold or at room temperature, which makes them well suited to long meals full of conversation.
7. Girit ezmesi, fava and haydari. Mention Aegean mezes and this trio springs to mind. Girit ezmesi (Cretan dip) is usually made with white cheese or lor (a fresh curd cheese), walnuts or pistachios and olive oil; there's also a version with basil. Fava is a smooth purée made from dried broad beans. Haydari is made with strained yoghurt, garlic and herbs. For those who like a little heat, acı biber tarator and Antep ezmesi liven up the table too. For the full list, take a look at the mezes section.
Cured fish and the flavours of Aydın
8. Lakerda and çiroz. Salt-cured fish are old friends of the rakı table. Lakerda is made from bonito – palamut or the larger torik – that has been salted and left to rest; it's sliced and eaten with red onion and olive oil. Çiroz is salted and dried mackerel. If you're after something lighter, marinated sea bass and marinated anchovies are also among the marinated dishes.
9. Aydın figs. Aydın, the province Kuşadası belongs to, is one of Türkiye's major fig-growing regions and is also known for its olive oil. Fresh figs usually reach the markets in August and September. Dried figs are available all year round and make a practical gift to take home.
Ending the meal on a sweet note
10. A simple dessert. After fish, simple desserts go down better than heavy ones. Baked rice pudding and kazandibi (a caramelised milk pudding) represent the milky side, candied pumpkin and quince dessert the fruity side. Quince is in season in autumn and winter, and those are the months that suit quince dessert best. For those who love syrup-soaked sweets, kalburabastı and Kemalpaşa are also among the desserts.
What to eat in Kuşadası if you don't eat fish
If someone at the table doesn't eat fish, there's no need to worry. Most Aegean mezes are based on vegetables, greens and yoghurt. Fire-roasted aubergine, courgette fritters (mücver), mushrooms with melted kaşar cheese and grilled village cheese make a satisfying spread. If your travels take you towards Selçuk, you can also try çöp şiş, the little meat skewers closely associated with the area. At Şef Restaurant Kuşadası, meat and chicken dishes are on the menu as options for guests who don't eat fish.
How do you put together an Aegean-style meal?
Once you know what to eat in Kuşadası, it's time to put the meal together. An Aegean meal is never rushed. First come three or four cold mezes, then one or two hot starters, and finally the fish. Alongside the fish, a simple salad such as rocket or shepherd's salad is all you need. Sharing mezes is both more enjoyable and more practical. When choosing your fish, ask at the counter about its weight and price to avoid surprises on the bill. If you'd like to build the meal around rakı, our guide to the rakı and fish table shows you how.
Rated 4.3/5 from 114 reviews on Tripadvisor and holding a Travellers' Choice badge, Şef Restaurant Kuşadası is one of the best fish restaurants in Kuşadası according to guest reviews. You can browse the full menu and book your table on the booking page. If you'd like to start your evening with the sunset, have a look at our sunset guide as well.
