Travel video guide
Ayaküstü Lezzetler in İstanbul: 13 Spots
This guide turns THE BEST OF ANATOLIAN CUISINE 🇹🇷 | 14 Must-Visit Restaurants Across 13 Cities from Ayaküstü Lezzetler into a practical restaurant map with 13 saved spots around Balıkesir Merkez, Bornova, and Düzce. The mapped places include a restaurant stop. Use it to understand the places, dishes, and trip context before saving the map in Varedelo.
What the creator captured
Ayaküstü Lezzetler visited a historic 92-year-old Balkan restaurant in Düzce to feature it in a curated 'best of' guide. The creator was particularly impressed by the traditional grape must (şıra) prepared in oak barrels and the unique Rumeli Kema meat dish. He highlighted the importance of preserving such long-standing family businesses that maintain consistent quality across generations.
What this map is good for
- Planning a restaurant stop or short itinerary in Balıkesir Merkez.
- Comparing food stops from a creator or saved local map before you commit time in the city.
- Saving 13 mapped spots into Varedelo so the list stays usable on the ground.
- Using the original video as context, then turning it into a clean place-by-place map.
Featured spots on this map
- Köfteci İsmail
Restaurant in Arabacıalanı, Çark Cd., 54000 Serdivan/Sakarya, Türkiye, Arabacıalanı, Serdivan, Sakarya, Türkiye
Price level: Medium
Hours: Hours available - Bafra Pide Coskun Kuru
Middle Eastern Restaurant in 19 Mayıs, Sarıkanarya Sokağı No:17, 34742 Kadıköy/İstanbul, Türkiye, 19 Mayıs, Kadıköy, İstanbul, Türkiye
Price level: Medium
Hours: Hours available - Rumeli Kardeşler Sofrası
Restaurant in Gülbahçe, Vardar Cd. No:36, 16240 Osmangazi̇/Bursa, Türkiye, Gülbahçe, Osmangazi̇, Bursa, Türkiye
Price level: Medium
Hours: Hours available - Rumeli Lokantası
Restaurant in Kültür, 792. Sk. No:18, 81600 Düzce, Türkiye, Kültür, Düzce, Türkiye
Hours: Hours available - İzzet Baba
Family Restaurant in Orta, Hasan Tahsin Kırali Cd. No:68, 61600 Sürmene/Trabzon, Türkiye, Orta, Sürmene, Trabzon, Türkiye - Sanayi Köftecisi
Restaurant in Gazibey, 59300 Malkara/Tekirdağ, Türkiye, Gazibey, Malkara, Tekirdağ, Türkiye
Price level: Medium
Hours: Hours available - Ciğerci Mahmut
Restaurant in Reşatbey, Ordu Cd. 36/A, 01120 Seyhan/Adana, Türkiye, Reşatbey, Seyhan, Adana, Türkiye
Price level: Moderate
Hours: Hours available - Ferah Lokantası
Restaurant in Paşa Alanı, Cumhuriyet Cd., 10020 Balıkesir Merkez/Balıkesir, Türkiye, Paşa Alanı, Balıkesir Merkez, Balıkesir, Türkiye
Price level: Medium
Hours: Hours available - Kasap Halil Usta Fırınlı Et Lokantası
Restaurant in Pancarlı, 22024. Sk. No:9, 27060 Şehitkamil/Gaziantep, Türkiye, Pancarlı, Şehitkamil, Gaziantep, Türkiye
Price level: Medium
Hours: Hours available - fevzi babanın yeri
Restaurant in Halkalı Merkez, Mert Sk. No:12, 34303 Küçükçekmece/İstanbul, Türkiye, Halkalı Merkez, Küçükçekmece, İstanbul, Türkiye
Price level: Medium
Hours: Hours available - Paçacı Şemsi Konyaaltı
Soup Restaurant in Atatürk Bulvarı Öğretmen Evleri Mah. No:3 Utku Apartmanı 92/B, Öğretmenevleri, 07070 Konyaaltı/Antalya, Türkiye, Öğretmenevleri, Konyaaltı, Antalya, Türkiye
Price level: Medium
Hours: Hours available - İkizler tandır
Restaurant in Kale, Kazımpaşa Cd. No:5, 55030 İlkadım/Samsun, Türkiye, Kale, İlkadım, Samsun, Türkiye
Price level: Medium
Hours: Hours available - 1 more spots
Open the map in Varedelo to see the full saved list.
Food notes from the video
- Rumeli Kema
- Kuzu Haşlama
- Çoban Kavurma
- Üzüm Şırası
- Düzce Baston Ekmeği
- Tava Ekmeği
Experiences captured
- Visited Rumeli Lokantası in Düzce
- Interviewed fourth-generation owner Burak Abi
- Learned about 92-year-old family restaurant history
- Discussed traditional Balkan fermentation techniques
- Explored local bread varieties and potato-water dough
- Curated a best-of guide for Anatolian flavors
Planning notes for Bornova
Kızılay is a neighborhood located within the Bornova district of İzmir, Turkey. The area is situated on the Bornova Plain at the foot of Mount Yamanlar, approximately 8 kilometers northeast of İzmir's traditional city center. Historical Heritage The history of the Kızılay area is linked to the broader timeline of Bornova, where archaeological evidence from the Yeşilova Höyük indicates human settlement dating back to the Neolithic period, approximately 8.
Must-try foods nearby
- İzmir-Style Kokoreç
A legendary street food staple in Bornova, particularly at the famous Kokoreççi Asım Usta. - Bornova Kumrusu
An iconic İzmir sandwich served in a special chickpea-yeast bread. While the classic cold version features tulum cheese and tomatoes. - Boyoz
The quintessential İzmir breakfast pastry. This flaky, unleavened bread, originally from the Sephardic Jewish tradition, is best enjoyed warm in Bornova's local bakeries. - İzmir Köfte
A comforting traditional dish of oval-shaped meatballs baked with potatoes, green peppers, and tomatoes in a light, savory broth. - Döner (Odun Ateşi)
A local obsession, especially at spots like Dönerci Vedat Usta. This is traditional 'yaprak' döner (thinly sliced steak) cooked slowly over a wood fire.
When to go: The best time to visit Kızılay, Bornova, is during the spring (April to June) or autumn (September to October) when temperatures are mild and pleasant for walking. Summers can be intensely hot with temperatures often exceeding 35°C (95°F).
Local tips
- Use an İzmirim Kart for seamless travel on the metro and ESHOT buses, as cash is not accepted on most public transit.
- Expect a vibrant, student-heavy atmosphere due to the proximity of Ege University, making it a safe and lively area even late at night.
- When dining at local lokantas, it is common to view the daily dishes at the counter and point to what you want rather than ordering from a printed menu.
- Say 'Elinize sağlık' to the cook or server after a meal to show appreciation for their work, a gesture highly valued in Turkish hospitality.
What travelers are noticing
- Romeo and Juliet at Bornova Aşık Veysel Open Air Theater (June 2026)
- Rise of independent art spaces like Bayetav Sanat in the Bornova district
- Expansion of the Izmir Culture and Arts Factory (İCAF) as a regional creative hub
Extra place context
- Zaim Usta
A legendary esnaf lokantası (tradesman restaurant) located in the Çamdibi area of Bornova. It is a local favorite for its traditional slow-cooked dishes like 'acılı güveç' (spicy stew) and 'kuzu gerdan' (lamb neck).
food
Official tourism resource
The official provincial directorate of culture and tourism for Balıkesir, providing information on historical sites, thermal springs, and regional attractions.
Planning questions
Where did Ayaküstü Lezzetler eat in İstanbul?
This guide maps all 13 spots featured in the video, with names, addresses, and neighborhoods, so you can plan where to eat in İstanbul.
What are the must-try foods in İstanbul?
Creator picks from the video include Rumeli Kema, Kuzu Haşlama, Çoban Kavurma, Üzüm Şırası. Open the map in Varedelo to see which spot each one is at.
Can I save these spots to use on my trip?
Yes. Open the map in Varedelo to save every spot, get directions, and revisit the guide from your phone while you travel.
Use it on your trip
Save this restaurant map before you go
Keep the mapped spots, creator context, food notes, and planning details together. Varedelo turns the page into a phone-friendly map you can revisit when you are choosing where to go.