Documenting places through food, neighborhoods, and daily life
Let’s get one thing straight — you don’t come to Trabzon and eat bland food. You come for butter-drenched kuymak, for smoky Black Sea anchovies (hamsi), and for that wild mix of mountain air and sea salt that somehow makes everything taste better. This city is equal parts port town and highland retreat, and its cuisine reflects that: earthy, hearty, and unapologetically local.
In this guide, we’re diving into where to eat in Trabzon— from traditional lokantas serving comfort food to cliffside fish restaurants where the Black Sea practically sits at your table. We’ll show you what to order, what not to miss, and where locals actually go.
Planning More Around Trabzon?
Trabzon is not the place where we politely eat one meal and move on. Absolutely not. We come for kuymak, hamsi, Black Sea breakfasts, buttery rice, tea, hazelnuts, mountain air, and that dangerous little thought: “Maybe we should stay another day.” Use these guides to turn your Trabzon food hunt into a fuller Black Sea and Turkey adventure.
- Places to Visit in Trabzon — the best next click if you want Sumela Monastery, Uzungöl, Boztepe, Çal Cave, Atatürk Mansion, and misty Black Sea views between meals.
- Where To Stay In Trabzon – best areas & perfect hotel picks
- Best Restaurants in Turkey — useful if Trabzon has made you hungry for more local food stops across the country.
- Top Sights in Turkey — handy for pairing Trabzon’s food scene with major landmarks, natural wonders, and cultural stops across Turkey.
- Most Beautiful Cities in Turkey — perfect if Trabzon’s mountain-and-sea drama has you wondering which Turkish city should come next.
- Best Places to Visit in Turkey with Kids — helpful if you’re planning a family trip and want easy, scenic, child-friendly stops around Turkey.
- Best Things to Buy in Turkey — ideal for Black Sea tea, hazelnuts, local sweets, textiles, and souvenirs that feel less “airport panic” and more “excellent decision.”
- Historical Cities in Turkey — great if you want to connect Trabzon’s monasteries, museums, and old-world atmosphere with other history-rich Turkish cities.
- Best Turkey Bicycle Routes — useful if all that Black Sea scenery has you considering a more active route between mountains, coast, and tea country.
- Famous Architecture in Turkey — for mosques, monasteries, palaces, ancient ruins, and the kind of buildings that make “quick sightseeing” completely unrealistic.
Table of Contents
Where to eat in Trabzon: Best Classic Restaurants
Historical Kalkanoğlu Pilaf Restaurant, Center
Trabzon’s most iconic pilaf stop – the one everyone tells you about. They even weigh the pilaf in grams before serving so no one can say “you got more than me.” Their kavurma pilaf is the star of the show, but the buttery white beans are just as talked about. Add an Ottoman compote and you’ve got the full old-school combo. They’ve opened in Istanbul too – in Beyoğlu and on Halitağa Street in Kadıköy – but the mother ship is here. The kavurma pilaf, the beans, the pickles, the ayran… all spot on. Note: they don’t serve pilaf after 17:00, so don’t show up late and cry about it.
- Website
- Address: Pazarkapı, Tophane Mosque Sk. No:3, 61200 Merkez/Ortahisar/Trabzon
- Click for location
Concrete Halva, Center
“Concrete” halva is Trabzon’s very own tahini halva – dense, rich, and slightly addictive. Mustafa Özbak’s shop is the one that made it famous. Go for the halva, stay for the wafer sandwich with ice cream. The ice cream is made with Hamsiköy milk and salep, so it actually tastes of something. There are two flavors; we went classic and didn’t regret it.
- Website
- Address: Gazipaşa, No:A, Uzun Sk. No:13, 61000 Ortahisar/Trabzon Merkez
- Click for location .
Komaroğlu, Akcaabat
It looks like a modest neighborhood joint – and it is – but in Akçaabat this is the spot for meatballs. Juicy, well-seasoned, no fuss. If you want a fancier sit-down, there are other places in town, but if you want the “locals actually eat here” version, this is the one.
- Website
- Address: Dürbinar, Orta Cad No:9, 61300 Akçaabat/Trabzon
- Click for the location .
Kalender Restaurant, Center
A warm, family-run place serving home-style dishes at fair prices – the kind of spot Trabzon does really well. Good for vegetarians too. Go early if you want full variety, because like in most Turkish esnaf lokantası, things run out towards the evening. You can make your own plate by choosing from the trays. Portions come as “mixed” or “light mixed,” which is great if you want to taste around.
- Address: Cumhuriyet Neighborhood, across from Inci Color, Zeytinlik St. No:14, 61030 Ortahisar .
- Click for location .
Trabzon Pide Restaurants
Bozo Pide, Surmene
The legend of Sürmene. They make big, generous pides and they do them right. The half-minced-meat, half-cheese version is the local favorite, and the one with Kolot cheese is also excellent. It’s right on the route from Trabzon center to Uzungöl, so it’s an easy foodie stop.
Pekunlu Pide, Center
A central option for tasting the classic Sürmene-style pide without leaving town. Order the round pide with minced meat and egg – it’s the thing to get here.
Terminal Bakery, Center
One of Trabzon’s most popular pide addresses. The dough is thin and crisp, the fillings are generous, and it’s the kind of place where you accidentally eat more than planned. Ask for their yağlama – a round pita with egg and butter – it’s very Black Sea. Go for lunch if you can; by evening, the dough may run out.
Where to eat in Trabzon: Trabzon Fishermen
Maroon Blue Fish, Center
A polished fish restaurant where you can eat everything on the menu without second-guessing. It’s one of the city’s most followed spots on Instagram, and not by accident. Before the fish comes out, they spoil you with Black Sea-style cabbage rolls, boiled potatoes, and pickles. Then the fish arrives and you realize why everyone recommends it.
Trabzon Balikcim, Yomra
They do fish every way: grilled, steamed, skewered. Add fish soup, salads, and when it’s in season, pumpkin dessert. You can also buy fresh fish to take home or get it delivered. Try the gargan and the crunchy anchovies.
- Website
- Address: Kaşüstü, next to Kilpa Market, Kaşüstü Neighborhood, Okullar Street, Hospital Road, No:6, 61250 Yomra
- Click for location .
Kaan Olta Balik, Akcaabat
Open all year, but in summer this place with its garden is just perfect for a fish meal. It gets busy – which is always a good sign. Their focus is fish and they’re good at it.
- Website
- Address: Yıldızlı Mahallesi, Seragölü Cad. No:21/1, 61310 Akçaabat/Trabzon
- Click for location .
Lazvegaz Restaurant, Akcaabat
A newer, more modern fish place in Akçaabat. Known not only for its seafood but also for its big mixed breakfasts. Plus, it has a sea view, so it’s great for guests.
- Website
- Address: Yıldızlı Neighborhood, Yıldızlı Center, Küme Evleri No: 30 (Seragölü Street), Akçaabat
- Click for location .
Best Trabzon Meatball Restaurants (Akçaabat Meatballs)
Kamiloğlu Meatballs, Center
Kamiloğlu Köfte, the one “under the stairs” near the market square, is our go-to meatball place in the city center. You can even buy the meatballs by the kilo. Their menu also has piyaz and Hamsiköy rice pudding, so you can do the full Turkish meal arc. Open every day.
- Click for the location .
Cemil Usta, Center
A well-known meatball chain – their köfte is very good, but everyone talks about the complimentary hazelnut baklava just as much. There are several branches, but we’re pointing you to the one on the main square.
- Website
- Address: İskenderpaşa, Belediye Caddesi, Atatürk Alanı No:6, 61100 Merkez/Ortahisar
- Click for location .
Osman Usta’s Place, Hamsiköy
Osman Usta is famous for rice pudding, so we stopped for dessert… and then the smell of grilled meatballs hit us. We ordered one to taste and immediately ordered more. So come for the sütlaç, but don’t skip the köfte. And definitely finish with the rice pudding.
- Click for the location .
Best Trabzon Meat Restaurants
Osman Hoca’s Place, Zigana
Maybe it’s the mountain air, maybe it’s the pasture the animals graze on – whatever it is, the meat in Zigana tastes better. Osman Hoca’s Place is the classic stop here: casual, real, no pretension. Meatballs are good, lamb chops are even better. And the price-to-happiness ratio is high.
- Website
- Address: Zigana Tunnel, 29800 Zigana/Torul/Gümüşhane
- Click for the location .
Menzil Butcher, Center
Despite the name, it’s not just a butcher – it works like a self-service grill place. Very popular among locals. If you go, they insist you try the soda too.
- Address: Sanayi, Erzurum Yolu, 61100 Trabzon Merkez/Trabzon
- Click for location .
Devran Restaurant, Araklı
A classic Araklı lokanta where you can start the day with sulu yemek-style dishes, including boiled meats. They also do good döner. Ambience isn’t the point here; filling up well is.
- Website
- Address: Merkez, Yılmaz Cebi St. No:27, 61700 Araklı/Trabzon
- Click for location .
Izzet-i Ikram, Sürmene
A no-frills local restaurant in Sürmene, famous for its spicy boiled meat. The stews are also strong. Not much in terms of decor, but flavor-wise it delivers.
- Website
- Address: Soğuksu, Hükümet St. No:25, 61600 Sürmene/Trabzon
- Click for the location
Best Trabzon Mountain Restaurants
Imera Mountain Cafe Restaurant, Duzkoy
A mountain chalet in Düzköy where you can have breakfast or a meal while looking out at the hills. Peaceful, green, airy – a very Trabzon kind of view.
- Website
- Address: Alazlı, 61390 Düzköy/Trabzon
- Click for location .
Akpınar Yıldızlı Restaurant, Akçaabat
A green-view restaurant where you can have breakfast, grills, and sit outside in summer or by the fireplace in winter. A solid, scenic spot for families.
- Website
- Address: Yıldızlı Neighborhood, Sahil Yolu Cad. Next to Yıldızlı Toki Residences, 61300 Akçaabat/Trabzon
- Click for location .
Best Trabzon Restaurants with World Cuisine
Chef Edward’s, Merkez
One of Trabzon’s most stylish venues, with vintage-car decor and an eclectic menu – Turkish favorites, ribs, curry chicken, you name it. Good for when you want a change from the usual Black Sea lineup.
Kumsal Restaurant & Cafe, Yomra
A restaurant literally on the beach in Yomra – a proper seafront place. Ideal for a family breakfast with a view.
- Website : Kaşüstü, 61290 Yomra/Trabzon
- Click for location .
Sofia Garden, Center
A brasserie-style spot near Hagia Sophia where you can take a break from all the meat-pide-fish eating.
- Website Address: Fatih, Zübeyde Hanım Cd. No:50/1, 61040 Ortahisar
- Click for location .
Best Trabzon Cafes
Hagia Sophia Museum Tea Garden, Center
A simple, scenic tea garden right next to the Hagia Sophia Museum – for when you just want tea and a view.
- Website
- Address: Fatih Neighborhood museum tea garden o462230 40 82, Ayasofya Cd. No:78, 61040 Ortahisar
- Click for the location
Hazelnut Ocağı Cafe & Patisserie, Yomra
A very cute, very polished cafe-patisserie in Yomra – the kind you’d expect in Nişantaşı. Desserts, cookies, and especially the hazelnut-based treats are loved here.
- Website
- Address: Cumhuriyet Mahallesi, Trabzon Rize Yolu, 61290 Yomra
- Click for location .
The Middle Coffee, Merkez
One of the best specialty-coffee options in Trabzon. Different brews, lots of coffee types, teas, desserts – basically your “I miss third-wave coffee” stop.
Arsenal Restaurant & Cafe, Center
Famous for breakfast, stylish for dinner. One of Trabzon’s most elegant places, set in the Cephanelik area. Hayal Kahvesi also has a branch in the same complex, so it’s a nice place to bring visitors.
Hayal Kahvesi, Center
Located in the Cephanelik area of Trabzon city center, this is the city’s own Hayal Kahvesi branch. It was still new when first opened and fully operational from early 2020.
- Website
- Address: Boztepe, Merkez, Cephanelik Mevkii, 61030 Ortahisar/Trabzon
- Click for the location .
Best Breakfast Places in Trabzon
Historic Timurcuoğlu Mansion, Akçaabat
One of Ortamahalle’s historic mansions, converted into a place where you can have breakfast, tea, or coffee with a view. Very atmospheric.
- Address: Orta, Sert Sk. No:10, 61300 Akçaabat
- Click for location .
Zivera Köy Kahvaltısı ve Bungalov, Yomra
One of the most beloved breakfast spots in Trabzon. Friendly service, country-like setting, lots of local products, and all surrounded by greenery. Very “let’s linger over tea” kind of place.
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