3 Best Restaurants in Ayvalik, The Sea of Marmara and the North Aegean

In the heart of Ayvalık, just north of Saatli Cami, this eatery serves up filling lunches to hardworking street traders; it's tiny but almost always full, so you may have to share one of the dozen or so tables. The Turkish home cooking—rice, beans, eggplant with minced meat, and lamb stew—is delicious, making this the perfect place for lunch when wandering the historic part of the town. A red 1970s rotary telephone adds some character.

With excellent food, views of Cunda Island, and a prime location on the Ayvalık waterfront, this restaurant is worth walking down narrow backstreets to find. The mezes, made with Aegean herbs and greens, include some truly local specialties, such as deniz mücver (fried mussel patties) or sole marinated in a lemony mustard sauce. Both the mezes and fish are on display for easy choosing, and service is attentive.

This local favorite, with seating inside and outside of a traditional Greek house, is packed nearly every night. Despite the crowds, the staff is attentive, kind, and happy to provide recommendations for Tik Mustafa’s rather impressive selection of meze and zeytinyağlı—cold appetizers served in olive oil. While the fish is fresh and can be prepared in a number of ways, saving room for a main course may prove challenging considering the exceptionally delicious appetizers.