Black Sea Cuisine: What to Eat Along the Route, from Hamsi to Muhlama

Black Sea cuisine has three cornerstones: hamsi (anchovies) from the sea, butter and cheese from the plateaus, and corn, cabbage and hazelnuts from the gardens. Along the route, each city has its own signature flavour: pide in Samsun, köfte and bread in Trabzon, muhlama on the plateaus, mantı in Sinop. We have arranged this guide according to the stops on our Black Sea tour.

The logic of the Black Sea table

In a landscape where the mountains are so close to the sea, farmland is scarce. That is why Black Sea cuisine makes versatile use of what is available: cornmeal turns up in bread, muhlama and hamsi pilaf; black cabbage in soup and stuffed leaves; hazelnuts in desserts and spreads. Butter and highland cheese are the most prized ingredients on this table.

Samsun and Ordu

• Bafra pide: A long, thin pide with minced meat or cheese, named after Samsun's Bafra district. In Samsun, this is what people mean by pide.
• Hazelnuts and hazelnut products: Ordu is one of the Black Sea's hazelnut regions, which play an important part in world hazelnut production. Hazelnut spread, hazelnut chocolate and roasted hazelnuts are plentiful all along the way.

Trabzon

• Akçaabat köfte: Grilled meatballs closely associated with Trabzon's Akçaabat district.
• Trabzon bread: A large, round village loaf that stays fresh for a long time. It is also known as Vakfıkebir bread.
• Kuymak (muhlama): A dish made with cornmeal, butter and stretchy highland cheese, eaten piping hot. In Trabzon it is called kuymak, in Rize muhlama.
• Laz böreği: A sweet pastry filled with custard. It is one of the Black Sea's best-loved desserts.

Uzungöl, Çamlıhemşin and Ayder

The plateaus are the dairy heartland of Black Sea cuisine.

• Muhlama: Made with highland butter and cheese, it reaches a whole new level of flavour. It is a must-try in Ayder.
• Highland cheese and butter: These can be bought as souvenirs too; however, on a long journey you need to think about keeping them cool.
• Honey: Highland honeys are among the region's most popular products.
• Black cabbage soup and stuffed leaves: Made with the Black Sea's distinctive leafy green cabbage.

Rize and tea

The slopes of Rize and its surroundings are where Türkiye's tea is grown. Along the way you see terraced tea gardens. On the Black Sea, tea is drunk strong and often throughout the day, in small tulip-shaped glasses. Packaged Rize tea is one of the most practical souvenirs.

Hamsi: king of winter

Hamsi is the symbol of Black Sea cuisine. The season starts in autumn and lasts through the winter; the fish is at its tastiest in the cold months. Hamsi turns into many different dishes, such as fried hamsi, hamsi pilaf, steamed hamsi and even hamsi bread. If you are going in summer, hamsi is harder to find; turn to the other local flavours instead.

Batumi

When you cross into Georgia, the cuisine changes too. Batumi's most famous dish is Adjarian khachapuri: a boat-shaped bread is filled with cheese, and when it comes out of the oven, egg and butter are added on top. You eat it by tearing off the edges of the bread and dipping them into the mixture in the middle. Other well-known dishes of Georgian cuisine include khinkali, which resemble mantı.

Sinop and Kastamonu

• Sinop mantı: Unlike Kayseri mantı, it is larger and made with walnuts. It is one of the dishes to try when you come to Sinop.
• Kastamonu garlic: Kastamonu's Taşköprü district is known for its garlic. Garlic plays an important role in the local cuisine.

Safranbolu

On the last day in Safranbolu, the town's famous Turkish delight and products flavoured with the saffron it is named after complete your bag of souvenirs for the journey home.

What are the meals like on the tour?

Our tour includes 4 nights of hotel accommodation. The arrangements for lunch and dinner are stated in writing at the quote stage; if you would like a group meal at a local restaurant, we can arrange that together too. Free time gives you good opportunities to try the flavours above.

Practical tips for meal stops

On a long coach route, meal stops may be regular but short. If you want to try a particular local dish, ask your guide in advance which stop will allow time for it. Some dishes, such as muhlama or Akçaabat köfte, are prepared quickly and fit easily into a stop. Seasonal dishes such as hamsi may not always be available at every restaurant. If participants with food allergies or special dietary needs let us know at the quote stage, it makes planning the meals easier.

Drinks at the Black Sea table

Besides tea, ayran and homemade fruit juices are also popular on the Black Sea. On the plateaus, breakfasts made with fresh milk and highland butter are an experience in themselves. In winter, hot tea accompanies almost every conversation.

Souvenir shopping list

• Hazelnuts and hazelnut spread
• Rize tea
• Highland honey
• Trabzon bread (it keeps well on the journey)
• Safranbolu Turkish delight
• Taşköprü garlic

Bearing in mind the long coach journey, we suggest leaving perishable items such as cheese and butter until the last days, or not buying them at all.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Black Sea's most famous dish?

Hamsi is regarded as the symbol of the Black Sea. Muhlama (kuymak), black cabbage soup and Akçaabat köfte are also among the region's best-known dishes.

Are muhlama and kuymak the same thing?

Yes, they are different names for the same dish. It is called kuymak in Trabzon and muhlama in Rize. It is made with cornmeal, butter and highland cheese.

In which season is hamsi eaten?

The hamsi season starts in autumn and lasts through the winter. Fresh hamsi is hard to find in summer.

What to eat in Batumi

Batumi's most famous dish is Adjarian khachapuri, a boat-shaped bread served with cheese, egg and butter. For more about Batumi, see our Batumi guide.