What to Eat in Bursa: Local Flavours from İskender to Candied Chestnuts

The dish you must try in Bursa is İskender: thin slices of döner drizzled with butter, served with pide and yoghurt, it has become the city's symbol. It is followed by pideli köfte, cantık, İnegöl köfte and, on the sweet side, candied chestnuts and Kemalpaşa dessert. TatiliYakala's Bursa programmes include a village breakfast in Cumalıkızık and İskender for lunch or dinner.

İskender: Bursa's signature

İskender kebab is said to have been created in 19th-century Bursa by a master cook called İskender Efendi, who had the idea of cooking the meat on a vertical rather than a horizontal spit. Known all over Türkiye today, the dish's true home is still Bursa.

A classic portion is made up of:

• Pide cut into cubes
• Thinly sliced döner on top
• Tomato sauce
• Melted butter poured over at the table
• Yoghurt on the side

Don't rush your İskender; the sizzle and aroma as the butter is poured are part of the dish. A glass of şıra (grape juice) or ayran afterwards is a common accompaniment in Bursa.

On TatiliYakala's Cumalıkızık, Bursa and Gölyazı tour, İskender and a soft drink are served for lunch, while the day programme of the Uludağ tour includes İskender in Bursa in the evening after coming down from the mountain.

Pideli köfte

Pideli köfte is served much like İskender: grilled meatballs on pieces of pide with tomato sauce and butter, and yoghurt on the side. It is a common option in Bursa for those who prefer köfte to döner.

Cantık

Cantık is a pastry unique to Bursa, topped with minced meat. A minced meat filling is spread over leavened dough and baked in the oven. It is eaten at breakfast or as a snack during the day. It is at its best bought hot from the bakery.

İnegöl köfte

Named after İnegöl, a district of Bursa, these meatballs are known for their simple seasoning and soft texture. They are grilled and served with piyaz (bean salad) and roasted peppers. Even if you don't go to İnegöl, you can find İnegöl köfte in many places in Bursa.

The sweet side

Candied chestnuts

Made from chestnuts grown on the slopes of Uludağ, candied chestnuts are the most popular gift to take home from Bursa. The chestnuts are prepared in sugar syrup and sold individually wrapped or in boxes. You can see the different varieties in the shops around the Covered Bazaar.

Kemalpaşa dessert

Named after Bursa's Mustafakemalpaşa district, this dessert consists of small cheese dough balls soaked in syrup. It is usually served with kaymak (clotted cream).

Bursa peaches

Peaches grown on the Bursa plain in summer are one of the region's well-known fruits. In season, you can find them at markets and roadside stalls.

Breakfast: the Cumalıkızık table

In Bursa, starting the day with a spread-out village breakfast is a common habit. The breakfast tables in Cumalıkızık feature a variety of cheeses, honey, kaymak, home-made jams, eggs cooked in butter and hot gözleme. The village's raspberries come to the table fresh in season and as jam at other times. For more about the village and its breakfast, see our Cumalıkızık guide.

Cheese and local products

Mihaliç cheese, from Bursa's Karacabey area, is known as a firm, salty cheese. You can find it at local markets and delicatessens. Home-made noodles (erişte), tarhana and jams are also sold at stalls in villages such as Cumalıkızık.

Fish by the lake

In Gölyazı, on the shore of Lake Uluabat, there are small restaurants serving freshwater fish. A fish meal by the lake makes a different alternative to the city's kebab-heavy menus. Details on Gölyazı are in our Gölyazı guide.

Planning meals in Bursa

• Lunch or dinner: İskender is a filling meal. If there is walking or skiing during the day, you may want to leave the heavy meal until the end of the day; the Uludağ day programme is built on the same logic.
• Gifts: Candied chestnuts and Mihaliç cheese travel well on the way home.
• Group meals: Meal times for large groups are planned in advance; anyone with special dietary needs should say so at the planning stage.
• A winter's day: For a group coming down from Uludağ, a hot İskender is the most eagerly awaited moment of a cold day. For the winter programme, take a look at our article on the Uludağ day trip.

A tea break in the bazaar

In Bursa, a tea break is as much a part of the city's rhythm as food. There are tea gardens in the courtyards of the historic hans right next to the Covered Bazaar; the best known is Koza Han, associated with the silk trade. Sitting around the courtyard fountain with a tea is a good break to let your İskender settle. Shops in the bazaar selling candied chestnuts, Turkish delight and local products are natural stops on this walk too. We describe the historic bazaar area in detail in our guide to historic Bursa.

Frequently asked questions

What is Bursa's most famous dish?

The first dish that comes to mind with Bursa is İskender kebab. Pideli köfte, cantık and İnegöl köfte are also flavours closely associated with the city.

What can you buy in Bursa as a gift?

Candied chestnuts are the most popular gift from Bursa. Mihaliç cheese and the home-made jams and noodles sold in the villages are also popular.

What is cantık?

Cantık is a pastry unique to Bursa, made by spreading a minced meat filling over leavened dough and baking it in the oven.

Do you eat İskender on the Bursa tour?

Yes. İskender is included at lunch on the Cumalıkızık, Bursa and Gölyazı tour, and in the evening in Bursa on the Uludağ day programme.