7 Best Restaurants in The Sea of Marmara and the North Aegean, Turkey

There's no menu at this friendly, family-run spot in Behramkale's tiny main square: Just pick from the selection of mezes on display (don't miss the crunchy, garlicky greens called deniz börülcesi), and let one of the waiters tell you which meat dishes are available that day. The covered terrace looks over the village and down to the sea—it's a wonderful spot to watch the sun set—while a few seats out front let you watch the comings and goings on the square. Alcohol is served.

Alongside a 16th-century hammam in downtown Bergama, this casual room serves around 20 dishes—stews, casseroles, grilled meats, and soups (fewer options are available at dinnertime). Try the kadın budu köfte (ground meat mixed with rice and parsley and lightly fried in egg batter) and the kemalpaşa, a traditional sweet served with kaymak (clotted cream) and tahini, for dessert. No alcohol is served. Restrooms are outside.

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.

Cheery and bright, this casual, two-floor eatery near the ferry dock serves delicious pide (Turkish pizza), topped with minced meat, sausage, cheese, or any combination of them. There's also a wide variety of kebabs, döner, and other grilled meats, as well as the thin flatbread lahmacun, topped with minced meat, and a couple of traditional desserts.

A few minutes' walk from the Acropolis, this casual eatery with stone tables and colorful flowerpots is a welcome stop, especially on a hot day, on the way back from seeing the ruins. The ayran (a salty yogurt drink) is thirst quenching and a great restorative. Try the mantı (Turkish ravioli in garlicky yogurt sauce), the tavuk şiş (chicken kebab), or the gözleme, thin Turkish pastry filled with minced meat, mashed potato, or cheese and cooked on a flat griddle.

Turks love their köfte (meatballs), and almost every city in the country makes a claim to fame based on its own way of preparing them, including İznik. Locals fill the large, canteen-type tables of this casual bilevel eatery with both indoor and deck seating at almost all times of the day to enjoy İznik köfte, served with tomatoes, peppers, onions, and a mildly spicy red pepper sauce. Other grilled meats are also available, with yogurt and salads as optional sides. This is not a place for vegetarians.

The location, in the covered market by Ulu Cami, is charming, and köfte (meatballs) is the thing to order, served with grilled peppers and tomatoes. Among the salad options, piyaz (bean salad with vinegar) accompanies köfte best. The soups are delicious, and there are also grilled meat options. The restaurant has the same architectural features as the hans, with brick and stone walls and two domes in the ceilings painted in floral patterns. The place closes at 8 pm.