When Black Sea cuisine is mentioned, anchovy comes to mind, but in Giresun the heart of it is a little different. Anchovy is there, of course, especially between November and January. But the region's everyday cuisine is built on black cabbage, cornmeal, butter and hazelnut. The dishes below are not tourist-menu flavours but food genuinely eaten in homes and tradesmen's restaurants.
Pancar soup
The name is misleading: it has nothing to do with red beetroot. "Pancar" here is the local name for black cabbage. It is cooked with black cabbage, cornmeal and butter, and in some homes dried beans are added too. A green, dark, filling soup. If you are going to try one dish in Giresun, make it this.
Black-cabbage rolls
Instead of vine leaves, black-cabbage leaves are used. The filling is prepared with cornmeal, rice and minced meat. As the leaf is thick, it cooks for a long time, so the flavour is more intense too.
Camili köfte
Meatballs originating from Camili, part of central Giresun, and now a brand in the city. Finely chopped, grilled, served with rice and bean salad. There can be a queue at lunchtime.
Kaygana
A kind of thick pancake made with egg, cornmeal and greens. Very common at breakfast and in the highlands. Served with clotted cream and honey.
Cornbread and kuymak
Cornbread is the base of this cuisine. Kuymak (called muhlama in some places) is the stretchy mixture of cornmeal, butter and cheese. Eaten in the highland, from a copper pan, with bread. The heavy but indispensable part of breakfast.
Tirmit
A kind of edible mushroom gathered locally. Sautéed in butter and eaten; its season is spring and autumn.
Important warning: Do not gather mushrooms from the wild. There are poisonous species locally that look very much like the edible ones, and there are cases of poisoning every year. Only have tirmit at a restaurant you trust, or buy it from the market knowing the seller.
Hazelnut
The Giresun hazelnut is considered a quality class of its own worldwide. The round hazelnut variety comes from here and is accepted as a benchmark in the chocolate industry. Roasted hazelnuts, hazelnut butter or a hazelnut dessert make the best souvenir to take home.
Anchovy
The season is November to January. Fried anchovy, anchovy rice and "anchovy bird" are the most common forms. Outside the season you will not find fresh anchovy; treat places that claim to have it with caution.
Where to eat?
There are three separate lines in the city. The shore band for fish; late in the afternoon the places near the harbour work fresher. The bazaar tradesmen's restaurants are the right place for lunch: pancar soup, rolls and dried beans are found here. The facilities on the highland road for breakfast and kuymak.
Small notes
- Tradesmen's restaurants are busy at lunch between 12:00 and 14:00, so go a little early or late.
- Most small highland businesses do not take cards, so carry cash.
- Kuymak is very filling; if you are planning to tour afterwards, choose a light day.
On the map
On the map the food stops span coast to highland; match a meal to where your day takes you.
Open the guide