The Sea of Marmara and the North Aegean Restaurants

Aegean cuisine is in many ways different from Turkish food elsewhere. The shared Turkish and Greek culture of the region's past, the climate and soil suitable for growing a wide range of vegetables, including tasty local greens and herbs, and the prevalence of olive trees and olive oil production have helped the region develop a much more varied way of eating that is healthier than in other Turkish regions. Olive oil replaces butter, and fish, rather than meat, is the star on most menus. The class of dishes generally called zeytinya?l? (literally "with olive oil") mostly comes from this region; these are usually comprised of tomatoes, onions, and other vegetables cooked in olive oil and served cold. Vegetarians will be in heaven.