Only in Izmir: Exploring the Seaside City’s Culinary Traditions

Izmir’s cuisine is unmistakably local, shaped by centuries of Mediterranean influences from Greek, Sephardic Jewish, Armenian, Levantine, Kurdish and Cretan communities. We’ll begin in an Ottoman-era tea garden with boyoz, slow-cooked eggs and local tulum cheese, followed by a taste from a third-generation helva maker. From there, we’ll sample traditional soups, freshly made lokma and spices whil...