Izmir Kordon Wine Bars

Izmir (ancient Smyrna) was an Ionian Greek city for centuries. The Kordon waterfront promenade hosts wine bars and restaurants where Aegean wines meet Turkish meze. The city's cosmopolitan character - Greek, Ottoman, modern - creates unique wine culture.

What to do there

3 things to do

1. 1 Order the Meze You Choose Yourself Wine · Price: moderate

   Izmir's Kordon restaurants have a tradition unlike anywhere in Europe: you pick your food from a refrigerated display, not a menu

   The Kordon tradition is to choose your meze from an open fridge - you walk up, look at 30+ small plates of octopus, cacik, hummus, stuffed peppers, fried calamari, sea bass ceviche, white bean salad - and point at what you want. Then you choose your fish the same way from a counter of the day's catch. Turkish wine (or rakı if you're feeling brave) pours into your glass as the Aegean catches the last light. You are eating the way Izmir's cosmopolitan Greek-Ottoman-Turkish elite have eaten for 200 years. Arrive at sunset (around 18:30-19:00 in summer) at any seafood restaurant along the Kordon waterfront promenade (Birinci Kordon, Alsancak district). Tell the waiter: 'Meze seçimi yapabilir miyim?' ('Can I choose the meze?'). They will take you to the fridge. Point at 5-6 plates. Order a local white wine - ask specifically for Turkish Aegean wines.

   Backup: Sirena Pub (Alsancak, since 1976) has outdoor seating with Aegean views and a broad selection.

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2. 2 Taste the Difference Between Rakı and Turkish Wine with the Same Meze Wine · Price: moderate

   The rakı vs wine pairing debate has been going on in Izmir for centuries

   Rakı is anise-flavored grape spirit, diluted with water, served over ice - called 'lion's milk' (aslan sütü) in Turkey. The Aegean version has a special twist: mastika (mastic gum) infused into some versions, giving it an extra resinous note. The rakı tradition says: no fish without rakı, no rakı without fish. BUT Turkish wine - especially high-acid whites like Narince or Emir - pairs EQUALLY well with meze, with the acidity cutting through the richness exactly as rakı's anise does. At any Kordon seafood restaurant, order one small rakı (if you drink spirits) and one glass of Turkish white wine. Taste each with the same meze plate - octopus salad works best. Notice how the rakı numbs and cleanses differently from how the wine's acidity lifts and brightens. Ask the waiter: 'Which local wine do you recommend with meze?'

   Backup: Kalecik Karasi (red, from central Anatolia) is Turkey's most food-friendly red - ask by name: 'Kalecik Karası var mı?'

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3. 3 Watch Izmir's Three-Culture Sunset from the Water Adventure · Free · Optional

   Greek city, Ottoman port, modern Turkey - all visible from one waterfront bench

   Izmir was the ancient Greek city of Smyrna for 3,000 years. It became Ottoman in 1424. It was burned and rebuilt as a modern Turkish city in 1922 after the Greco-Turkish War. The Kordon promenade you are walking tonight was built to replace what was destroyed. Across the bay you can see the hillside köşkler (mansions) of the old cosmopolitan city. The people eating around you descend from all three eras. Walk the full Kordon length (2km) before or after dinner. Find a bench at the midpoint and watch the sunset over the bay. Notice the ferry boats crossing - they go to Karşıyaka on the opposite shore, a suburb that was distinctly Greek until 1922. The Aegean light at sunset here is famous across Turkey.

   Backup: The Archaeological Museum of Izmir (Konak, 3km from Kordon) has a collection covering 3,000 years of Smyrna/Izmir history including wine vessels, Greek reliefs, and Roman artifacts.

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Insider tips

• Waterfront has the atmosphere

• Turkish Aegean wines are excellent

• Meze culture parallels Greek

• Book for weekend evenings