05.07.2026 11:20
The Bursa Culture Road Festival, held for the third time within the scope of the Türkiye Culture Road Festival, brought the city's rich culinary culture together with visitors. At the 50 Flavor Points designated during the festival, İskender kebab, cantık, pide with meatballs, tahini pide, milk halva, kazandibi, and chestnut candy attracted great interest. The activity at the gastronomy stops also contributed to local businesses and the city's economy.
Bursa, the first capital of the Ottoman Empire, stands out not only for its historical structures but also for its culinary tradition, where different cultures have met at the same table for centuries. This rich gastronomic culture, shaped by the intricacies of palace cuisine, recipes brought by Balkan migrations, the influence of Tatar cuisine, and the fertility of the Bursa Plain, is being rediscovered through the 50 Flavor Points created within the festival. Bursa kebab, cantık, tahinli pide, walnut lokum, milk halva, kazandibi, chestnut candy, and many other unique flavors tell festival visitors not only a taste experience but also Bursa's centuries-old lifestyle.
“WITH FLAVOR POINTS, VISITORS REACH THE RIGHT ADDRESSES” Gürkan Kaya, the host chef of the festival, stated that Bursa cuisine is not just a few local dishes but has a strong gastronomic heritage formed by different cultures over centuries.
Kaya, who noted that he recommends İskender kebab, cantık, and kazandibi to first-time visitors to Bursa, expressed that Ottoman palace cuisine together with Balkan and Tatar cuisines create a unique synthesis in Bursa. Stating that the Flavor Point application makes it easier for visitors to reach the right addresses, Kaya also mentioned that the application contributes to the city's economy by making visible businesses that have maintained the same quality for years.
CENTURY-OLD BUSINESSES KEEP BURSA'S FLAVOR MEMORY ALIVE The Flavor Points designated within the festival are not just businesses serving food; they stand out as important stops that keep Bursa's gastronomic memory, passed down from generation to generation, alive. One of these stops, Kebapçı Hüseyin, continues the legacy of Master Hüseyin, a master of Bursa kebab, as the second generation. The business, which started its mastery journey in 1976 and continues with the same understanding today, prepares only Bursa kebab. Second-generation representative Mutlu Karaman stated that they strive to carry the flag he inherited from his father with the same care and noted that during the festival, visitors from outside the city showed great interest. Karaman expressed that visitors to Bursa first want to taste Bursa kebab, followed by Tahinli Pide and Meatball with Pide, and then turn to the city's iconic flavors such as milk halva and chestnut candy. Stating that the festival is much more intense compared to previous years, Karaman said that the Flavor Point application contributes significantly not only to their own business but also to all tradesmen in Bursa.
SINCE 1928, THE SAME SMELL RISES FROM THE SAME OVEN İnanç Fırın, located in the historical fabric of Muradiye, has been operated by the same family since 1928. Bülent Mertyürek, the fourth-generation representative of the business, expressed that producing in the same neighborhood for nearly a century is not only a commercial activity but also a cultural responsibility. Mertyürek, who explained that the family started production in a historical bakery that changed hands during the population exchange years and still continues to keep traditional recipes alive in the same place, stated that Bursa cuisine is a unique synthesis formed by Ottoman culture and Balkan migrations. Mertyürek, who said that the flavors he would recommend to someone visiting Bursa for the first time are tahinli pide, geographically indicated walnut lokum, İskender Kebab, Cantık, and sourdough breads, mentioned that they source most of the raw materials they use from producers in and around Bursa. Stating that İnegöl walnuts, Bursa butter, and flour are of great importance to them in passing down recipes prepared with the region's local products from generation to generation, Mertyürek expressed that the Flavor Point application contributes to reaching wider audiences with this deep-rooted heritage.
THE 600-YEAR-OLD SOUP KITCHEN STILL SETS TABLES TODAY Han 1426, one of the Flavor Points of the festival, was among the stops that attracted great interest from visitors. Traditional flavors of Bursa cuisine are served today in the historical building, which was opened as a soup kitchen by Sultan Murad II in 1426. Business Manager Tarık Asa stated that Muradiye Soup, Mutancana, and Fukara Keşkülü, prepared in the historical kitchen, received great interest from festival visitors, and that with the Flavor Point application, the number of visitors from neighboring provinces also increased.
BURSA'S CENTURY-OLD ICE CREAM TRADITION IS KEPT ALIVE The 50 Flavor Points created within the scope of the Bursa Culture Road Festival also brought visitors together with addresses that keep the city's deep-rooted dessert tradition alive. Mehmet Tanju Geye Ice Cream, located on the festival's gastronomy route, became one of the attention-grabbing stops with its nearly 100-year history. Business Manager Mustafa Şener stated that during the festival, visitors most preferred ice cream and kazandibi, and expressed that thanks to the Flavor Point application, guests coming to Bursa discover the city's unique flavors more consciously. Şener also noted that the milk used in their products has been sourced from villages for years, and said that the bond they have established with local producers is one of the most important elements keeping Bursa's traditional flavor understanding alive.
50 FLAVOR POINTS CARRY BURSA'S GASTRONOMIC HERITAGE TO THE FUTURE The 50 Flavor Points created within the scope of the Bursa Culture Road Festival bring the city's deep-rooted culinary culture together with visitors while also keeping alive the centuries-old production tradition and master-apprentice culture. The gastronomy route, which has attracted great interest throughout the festival, increases the visibility of local businesses and continues to help Bursa's gastronomic identity reach wider audiences and contribute to the city's economy.