The Fethiye Fish Market (Balık Pazarı), Local Markets and What to Eat

Tucked inside a vine-covered courtyard square right between Paspatur Old Town and the harbour (off Cumhuriyet Caddesi), the Fethiye Fish Market (Fethiye Balık Pazarı) is the culinary heart of the town and one of the most enjoyable dining rituals in Turkey. Rather than ordering from a standard restaurant kitchen, the entire square operates as a cooperative between the central fishmongers and a ring of open-air taverns surrounding them.

How the Fethiye Fish Market Works (In 3 Simple Steps)

1. Step 1: Choose your restaurant table first (or go straight to the central ice ring): surrounding the circular central fish stalls are a dozen lively restaurants (such as Hilmi, Yengeç, Ada and Köşe) with tables set under grapevine arbours and fairy lights. If you pick a table first, one of the restaurant's hosts will walk with you to the fish counter to help you choose just the right amount for your group.
2. Step 2: Buy your raw fish and seafood by weight at the central stalls: walk around the octagonal marble ice counter in the middle of the square, where every fish has its per-kilogram price clearly displayed on a tag. Fethiye local favourites include whole Levrek (sea bass), Çipura (sea bream), Lagos (white grouper), Barbun (red mullet), fresh squid (kalamar) and jumbo Mediterranean prawns (karides). The fishmonger weighs, cleans and fillets your selection on the spot, and you pay the fishmonger directly by card or cash.
3. Step 3: The restaurant cooks it to order for a small per-person "Cooking + Salad + Bread" fee: hand the bag to your waiter, who will ask how you want each item cooked (charcoal-grilled, steamed with garlic, butter and herbs in a clay casserole, or pan-fried). While the grill smokes, go to the restaurant's chilled display counter to add 3 or 4 Aegean olive-oil meze plates (samphire deniz börülcesi, smoky aubergine şakşuka, purslane in yoghurt and warm crispy cheese pastry rolls), finishing with hot baked tahini halva (fırında helva).

The Fethiye Tuesday Market (Salı Pazarı) & Friday Farmers' Market

Alongside the riverside canal ten minutes' walk east of the harbour, Fethiye's open-air market square hosts two essential weekly markets: the massive Tuesday Market (Salı Pazarı), where women from surrounding mountain villages griddled fresh gözleme flatbreads filled with wild greens and feta alongside stalls of pine honey (çam balı), olives, dried figs and cotton textiles, and the calmer Friday Village Producers' Market (Cuma Çiftçi Pazarı) dedicated purely to local fruit, vegetables, cheeses and homemade jams.