Devouring seafood at the Fethiye Fish Market
Seafood and local markets. Two things that we love to devour and explore when we are travelling. Combine the two into one evening at the Fethiye Fish Market, and you have us salivating at the very thought.
Eating at the Fethiye Fish Market
While we were in Turkey last year for ANZAC Day and our epic Busabout Sail Turkey cruise we found one of the best restaurants we have ever been to.
We are always on the look out for excellent food when we travel. And when a recommendation is handed to you from a local at your accommodation, you should listen. Our host at the Fethiye Guesthouse hostel had told us that the freshest, tastiest, and some of the cheapest, seafood in Fethiye was to be found at the local Fethiye fish market.
We didn’t need much convincing.
After a crazy and unique hamam Turkish bath with semi-naked Turkish men we were ready for a giant meal.
But finding the local fish markets in Fethiye is just the beginning.
Walking the streets of Fethiye you wouldn’t realise that tucked away in one of the squares is a fish market. From the outside the square looks like a regular block of shops. Jewellers, tour companies and local supermarkets sit side-by-side hiding the gem inside.
It isn’t until you walk through one of the four arched entrances into the open aired courtyard that the Fethiye fish market is revealed in all its glory.
Fethiye Fish Market
As you step from under the awnings you mind begins to piece together the scene in front of your eyes.
Surrounding the square on all sides are tables covered with white linen and sparkling dinner sets. Each lit from above with paper lanterns.
In the middle of the square sits a brightly lit stand with local fishermen jostling together selling their fresh bounty from that days expedition on the Aegean Sea. Each fisherman takes up a small shelf of shaved ice piled high with squid, fish, mussels and prawns.
The seafood stand in the middle is where all the action is.
Seeing the confusing spreading across our faces we were approached by one of the English speaking waiters. He quickly explained that we were to select and pay for our dinner from any of the fishermen. They would prepare our seafood to our liking whether it was prawns with shells off, chopped calamari or whole snapper.
We would then bring our bounty in plastic bags back to the restaurant of our choice where for a measly 6 – 8 Turkish Lira (US$4 – 5) they would cook our seafood. Included in the price was all you can eat salad and bread. A bargain.
Strolling around the stand several times we were waved in with friendly smiles and broken English.
While the fishermen were all competing with one another, they were all clearly friends. The mixed banter between them as they enticed us to their stalls was good-natured and there was a lot of it.
With so many options it was hard to decide on what we wanted to eat. But as a sucker for calamari, that was immediately diced and thrown into our bag. As well as king prawns, a side of quickly filleted fish, and a couple of pieces of tender salmon for good measure.
Handing our bags of fresh seafood over to our waiter we began downing the local Turkish beer, Efes, and watching as other locals and tourists joined the throngs in the square.
It wasn’t long before we were tucking into our meals. Each plate was perfectly cooked to our specific liking. Each morsel as succulent as the next. And with 8 of us in our group there was a lot of sharing and mixing of meals as we all wanted to try what others had.
The Fethiye fish market was the perfect way to finish another incredible day in Fethiye.
What do you think of the Fethiye fish market? Sound amazing?!
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This looks delicious!!!
Lillie – @WorldLillie recently posted..Wonderful India Travel Photos from Streets of Old Delhi
So nice being able to have fresh seafood cooked straight from the market place
YUM, yum, yum, yum! I’d go to turkey just to eat there.
wandering educators recently posted..The English Language
There are a million reasons to go to Turkey, but you are definitely right! Food is one of the main ones
Wow seafood! It looks really lovely to eat there.
I also love restaurants where you can catch your own fish. Have you tried that?
Jemma recently posted..Crisologo Museum in Vigan Ilocos
Back in New Zealand we always catch our own seafood, but I haven’t ever seen it done in a restaurant! Where do they do that Jemma?
Here in our country, there are restaurants where they allow their customers to catch their own fish and then they just cook the seafood for the guests.
Usually, cottages are places over a pond to allow the guests to fish…
That would be very cool to see! We will be in SE Asia towards the end of the year so hopefully we can try it out
The fish looks fresh and the wet market is so clean. I also like calamari and having a fresh ingredients for that dish is superb!
The Fethiye fish markets were very yummy indeed! The fact that you get all you can eat salad at the restaurant makes it great value too
Wow — sounds (and looks) scrumptious!
Terry at Overnight New York recently posted..The Lowell: Feel the Heat
It really was delicious
We went back twice haha.
One of our local haunts. In fact one of the guys in your photos is our regular fishmonger. A shame we didn’t catch up but glad you enjoyed the fish market.
Julia
Turkey’s For Life recently posted..Fethiye’s Ancient Telmessos Theatre – Recreating The Past
Surprised we didn’t snap a photo of you guys in the background haha. Hopefully we will return one day soon as Turkey is definitely one of our favourite places we have been so far! And we will definitely touch base when that happens
Looks delicious. I’m keen to get to Turkey for ANZAC day at some point.
Bethaney – Flashpacker Family recently posted..Things to Do in Port Douglas with Kids
ANZAC Day in Turkey was such an amazing experience. I wish every Kiwi (and Aussie) could experience it because it really made an impact on what our grandfathers and great-grandfathers did, not only for our country, but for the whole world.
The fish looks so fresh, and the market so clean (much more so than Sydney). I could eat there every day!
Larissa recently posted..How to travel: 14 Travel Myths Debunked (Part 2)
It was very fresh as the Fethiye fish markets are just a couple of minutes from the boat docks. The whole of Fethiye is beautiful right on the harbour.
This looks fantastic! I was in Fethiye for 5 days a few years ago, can’t believe I missed this out! Another reason to make a trip back there…
Tom @ Waegook Tom recently posted..Shit My Korean Students Say: Part 2
The seafood was so fresh. Definitely worth an extra trip!
this looks so good,you must try the local fish markets in Kerala and Goa whenever you guys make it to India !!
Shivangi recently posted..Two Men and a Little Girl in Pondicherry
The local fish markets in India would be AMAZING! Definitely on our bucket list
Stamping my feet because your photos are so much better than mine. Went there over two years ago and still to write my article about. Do you think I am a bit behind?!
Other point is I think we chose the wrong restaurant. The meal was not that nice so want to go back but to a different one.
Nat recently posted..Yalikavak : Drunk Boat Captains and Windmills
My post was only a year or so late so not doing too badly
We went back twice to the same one (can’t remember the name unfortunately) but they had blue and white table cloths 