Uzungöl Food Guide: Where to Eat at Turkey's Mountain Lake

Uzungöl (literally Long Lake) is a glacial lake at 1,090 meters elevation, two hours southeast of Trabzon. It is one of the most photographed natural spots in Turkey, and during summer it hosts a steady stream of Gulf, Iranian, and European tourists. The food can be excellent — if you know where to look — or expensive and average if you don't.

This guide tells you which dishes to seek, what the main square gets wrong, and where to walk for an honest mountain lunch.

What to Eat at Uzungöl

• ●Alabalık (rainbow trout) — the signature dish. Farmed locally in the river upstream; grilled, fried, or baked in cornmeal.
• ●Muhlama — see our muhlama guide. Highland versions are the best.
• ●Köme & pestil — fruit-and-nut confections sold in every souvenir shop, worth tasting.
• ●Kara lahana çorbası — black cabbage soup, ideal on a rainy mountain afternoon.
• ●Highland honey — sold in glass jars by villagers; ask for kestane balı (chestnut honey).
• ●Çay (Black Sea tea) — drunk on a deck overlooking the lake.

The Trout (Alabalık) Story

Uzungöl's trout farms run along the river system that feeds the lake — fresh, cold, mineral-rich water makes for clean-tasting fish. A standard plate is one whole trout, 250–350g, gutted and grilled, with sides of mountain greens, raw onion, lemon, and bread. Cost: 320–480 ₺ for a single plate. The fish should arrive with crispy skin and white, firm flesh.

Avoid restaurants that pre-cook trout in bulk and reheat — the give-away is gray-brown flesh and oily skin. Ask taze mi? (is it fresh?) and watch the response; an honest answer is the fish was killed for the order.

Where to Look (Without Naming Names)

Uzungöl has roughly three restaurant zones:

1. The Main Square (Lakeside)

Most photographed, most touristed. Convenient, but typically 30–50% pricier than equivalent food a 10-minute walk away. The very best spots in this zone are reasonable; the worst are tourist traps. Look for restaurants that locals (not coach-tour groups) are eating at.

2. The Upper River Road

Walking 10–15 minutes up the river road from the lake brings you to a string of family-run trout houses with terraces over the stream. Same fish, often 20–30% cheaper, much better atmosphere. This is where Turkish families eat.

3. The Highland Plateaus

If you have a car or have hired a driver for the day, the highland villages above Uzungöl (Şerah, Demirkapı, Haldizen) have small breakfast houses with absolutely authentic muhlama and trout. The drive is steep and the view is everything.

What to Avoid

• ●Restaurants with photos of every dish on the menu — usually tourist-targeted.
• ●Aggressive door-greeters — they need to chase customers for a reason.
• ●Menus only in Arabic/Russian with English and no Turkish — sometimes a quality signal in reverse.
• ●Pre-cooked trout sitting under heat lamps — never order this.

Best Time to Eat

Lunch is the main meal. 11:30 AM–1 PM avoids the coach tour peak (typically 1–3 PM). Dinner can be excellent off-season but in midsummer the village empties after sunset and many places close by 9 PM.

Practical Tips

1. 01Bring layers — Uzungöl is 15–20°C cooler than coastal Trabzon, even in July.
2. 02Cash is useful — some smaller highland places don't take cards reliably.
3. 03Set aside a full day from Trabzon — 2 hours each way, 4–5 hours on-site.
4. 04Confirm halal/alcohol-free if it matters to you — see our halal guide.
5. 05If driving yourself, the road is steep and has switchbacks; an experienced driver is a real asset.

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