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3 Worst Rated Mersin Foods

Last updated on May 22, 2026
01

Karsambaç

3.2 ·

Karsambaç is a traditional dessert originating from the highlands of Mersin, most noteably the town of Çamlıyayla. This unique dessert is made with a combination of clean mountain snow and a sweet syrup such as honey, sugar syrup, or molasses. The blocks of snow are taken from the mountains with a pickaxe, and once brought to the city, the snow is grated with a knife before it's mixed with the sweet syrup. This dessert is often sold on street corners as a refreshing summer treat. It's considered to be a natural ancestor to granitas and snow cones.

02

Cezerye

3.5 ·

Cezerye is a Turkish dessert originating from Mersin. It is made with caramelized grated carrots, sugar, and nuts such as walnuts, hazelnuts, or pistachios, although hazelnuts are the most traditional option. The name cezerye is derived from the word cezer, meaning carrot. Once prepared, the concoction is either rolled into balls or shaped into flat, rectangular disks. Regardless of the shape, cezerye is typically covered with shredded coconut before consumption. In Türkiye, this sweet confectionery is often thought of as an aphrodisiac and it is especially popular on special occasions.

03

Yuvarlama çorbası

3.8 ·

Arguably the most laborious Turkish soup and one of Gaziantep's favorites, yuvarlama çorbası is made with spiced meatballs, chickpeas, yogurt broth, olive oil, and other optional ingredients. The soup is traditionally prepared for the three-day celebration of the fast-breaking Ramazan Bayramı, and it is served in virtually every Anatolian home. The preparation of this festive soup is a time-consuming process, and everyone is involved, as often both family members and neighbors get together to share the work and joy of rolling hundreds of tiny yuvarlama köfte. These spiced meatballs are typically made with lean beef mince, and either rice or bulgur flour, but they can also be made without meat. Köfte are then steamed and, together with pre-cooked chickpeas, added to the warm süzme or strained yogurt broth drizzled with minty olive oil. Yuvarlama soup can even include stewed chunks of beef, lamb, or chicken, and it is most often accompanied by rice pilaf, which altogether makes not only for quite a nutritious meal but also an amazing combination of different flavors and textures.

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About this ranking

TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “3 Worst Rated Mersin Foods” list until May 22, 2026, 961 ratings were recorded, of which 465 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.

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