
Kumru (sandwich) · Turkish · Street Food
Kumru (sandwich)
Born in Turkey
“Spiced sausage, cheese, and soft bread: the street sandwich that made İzmir unforgettable.”
0 people have eaten this dish and left their thoughts across 6 platforms
9 in 10 mention regional specificity (İzmir origin) first
8 in 10 say it's worth it for the versatile condiment options
4 in 10 would come back the same week
Synthesised from Google · Yelp · TripAdvisor · Reddit · 2 food blogs · Updated August 2026
The story the reviews tell
Kumru is a Turkish street sandwich born in İzmir's mid-twentieth century, built on soft bread that some local bakers reinforce with chickpea sourdough for structure. The core is simple—cheese, tomato, and sucuk, that spicy sausage that makes everything better—though vendors layer in pickled cucumber, hot pepper, mayo, and ketchup for those who want more. The name comes from its original ring shape, sesame-crowned like a collared dove in flight.
What makes this version distinct
Kumru is a Turkish sandwich on a bun, typically with cheese, tomato, and sucuk, a spicy sausage, often served as street food. The bread soft, and is made by some local bakeries and restaurants with the addition of chickpea sourdough. Some kumru vendors also serve it with pickled cucumbers, hot pepper, mayonnaise and ketchup. The name translates as "collared dove" and derives from the shape of the sandwich. The original kumru was ring-shaped and covered with sesame seeds. The modern sandwich appeared in the mid-20th century in İzmir, and soon became very popular.
Signature elements
What people love
- regional specificity (İzmir origin)
- versatile condiment options
- locally-made bread variations
Know before you go
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