Trabzon Specialty · Garlic Beef Meatballs

Akçaabat Köfte

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A registered geographical indication protects the "Akçaabat köfte" name in Turkey, meaning it legally has to be made in or near Akçaabat with the traditional recipe to carry the name.

Ground beef is mixed with garlic, soda water, and bread crumbs, shaped into small flat patties, and grilled over charcoal until the edges char, served with grilled tomato, pepper, and flatbread. Akçaabat, a district of Trabzon, has dozens of köfte houses built entirely around this one recipe.

Why it's made this way: Akçaabat's butchers developed a distinct beef-and-garlic meatball recipe generations ago, and the district's identity became so tied to it that the dish now carries formal protected-name status, much like Adana kebab.