The Verdict
Ferdi Baba began as a small fish house at Aya Yorgi cove in Çeşme in 1981, opened by Ferdi Kabak; the family has since added branches, of which the Alaçatı marina location is the one to book. The format is the Aegean ritual — a cold-meze trolley, hot mezes, then whole fish priced by weight, eaten slowly over rakı by the water. The kitchen's name dishes are the şevketi bostanlı levrek (sea bass with golden thistle), octopus baked in a casserole, and the sweet-curd Ferdi katmer. Reckon on roughly ₺2,200 (about €75) a head for the full spread; Alaçatı prices run above Istanbul.
The Kitchen
There is no celebrity chef here; Ferdi Baba is a family seafood house, run by the Kabak family since Ferdi Kabak opened the original at Aya Yorgi cove in 1981. The cooking is Aegean and built on the day's catch. Start with the cold-meze selection — thirty-odd hot options and twenty-five cold are listed — then the signatures: şevketi bostanlı levrek, sea bass cooked with the bitter golden-thistle green that grows along this coast; octopus baked in a casserole with wine; and the Ferdi katmer, a thin pastry filled with sweet curd to finish. Whole fish is chosen at the counter and priced by weight, which is where the bill climbs. Expect roughly ₺2,200, about €75, a head for a full meze-and-fish dinner with a little rakı; Alaçatı runs about thirty per cent above Istanbul rates.
The Room
The Alaçatı branch sits on the marina at Port Alaçatı, tables out by the boats, which is the point: this is a long, leisurely outdoor dinner with the water a few metres away. It is busy and social in season rather than hushed, lit by evening and the marina lights, with service that runs at the unhurried Aegean pace. Dress is resort-casual; smart linen, not a jacket.
Best for a Celebration Dinner
Book Ferdi Baba for a relaxed celebration or a long summer dinner by the water: a table on the marina, a spread of mezes, a whole fish to share, and rakı poured slowly as the evening goes. It suits a group or a couple who want the full Aegean ritual rather than a quick meal, and it is one of the names Çeşme regulars have trusted for fish since 1981.
Not For
Not for travellers on a budget or anyone who wants a fixed price before sitting down — fish is sold by weight and Alaçatı rates are high, so a full dinner runs to about €75 a head and up. It is also not the place for a fast lunch; the meze-and-fish format is built to linger.
Reservations
Book ahead in summer, especially for a marina-side table at sunset; the Alaçatı port fills quickly in season. Confirm which branch you are reserving — the family runs more than one location around Çeşme and Alaçatı.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Ferdi Baba known for?
Ferdi Baba is an Aegean fish-and-meze house the Kabak family has run since 1981. Its name dishes are şevketi bostanlı levrek (sea bass with golden thistle), octopus baked in a casserole, and the sweet-curd Ferdi katmer, served alongside a large cold- and hot-meze selection and whole fish priced by weight.
How much does dinner cost at Ferdi Baba in Alaçatı?
Plan on roughly ₺2,200, about €75, per person for a full meze-and-fish dinner with some rakı, based on recent diner reports. Whole fish is priced by weight, so the total depends on what you choose at the counter, and Alaçatı prices run around thirty per cent above Istanbul. It is a $$$ dinner.
Which Ferdi Baba location should I book?
The family runs several branches around Çeşme and Alaçatı; the marina-side restaurant at Port Alaçatı (Alaçatı Yat Limanı, -1 Sok. No:4) is the one to book for the waterfront dinner. Confirm the branch when you reserve, since the original began at Aya Yorgi cove in Çeşme back in 1981.
Is Ferdi Baba good for a quick meal?
No. The format is the slow Aegean ritual — a cold-meze trolley, hot mezes, then whole fish over rakı by the water — designed to be lingered over for an evening. For a fast lunch it is the wrong choice; come when you have a few hours and want to settle in by the marina.
Does Ferdi Baba have a Michelin star?
No. Ferdi Baba is not in the MICHELIN Guide; Çeşme and Alaçatı fall outside its current Turkish coverage. Its standing comes from more than four decades as a trusted Aegean seafood institution since 1981, not from a star. The appeal is fresh fish, a deep meze list and a table by the boats.
Also in Çeşme
For more Alaçatı dining, compare Agrilia and Enginarre, or look at Olea Biblos for a Mediterranean alternative.