The kumru is an İzmir institution — a soft sesame roll filled with sausage, tomato, kashkaval cheese, and pickled peppers, sold from street stands and small sandwich shops throughout the city. Like boyoz, it has acquired the status of a protected local product and İzmiris are emphatic that a proper kumru can only be made in İzmir.
The best kumru stands cluster near the Kordon promenade and in the Karşıyaka waterfront market. The sandwich is cheap (around 30–40 Turkish lira), filling, and eaten standing up at a counter or on a bench overlooking the bay. It is most satisfying in the late morning or early afternoon, when the bread is fresh.