Most people in Turkey do not eat pork. This is a personal choice, and in tourist and expat resorts, you can find shops and restaurants selling pork. So, whether you are a tourist seeking out the classic bacon butty, or an expat looking for the traditional English breakfast, you will find it.
For Muslims, pork remains culturally unappealing, and beliefs stem from concerns about overall gut health and nutritional value. But many foreigners and tourists still want to eat it. In this article, we discuss why most Turks don't eat the much-loved bacon and sausages, and what to know if you want to buy pork in Turkey.
Summary: Do People Eat Pork in Turkey
- Most Turks do not eat pork for religious reasons. 97% of the country is Muslim, and Islam forbids the consumption of pork, much like Judaism. So, there is no need for a pork industry or pig farming because of the lack of demand.
- Additionally, because pork isn't a staple meat, Turks haven't been raised on it. To them, it is a foreign meat. Instead, Turks eat beef or lamb. But they prefer chicken and fish because they are cheaper.
- Turks have freedom when it comes to religion, so if a Turk wants to eat sausage, bacon, etc., they can. Occasionally, you will come across the odd Turk who has married a foreigner or spent time abroad, and they eat the meat.
- In big cities like Istanbul, and the touristic coastal towns, speciality stores sell pork. Expatriate communities buy their bacon, sausages, black pudding, and pork chops here. The stores also sell other imported goods like Branston pickle or curry sauces, or ham and salami for a charcuterie board.
- Tourists heading to holiday places like Antalya, Fethiye, Bodrum, Marmaris, and Altinkum visit restaurants that offer tourist dining options and serve an English breakfast, BLT sandwiches, and traditional Sunday dinners.
1: The Kozmaoğlu brothers: Istanbul's Last Pork Butcher Shop
Among Istanbul's expat hubs and secular high society, the Kozmaoğlu brothers have an almost iconic name. Featured in 2016 by Vice Magazine, their story reached a global audience. The brothers, Kozma and Lazari Kozmaoglu, who owned a pig farm in Kesan in 1972, first opened their shop in 1975 in the Beyoglu district.
This wasn't unusual, since Istanbul, and more specifically the Beyoglu district, has a long history of foreign communities. Before the Ottoman Empire's demise, Beyoglu was also the centre for foreign consulates.
While the pig farm no longer operates, their shop, "Ideal Salam," has attracted attention over the years from both Turkish media and foreign publications for its meat products and display. People no longer queue outside their shop for their specialist hams and salamis, but the shop still runs an Instagram profile.
2: The Tropical Pig Farm
These days, only a handful of pig breeders operate, and the Tropical Pig Farm in Antalya has been operating since 1995. Now owning 1,000 pigs of the American Yorkshire and Scandinavian Berkshire breeds, the farm supplies restaurants nationwide. They also supply metro cash-and-carry stores across the south and west coasts.
Selling everything from deli meats to pork belly, their slaughterhouse follows strict whole-animal butchery processes to meet the Agriculture Ministry's requirements for owning a pig farm and selling products that meet European standards. The strict rules focus on pig farming, livestock permits, abattoir facilities, and pig slaughterhouses.
3: What does the Quran say about Eating Pork?
Islamic dietary laws say pork is haram. This strict taboo mirrors aspects of Jewish law (kashrut), which also forbids it. The Quran refers to the pig as the flesh of the swine, rijs, an Arabic term that translates to "impure," "abominable," or "unclean."
But in Quran 16:115, a clause says if a person is facing starvation and there is no other substance to eat, they can eat the meat, and it would be a discretion, not a sin. In Turkey, it is a personal decision, not one enforced by the imam of local mosques or by the government, since it follows secularism, which is the separation of law and religion.
In countries of the Middle East and Asia, like Saudi Arabia, Iran and Afghanistan, citizens don’t have the choice. Yet in Turkey, pork is a food item, defined by its cultural position, consumed by expat communities, and carefully regulated by the state.
4: What Kind of Meat do Turkish People Eat?
So, since imported sausages and pork butchery are off the table for most Turks, it is natural to wonder what they eat instead. Lamb and beef appear in dishes like Kebabs, kofte, dolma, Lahmacun, and stews. But these meats are expensive, so Turkish cuisine focuses on fish and chicken.
5: Can Muslims Drink Alcohol in Turkey?
Yes, Muslims can drink alcohol in Turkey. A pious Muslim abstains because the Quran forbids it. However, many non-practising Muslims drink alcohol because most supermarkets and shops have alcohol licences.
6: Can you Get an English Breakfast in Turkey?
Yes, you can get an English breakfast in Turkey if you are in the holiday resorts of the Aegean and Mediterranean. In places like Bodrum, Fethiye, Altinkum, Kusadasi, Marmaris and Antalya, some restaurants cater purely to tourists and sell breakfasts with proper sausages and bacon. Prices vary, but in cheaper towns expect to pay around £10, and in more expensive areas this rises to £20.
More About Turkish Food and Drink
From the Grand Bazaar and spice markets to urban areas, Turkish cuisine and cooking are far from easy to understand. Along with regional dishes and available ingredients, the national cuisine is rooted in historical factors dating back to the Ottoman era, as well as influences from their conquered lands. Our food and drink blog covers it all, from Anatolian delights to a wide variety of kebabs. If you enjoyed this article about whether people eat pork in Turkey, then you will love our blog.
Aleksandra Cihanoğlu 
Senior Advisor
Aleksandra Cihanoğlu is a Senior Advisor at Property Turkey and a regular contributor on topics including Citizenship by Investment, relocation, travel, and lifestyle opportunities in Turkey. Her writing focuses on helping international readers understand the practical realities of living, investing, and building a long-term future in the country.
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