Esnaf lokantaları yıllar boyu çevrelerinde yer alan esnafa Türk yemek örneklerini makul fiyatlarla sunan lezzet duraklarıdır. Esnaf tanımına iş yerlerinde çalışanlar, ticaretle uğraşanlar ve işletme sahipleri girmektedir. Esnaf lokantalarının bazıları mikro ölçekte olsa da genellikle küçük işletmelerdir. Yaşadıkları sorunlara bağlı olarak zaman içinde kapananların dışında, ülkemizdeki esnaf lokantalarının bir bölümü halen üçüncü-dördüncü kuşak ve/veya el değiştirme yoluyla günümüzde de varlıklarını sürdürmektedir. Esnaf lokantaları Türk mutfağına özgü yemekleri ile son yıllarda gastronomi turizminden pay alabilecek bir potansiyele sahiptir. Günümüzde seyahat eden altı turistten biri gastronomi turizmi kapsamındadır. Araştırmanın amacı, Mersin'deki esnaf lokantalarının yiyecek sektöründeki konumlarını ve müşteri profillerini belirlemek, sorunlarını ortaya koymak ve ülke turizminde etkili olabilecek bu işletmelerin sürdürülebilirliklerine yönelik öneriler geliştirmektir. Araştırmada nitel yöntem kullanılmıştır. Veriler esnaf lokantalarının yöneticileri ile yüz yüze görüşmeler yapılarak toplanmıştır. Verilen yanıtlar çerçevesinde lokantaların müşteri profilleri ve yaşadıkları sorun kategorileri belirlenmiştir. Sonuç olarak; Mersin'deki esnaf lokantalarının enflasyonun getirdiği fiyat artışları, sermaye yetersizliği, finansman güçlükleri, müşteri kaybı gibi sorunlar yaşamalarına karşın, esnaf lokantası kültürünü yaşatma azminde oldukları belirlenmiştir. Ayrıca, Mersin’deki esnaf lokantalarının sürdürülebilirliği ve gastronomi turizminde etkili olabilmeleri için önerilerde sunulmuştur.

The aim of this research is to determine the position of Mersin artisan restaurants in the food sector, to identify their customer profile, to reveal their problems and to develop suggestions for them to be sustainable and effective in gastronomy tourism. The results of the research, which aims to determine the position of the artisan restaurants in Mersin in the food sector, to determine the customer profile, to reveal their problems and to develop suggestions for the sustainability of these businesses are given below. 1. Most of the artisan restaurants in the sample are small-scale and they experience problems such as price increases, lack of capital, financing difficulties and loss of customers due to inflation in our country. It was determined that during the research period many businesses were closed because of the problems mentioned. 2. Despite the difficulties, the establishments are determined to maintain their cuisine that reflects the Turkish food culture. While some of them have served for three to four generations (40-50 years), a few others increased their scale and diversified their product categories, serving more customers, mainly white-collar clients at higher prices. 3. Artisan restaurants have included in their menus the foods that reflect Mersin's culinary culture, such as “tantuni” and wrap varieties, in addition to the traditional dishes they serve in line with their customer profile. In one third of the restaurants within the scope of the research, the main foods served are tantuni and wraps. 4. The research has a unique quality as it puts forward that the artisan restaurants’ dishes reflect our culture; both the Turkish food culture and types of dishes specific to Mersin cuisine. An example of this is the following statements from the definition of artisan restaurants by the restaurant managers interviewed: - to prepare the dishes of various regions of our culture and present them to the customers, without losing their originality. - to provide catering services by considering and understanding the budgets of middle and lower income customers, - to consistently provide quality food and friendly service at affordable prices, - to ensure that all customers leave the premises satisfied and happy. The following views on the role of artisan restaurants in keeping our culture alive are another indication of the originality of the research: - artisan restaurants are businesses that keep our food culture alive, - artisan restaurants are the kitchen of the neighborhood and the meeting point of the local working population, - artisan restaurants are places that can appeal to all segments of the society, prepare the dishes of various regions of our culture without losing their originality and present them as if they are welcoming guests at home, - artisan restaurants are places where local delicacies are prepared in accordance with traditions and offered at affordable prices, - artisan restaurants are places where customers can share a loaf of bread, meet at the same table and help each other, regardless of seniority or position in the society. 5. Tourism planners, Mersin tourism operators and food producers, the Ministry of Culture are working hard to find and reveal forgotten flavors as an effective means of promoting Turkish culture in each of our provinces. In this context, it is suggested that artisan restaurants, which have a high potential in gastronomy tourism in terms of both domestic and foreign tourism with their dishes reflecting the traditional Turkish food culture and Mersin cuisine, should receive sufficient government support in solving their problems, thus ensuring their sustainability. As a result, these businesses, which are the faithful guardians of Turkish food culture, can play a leading role in the development of gastronomic tourism in the food sector of Mersin, which includes various cultures and carries the traces of Turkish food culture as well as Arabian food culture and nomadic culture.