The Michelin Guide’s 2026 Istanbul selection features nine starred restaurants, 17 Bib Gourmand picks and 60 Michelin Selected addresses, offering a broad snapshot of the city’s ever-evolving dining scene.
The Michelin Guide Türkiye 2026 selection was unveiled at a ceremony held at the Four Seasons Hotel Bosphorus on December 4, 2025. Across Istanbul Province, the current guide includes one two-Michelin-star restaurant, eight one-star restaurants, 17 Bib Gourmand establishments and 60 Michelin Selected addresses, bringing the total number of restaurants in the Istanbul selection to 86.
The most notable addition to the city’s starred line-up came from Kadıköy: Araf, founded by Kenan Çetinkaya and Pınar Korgan Çetinkaya, received its first Michelin star. TURK Fatih Tutak, meanwhile, retained its two stars and remains the only restaurant in Istanbul at this level. It is no longer Türkiye’s only two-star restaurant, however, following Vino Locale in İzmir’s promotion to two stars in the 2026 selection. TURK also received a Michelin Green Star this year.
Michelin-Starred Restaurants in Istanbul
TURK Fatih Tutak — 2 Michelin Stars, 1 Green Star
Chef: Fatih Tutak Area: Bomonti, Şişli
Opened by Fatih Tutak in 2019 following a career spent in leading international kitchens, TURK Fatih Tutak remains Istanbul’s only two-Michelin-star restaurant. Tutak’s cuisine reinterprets ingredients sourced from across Türkiye through contemporary techniques, with acidity, smoke and char forming part of the restaurant’s distinctive culinary vocabulary. Local produce and seafood reinforce its connection to the country’s different regions. The Green Star awarded in the 2026 selection further recognises the restaurant’s approach to sustainability, from its relationships with small-scale producers to the way ingredients are sourced and used.
The only new Michelin-starred restaurant in Istanbul’s 2026 selection, Araf is an intimate counter restaurant in Kadıköy built around open-fire cooking. Fire sits at the heart of Kenan and Pınar Korgan Çetinkaya’s kitchen, where everything from offal to vegetables is prepared using different forms of flame and heat. Fermented, acidic and spicy accents add depth to seemingly simple plates, creating a cuisine that is restrained in appearance yet technically layered.
Michelin Starred Restaurants In Istanbul
Michelin Starred Restaurants In Istanbul
Neolokal — 1 Michelin Star, 1 Green Star
Chef: Maksut Aşkar Area: Karaköy, SALT Galata
Located inside SALT Galata, Neolokal is one of Istanbul’s most established contemporary restaurants, known for Maksut Aşkar’s modern interpretation of Anatolian culinary heritage. Local ingredients, forgotten recipes and traditional production techniques are brought into the present through contemporary methods. Alongside its Michelin star, Neolokal retains its Green Star, reflecting an approach built around local producers, sustainability and preserving culinary knowledge.
Michelin Starred Restaurants In Istanbul
Michelin Starred Restaurants In Istanbul
Casa Lavanda — 1 Michelin Star, 1 Green Star
Chef: Emre Şen Area: Ulupelit, Şile
Around 40 kilometres from central Istanbul, Casa Lavanda sits in the village of Ulupelit in Şile, combining its restaurant with the atmosphere of a secluded boutique hotel. Emre Şen’s cuisine brings together Mediterranean and Anatolian flavours with Italian techniques, while much of the fruit and vegetables used in the kitchen comes directly from the property’s own gardens. This farm-to-table approach is also central to the sustainability practices recognised by Michelin with a Green Star.
A quiet, intimate restaurant in Yeniköy, Araka places vegetables, seasonal herbs and aromatic ingredients at the centre of its cuisine. Zeynep Pınar Taşdemir’s plates are characterised by carefully balanced spicy, sour and savoury notes, with pickles, herbs and vegetable purées shaping the restaurant’s distinctive identity. Seasonality and a vegetable-led approach remain central to its Michelin-recognised cooking.
Michelin Starred Restaurants In Istanbul
Michelin Starred Restaurants In Istanbul
Arkestra — 1 Michelin Star
Chef: Cenk Debensason Area: Etiler, Beşiktaş
Housed in a 1960s villa, Arkestra was founded in 2022 by Cenk Debensason and Debora İpekel. Educated in France before gaining experience in the United States, Debensason blends modern European techniques with influences from different culinary traditions. More than simply a restaurant, Arkestra is conceived as a complete evening experience: the upstairs Listening Room adds a music-focused dimension, while Ritmo offers a more casual, sharing-driven approach to dining.
Michelin Starred Restaurants In Istanbul
Michelin Starred Restaurants In Istanbul
Mikla — 1 Michelin Star
Chef: Mehmet Gürs Area: Tepebaşı, Beyoğlu
Perched on the rooftop of The Marmara Pera, Mikla is one of the best-known representatives of Mehmet Gürs’s contemporary approach to Anatolian cuisine. Rather than simply revisiting tradition, Gürs explores local ingredients, production methods and regional culinary cultures through a modern gastronomic language. Mikla retains its Michelin star in the 2026 selection.
Michelin Starred Restaurants In Istanbul
Michelin Starred Restaurants In Istanbul
Nicole — 1 Michelin Star
Chef: Serkan Aksoy Area: Tomtom, Beyoğlu
Set on the rooftop of Tomtom Suites with views stretching towards Istanbul’s historic peninsula, Nicole combines its setting with Serkan Aksoy’s contemporary interpretation of regional cuisine. Drawing on ingredients and recipes from across Türkiye, Aksoy updates traditional flavours with refined techniques, while influences from the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East can also be felt throughout the menu.
Michelin Starred Restaurants In Istanbul
Michelin Starred Restaurants In Istanbul
Sankai by Nagaya — 1 Michelin Star
Chef: Yoshizumi Nagaya Area: Bebek, Beşiktaş
Overlooking the Bosphorus in Bebek, Sankai by Nagaya brings Japanese chef Yoshizumi Nagaya’s contemporary cuisine together with ingredients sourced in Istanbul. Kaiseki-inspired dishes form one side of the experience, complemented by a sushi selection prepared under the direction of Hiroko Shibata. Local seafood interpreted through Japanese techniques gives the restaurant a distinctive identity that bridges the Bosphorus and Japan.
Michelin Starred Restaurants In Istanbul
Michelin Starred Restaurants In Istanbul
Bib Gourmand: Michelin’s 17 Value-Driven Picks in Istanbul
For a broader picture of Istanbul’s food culture, the Bib Gourmand selection offers an equally revealing perspective. Awarded to restaurants serving high-quality food at comparatively accessible prices, the distinction covers 17 establishments in Michelin’s 2026 Istanbul selection, ranging from ocakbaşı restaurants and traditional lokantas to contemporary bistros and regional kitchens.
Casius Antioch Kitchen
Located in Cihangir, Casius Antioch Kitchen brings the flavours of Antakya to Istanbul through sharing plates, oven-baked dishes and the region’s distinctive combination of spices, walnuts, peppers and pomegranate molasses.
Michelin Starred Restaurants In Istanbul
Michelin Starred Restaurants In Istanbul
Cuma
A long-standing Çukurcuma favourite, Cuma offers relaxed Mediterranean cooking throughout the day. Seasonal produce, pizzas, pasta and vegetable-forward plates define its casual yet carefully considered approach.
Karaköy Lokantası
One of Karaköy’s enduring classics, Karaköy Lokantası combines traditional Turkish cooking with Mediterranean influences. Its meze culture and straightforward, well-executed classics remain at the heart of the experience.
Tershane
At Tershane, the menu revolves around meze, kebabs and fire-cooked meats. Smoke, spice and open-flame cooking give traditional flavours a more contemporary setting.
Ali Ocakbaşı Karaköy
Ali Ocakbaşı brings Istanbul’s classic ocakbaşı culture to Karaköy, with grilled lamb and beef, roasted aubergine, freshly baked flatbread and meze forming the backbone of the table.
Pandeli
With roots stretching back to 1901, Pandeli is one of Istanbul’s most historic restaurants. Located above the Spice Bazaar since 1957, it serves traditional Turkish and Ottoman-inspired dishes in one of the city’s most recognisable dining rooms.
Foxy Nişantaşı
Founded by chef Maksut Aşkar and wine expert Levon Bağış, Foxy Nişantaşı pairs contemporary Turkish cooking with a strong focus on wines from local producers. Updated interpretations of familiar flavours suit the restaurant’s relaxed bistro atmosphere.
Mahir Lokantası
Mahir Lokantası in Şişli represents the unpretentious spirit of the traditional Turkish lokanta, serving familiar home-style dishes in a straightforward and accessible format.
SADE “Beş Denizler Mutfağı”
SADE draws inspiration from the different culinary regions of Anatolia, presenting their flavours through a contemporary lens. Spices, meat and regional recipes give the menu a rich, layered character.
Tatbak
A Nişantaşı institution since 1960, Tatbak is best known for its lahmacun and kebabs inspired by the cuisine of Gaziantep. Traditional recipes and direct, flavour-driven cooking remain its greatest strengths.
Yanyalı Fehmi Lokantası
Founded in 1919, Yanyalı Fehmi is one of Kadıköy’s historic lokantas. Now run by the third generation, it serves a broad selection of Turkish classics, from lamb and aubergine dishes to traditional desserts.
EFENDY
EFENDY was included among Michelin’s 2026 Bib Gourmand restaurants for its contemporary interpretation of Anatolian cuisine, with open-fire cooking and traditional techniques at the heart of its identity. The Istanbul restaurant, however, ceased operations in August 2026, so it should be regarded as part of the published 2026 selection rather than a current dining recommendation.
Parvus Kalamış
Small and relaxed, Parvus Kalamış blends Turkish and Mediterranean influences in a menu shaped by what is available each day. The focus remains on ingredient quality and uncomplicated flavour.
Ahmet Ustam Ocakbaşı
The grill is the undisputed centre of Ahmet Ustam Ocakbaşı. Kebabs and meats cooked over charcoal offer a direct expression of Istanbul’s traditional ocakbaşı culture.
Nazende Cadde
Located on Bağdat Avenue, Nazende offers traditional Turkish dishes built around seasonal ingredients. Offal, lamb and classic desserts form part of its broad and deeply familiar repertoire.
mutfakkoz
In Kozyatağı, mutfakkoz stands out for its open kitchen and a menu prepared largely in-house. Familiar dishes, from kuru fasulye to mackerel sandwiches, are treated with a relaxed yet thoughtful approach.
Tavacı Recep Usta Bostancı
The Bostancı branch of Tavacı Recep Usta brings the meat-driven culinary traditions of Southeastern Anatolia to Istanbul. Sac tava, lamb, kebabs, roasted vegetables and meze dominate the menu.
Michelin Selected: 60 Restaurants on the Guide’s Radar
Beyond stars and Bib Gourmand distinctions, Michelin’s inspectors included another 60 Istanbul restaurants in the 2026 selection:
Saatolog Yıllık Saat Dergisi Saatolog’un yeni sayısı, 2020’nin yarattığı bu dönüştürücü etkiden ilham alarak hazırlandı. Dünya dijitalin etkisiyle her zamankinden de hızlı bir şekilde ilerlerken yavaşlamanın da önemini sonunda kavramış bulunuyoruz ve bu tezatlık hayatlarımızın her anına etki ediyor. Biz de bundan yola çıkarak Saatolog 2020/21 sayısını ‘‘hızlı ve yavaş’’ teması altında hazırladık.
