Michelin 2025: New gastronomic discoveries in Türkiye

Michelin is pleased to present the 2025 restaurant selection of the MICHELIN Guide Istanbul, Izmir, Muğla.

Unveiled at a ceremony held at the Four Seasons Hotel Bosphorus in Istanbul, the 2025 edition adds 32 new restaurants, bringing the total number of recommended establishments in Türkiye to 132 – 77 in Istanbul, 24 in Izmir and 31 in Muğla.

Among these restaurants freshly unearthed by the MICHELIN Guide Inspectors, 2 have been directly awarded One MICHELIN Star, 8 a Bib Gourmand and 6 a MICHELIN Green Star. Another restaurant, previously recommended last year, was promoted this year and awarded a Bib Gourmand.

Gwendal Poullennec, International director of the MICHELIN Guide, comments: “Once again this year, our Inspectors were won over by the richness and uniqueness of the Turkish culinary scene. With their local craftsmanship, remarkable initiatives that draw the contours of an ever more virtuous gastronomy, and the creativity that is harnessed to reinvent local culinary traditions, Istanbul, Izmir and Muğla are revealing themselves to be a veritable gastronomic mosaic.”

“Furthermore, as we begin to explore new territories in Muğla and Istanbul, our inspection teams are gradually uncovering hidden treasures and unique establishments that will delight local gourmets and international travelers alike. This 2025 selection is a true ode to culinary dynamism and diversity, where each region shines with its own personality and identity.”

Casa Lavanda and Narımor awarded One MICHELIN Star

Located 40 kilometers from downtown Istanbul, Casa Lavanda is a haven of peace, both hotel and restaurant, set among 21,000 m² of gardens and vegetable patches. Heading up the kitchens of this family-run business, chef Emre Şen brilliantly fuses the classic flavors of the Turkish repertoire with touches of more Mediterranean inspiration, particularly Italian. Whether it’s al dente agnolotti stuffed with burrata and mascarpone, or juicy sea bass from the Black Sea served with garden vegetables, the chef’s dishes tell a story of authenticity and sincerity. Particularly committed to promoting the local terroir, highlighting seasonal produce – 80% of the fruit and vegetables come from the property’s kitchen gardens and their own seed bank – and maintaining strong links with the surrounding communities, the restaurant has a stand at the Terre de Sile market, organized by the Slow Food movement to sell surplus from the kitchen garden. Casa Lavanda has also been awarded the MICHELIN Green Star.

In Izmir, running the kitchen of Narımor, chef Atilla Heilbronn harmoniously combines his German roots with Türkiye’s culinary wealth in a refined interpretation of local culinary traditions. With just five tables seating a dozen guests, Narımor offers an intimate, elegant experience where every detail counts. The menu features local produce combined with masterful culinary techniques, as exemplified by its star dish, Apricot Sea Bream, Sea Beans and Kefir, where the flavor of the apricot enhances the exceptional cooking of the fish, and the samphire powder balances the whole with a subtle touch of saltiness. A must-try, according to the Guide’s Inspectors.

In addition to these 2 new Starred restaurants, the Inspectors were impressed by the consistency of the restaurants recommended with one or more Stars in the 2024 selection of the MICHELIN Guide. Continuing to offer outstanding culinary experiences, all the One Star restaurants from the previous edition have maintained their distinction in the 2025 selection, bringing the total number of One Star eateries in the three provinces to 13: Araka, Arkestra, Casa Lavanda, Mikla, Neolokal, Nicole and Sankai by Nagaya in Istanbul; Kitchen By Osman Sezener and Maçakızı in Bodrum and Narımor, OD Urla, Teruar Urla and Vino Locale in Izmir.

Meanwhile, at the pinnacle of the local culinary scene, TURK FATİH TUTAK, located in Istanbul, continues to be recommended with Two MICHELIN Stars for “its exceptional cuisine, worth the detour”.

Six new MICHELIN Green Stars acknowledge the remarkable commitment of a group of trailblazing restaurants

Awarded to the MICHELIN Guide restaurants most committed to eco-responsible gastronomy, the MICHELIN Green Star recognizes the initiatives and endeavors of 6 newly recommended establishments.

Each in its own way, these restaurants are models of a more virtuous approach to gastronomy, where promoting terroir, respecting natural resources, combatting waste production and forging partnerships with small-scale farmers and growers take center stage. In Istanbul, in addition to Casa Lavanda, The BARN and Telezzüz have also been recognized for their commitment. In the province of Muğla, Mezra Yalıkavak (located in Bodrum) and Agora Pansiyon (located in Milas) have also seen their endeavors distinguished, as has Asma Yaprağı in Izmir.

These newly awarded restaurants bring to 10 the total number of Green Star establishments in the 2025 selection of the MICHELIN Guide Istanbul, Izmir, Muğla. Together, these distinctions illustrate the outstanding dedication shown by an impressive number of model restaurateurs when it comes to raising the ecological standards of a gastronomic scene proud of its roots and deeply connected to its local environment.

Nine new restaurants awarded a Bib Gourmand

Particularly appreciated by local gourmets and international travelers, the Bib Gourmand indicates restaurants in the selection that, within a contained price range, offer absolutely remarkable culinary experiences. The MICHELIN Guide Inspectors awarded the Bib Gourmand to 9 new restaurants: 4 in Istanbul, 2 in the province of Izmir and 3 in the province of Muğla.

With the exception of Arka Ristorante Pizzeria, located in Bodrum and offering delicious Italian specialties, these restaurants mostly focus on Turkish flavors and recipes, interpreted in traditional ways or with more contemporary variations.

Lovers of authentic cuisine won’t want to miss lunch or dinner at Ali Ocakbaşı (Istanbul) or Aslında Meyhane (Urla, Izmir). At the latter, the team offers typical Izmir regional recipes, served with generosity and warmth.

More accessible, Tatbak (Istanbul) – until now simply selected by the Inspectors, and promoted this year to the rank of Bib Gourmand – is an Istanbul institution, renowned for its pide, kebab and lahmacun. Very inexpensive, this eatery is an excellent gateway to some of the most popular specialties of Turkish cuisine.

On Istanbul’s Asian shore, gourmets can sit down at the counter of Araf İstanbul, a pocket-sized restaurant, to enjoy contemporary Turkish cuisine and excellent dishes cooked over the coals.
Sharing and conviviality are the watchwords at Nazende Cadde (Istanbul) and Beynel (Bodrum). Here, Inspectors recommend coming with family or friends to order several plates to share throughout the meal. They particularly appreciated Beynel’s informal, open-plan setting, where outdoor tables are sheltered only by orange and lemon trees, with their sweet-smelling scent in season.

Last but not least, the Inspectors were won over by the bohemian, romantic charm of Asma Yaprağı, also awarded the Green Star, and located in Alaçatı (Izmir). Nestled in an idyllic setting, the restaurant invites guests to choose from a selection of dishes prepared daily using local and artisanal products. Driven by the vision of chef Ayşe Nur Mıhcı, this restaurant celebrates sharing and generosity with cuisine as rich as it is authentic.

Even more rustic, Agora Pansiyon (also a Green Star) is a hidden restaurant in the equally hidden village of Kapıkırı, north of Bodrum. This family-run inn offers a very short menu, based mainly on its own production of fruit, vegetables and olive oil, as well as the best locally-sourced meat and fish.
With these new restaurants, as well as those maintaining their distinction for another year, the total number of Bib Gourmand restaurants recommended in the 2025 selection rises to 27; 14 in Istanbul, 8 in Izmir and 5 in Muğla.

22 high quality restaurants join the MICHELIN Guide selection

In addition to the 2 new MICHELIN-starred establishments and the 9 new Bib Gourmand, the Inspectors were seduced by the culinary proposals of 22 other restaurants joining the selection this year. Each depicting the characteristics of the local culinary scene in which they are located, these locales echo the growing exploration of the provinces of Istanbul, Izmir and Muğla carried out year after year by the Guide’s Inspectors.

In Istanbul, a cosmopolitan city where all trends converge, 6 new restaurants have been selected. At the very fashionable Çok Çok Pera, the emphasis is on Thai flavors, while at Lokanta by Divan and Herise İstanbul, Turkish flavors are enhanced by modern gastronomic finery. Apartıman Yeniköy, meanwhile, has the feel of a Mediterranean bistro crowded with the city’s trendy youth.

The BARN and Telezzüz deliver a culinary score at the heart of which is an exceptional allegiance to eco-responsibility, hailed by the MICHELIN Green Star. At the former, located in the verdant oasis of Grandma’s Wonderland, chef Buğra Özdemir gives pride of place to the finest local produce, processed in its entirety in a visionary, zero-waste approach; while at the latter, respect for seasonality gives free rein to the imagination of chef Bahtiyar Büyükduman, who transforms his culinary art into an ethical movement.

In Izmir, 6 new restaurants captivated the MICHELIN Guide inspection teams. From the generous cuisine of Ortaya Alaçatı, to the six-hand proposals of Hus Şarapçılık and the meat restaurant (and butchery) Kasap Fuat Çeşme, these establishments testify to the incredible attachment of Izmir’s restaurants to local and seasonal produce.

In the province of Muğla, which the Inspectors have begun to explore beyond Bodrum, 10 new establishments are added to the selection. In Marmaris, Divia by Maksut Aşkar benefits from the culinary talent of the consultant chef at the helm of the Neolokal restaurant, while in Fetiye, Mori stands out for the absolute freshness of its ingredients. In Bodrum, among the 8 newly recommended restaurants, gourmets can enjoy Greek specialties at Oi Filoi and refined Italian flavors at Oro by Alfredo Russo. At Kornel, the new locale of chef, Zişan Altıncaba, also in charge at Dereköy Lokantası, that has been on the Inspectors’ radar since last year, wood-fired cooking, excellent pizzette and delectable, seasonal cocktails are guaranteed to make for a great dining experience.

All in all, 91 restaurants in the provinces of Istanbul, Izmir and Muğla are recommended for their quality offerings, outlining a flourishing Turkish culinary scene.

Three Special Awards for talented professionals

Through its Special Awards, the MICHELIN Guide wishes to shine the spotlight on the talented professionals who work in the selection’s restaurants, helping to offer guests unforgettable gastronomic experiences that go beyond the kitchen. In so doing, the MICHELIN Guide renews its commitment to showcasing the various restaurant professions and the diversity of associated expertise and know-how.

The 2025 MICHELIN Sommelier Award goes to Yunus Özturk of the Starred OD Urla restaurant. A true master of Turkish wines, Yunus Özturk concocts his wine list as a tribute to the different terroirs of Türkiye and, more specifically, to those of the Urla region. The MICHELIN Guide Inspectors were impressed by his knowledge of and extensive research into the best wineries.

The 2025 MICHELIN Service Award recognizes the excellent collaborative work carried out by the service team at the MICHELIN-starred restaurant Nicole. The Inspectors were captivated by the team’s masterful ballet, with each member free to play his or her own part. From the welcome in the dining room to the oenological experience that speaks to the soul, the service is both discreet and attentive. An experience that was described as exceptional by the Guide’s inspection team.

Last but not least, the 2025 MICHELIN Young Chef Award, which recognizes the already highly accomplished and promising culinary signature of a young talent, goes to Serhat Doğramacı at the Green Star Mezra Yalıkavak restaurant in Bodrum. Winner of the Master Chef Türkiye 2020-21 competition, Serhat Doğramacı combines traditional Turkish flavors with particularly bold culinary techniques (cooking almost exclusively over wood fires or hot coals), projecting his creations into a very assertive gastronomic universe. His defense of the terroir, his respect for produce and his commitment to the restaurant’s own farm have also made him a source of inspiration for a whole generation of chefs.

All the restaurant recommendations in the MICHELIN Guide Istanbul, Izmir, Muğla can be found free of charge on the MICHELIN Guide website and mobile applications. On these platforms, travelers can also access the MICHELIN Guide’s hotel recommendations and book their upcoming stays.