İzmir and Bodrum make a brilliant entry in the 2024 MICHELIN Guide

Michelin is pleased to present the new selection of restaurants to appear in the İstanbul, İzmir, Bodrum MICHELIN Guide. In total, the Michelin inspectors recommend 111 establishments, including – for the first time – 15 in İzmir and 19 in Bodrum. Of these, 3 restaurants in İzmir and 2 in Bodrum are awarded One MICHELIN Star, while 8 receive a Bib Gourmand (2 in Bodrum and 6 in İzmir). In İstanbul, 25 restaurants are also newly joining the selection or are being promoted, including 2 restaurants being awarded One MICHELIN Star and 8 receiving the Bib Gourmand. This brings the total number of recommended restaurants in İstanbul to 77.

Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the MICHELIN Guide, states, “Once again this year, our inspectors were impressed with İstanbul’s culinary scene. A cosmopolitan city with a complex character, İstanbul offers a remarkably rich gastronomic panorama, from classic Turkish taverns to trendy, international establishments to modern, casual restaurants. This second selection – which features 24 new restaurants, including 2 new One MICHELIN Star, dotted throughout the city – also illustrates a rise in gastronomic standards driven by a generation of daring chefs who are proud of their traditions.”

“Our teams particularly appreciated the differences between İzmir and Bodrum, two cities making a remarkable entry into the MICHELIN Guide family. Local roots, loyalty to the terroir, and strong links with local producers are common features shared by many of the recommended restaurants in and around İzmir. That commitment is demonstrated by the attribution of the MICHELIN Green Star to no fewer than 3 of the area’s restaurants. Bodrum, for its part, offers an interesting gastronomic complementarity: upscale and international spots flourish on the coast, while the downtown area features small, independent restaurants that are particularly picturesque and affordable,” continues Gwendal Poullennec.

Seven restaurants are newly awarded One MICHELIN Star
For the first time ever, 3 restaurants in İzmir have been awarded One MICHELIN Star. OD Urla – led by Chef Osman Sezener – stands out for its authentic, deep-rooted culinary approach. In this family-run estate surrounded by vineyards and olive groves, the chef and his team showcase the finest local ingredients. Half of them are grown directly on-site, while the remainder is sourced with producers and artisans in the local vicinity. The plates are simple, natural, and rustic in some cases, but each dish is always perfectly executed, and those grilled on the restaurant’s open wood fire deserve an honorable mention.

At Teruar Urla, Chef Osman Serdaroğlu and his team concoct Mediterranean-inspired cuisine with Italian nuances, highlighting the extent of the local produce. From lamb saltimbocca to fried zucchini with fresh goat cheese and dried yogurt, the dishes are minimalist yet surprisingly rich in flavor. The wine list is equally impressive, paying tribute to the different terroirs of Türkiye.

Ozan and Seray Kumbasar have created a unique destination at Vino Locale. This enthusiastic couple has no other ambition than for their guests to discover the excellence of their local area. Chef Ozan Kumbasar uses only the finest produce, which he is particularly careful to source locally. The menu, which closely follows the seasons, is updated every six weeks with sensual, sophisticated cuisine. In the dining room, Seray Kumbasar guides gourmets through a remarkable selection of regional wines. Her after-dinner drink trolley is also exceptional.

2 restaurants in Bodrum are awarded One MICHELIN Star. Kitchen, run by Chef Osman Sezener, offers modern Turkish cuisine with delicious international accents. Here, regional and fresh produce take center stage in simple, generous, richly flavored dishes, such as octopus grilled over hot charcoals and enhanced with a salsa verde made with garden herbs.

After strolling along the magnificent coastal roads, lovers of modern Aegean cuisine will delight in Maçakızı, located in the eponymous hotel that the MICHELIN Guide also recommends. Chef Aret Sahakyan proposes creative dishes that play on local culinary traditions. The wine list is also first-rate, from Turkish and European vintages to an impressive champagne cellar.

Finally, 2 restaurants in İstanbul have been newly awarded One MICHELIN Star. At Arkestra, Chef Cenk Debensason – a native of İstanbul with an international background – demonstrates the extent of his expertise and culinary credentials. His cuisine is the fusion of a variety of horizons, with options ranging from marinated tuna sashimi with sushi rice ice cream and ginger-ponzu vinaigrette to perfectly cooked duck breast with apicius sauce.

At Sankai by Nagaya, Chef Yoshizumi Nagaya offers two top-notch omakase meals. The first features beautifully executed sushi, prepared with local fish whenever possible by the master sushi chef Hiroko Shibata. The second celebrates kaiseki cuisine, enhanced here and there with a few European touches such as veal cheeks cooked at low temperature for 48 hours and served with beans, ponzu mayonnaise, and powdered vinegar.

These 2 new MICHELIN Star additions bring İstanbul’s number of One Star restaurants to 6, with Araka, Nicole, Mikla and Neolokal all confirming their distinction again this year. At the top of the local culinary scene, Turk Fatih Tutak maintains Two MICHELIN Stars for its “exceptional cuisine, worth a special detour.”

4 new MICHELIN Green Stars acknowledge eco-responsible restaurants
The MICHELIN Guide 2024 selection also includes four new MICHELIN Green Star establishments: 3 in İzmir and one in İstanbul. The MICHELIN Green Star celebrates restaurants trailblazing eco-responsibility, and it is also a reliable indicator of authentic, inspiring cuisines. OD Urla, Vino Locale and Hiç Lokanta in İzmir are awarded, while Circle by Vertical in İstanbul is also newly recognized. Since Neolokal is also retaining its MICHELIN Green Star, this brings the total number of eco-committed restaurants in the 2024 selection to five.

16 new Bib Gourmand restaurants
In the MICHELIN Guide selection, the Bib Gourmand is newly awarded to 16 restaurants: 2 in Bodrum, 6 in İzmir, and 8 in İstanbul (of which, one is a promotion).
In Bodrum, the inspectors particularly appreciated the conviviality and generosity of the mezze offered in the charming İki Sandal tavern. They also enjoyed the grilled meats served at Otantik Ocakbaşı.

İzmir is widely acclaimed for its traditional Turkish cuisine. Mezze, simmered meat, vegetable soups and syrupy baklava compete for flavor at Adil Müftüoğlu, Ayşa Boşnak Börekçisi, Beğendik Abi and Tavacı Recep Usta. In the old town, Hiç Lokanta – which has also been awarded the MICHELIN Green Star for its sustainable initiatives – offers a more modern, plant-based cuisine. LA Mahzen, located in the Lucien Arkas vineyard, celebrates the finest local wines while offering savory, top-notch Mediterranean cuisine.

In İstanbul, the 8 new Bib Gourmand restaurants offer a more eclectic culinary panorama, from the Italian flavors of Aida – vino e cucina and Fauna, to the Japanese delicacies of Inari Omakase Kuruçeşme or the Mediterranean tastes of The Red Balloon. Turkish cuisine, both modern and traditional, is also included, with Circle by Vertical, Efendy, Tavacı Recep Usta Bostancı and Foxy Nişantaşı.

In addition to these newcomers, all 10 İstanbul restaurants previously recommended with a Bib Gourmand in the 2023 edition of the MICHELIN Guide retain their distinction. 18 Bib Gourmand restaurants thus shine within Türkiye’s biggest city.

36 new restaurants are added to the selection
In addition to the restaurants awarded One or more MICHELIN Stars or the Bib Gourmand, the inspectors also newly recommend 36 restaurants that stand out for the quality of their cuisine. 6 are located in İzmir, 15 in Bodrum, and 15 in İstanbul. Among these new restaurants, diversity is the order of the day, from the Anatolian specialties at Lokanta Göktürk in İstanbul’s Eyüpsultan district to the many mezze at Bağarası in Bodrum to the excellent meat at Kasap Fuat in İzmir. Asian cuisine aficionados won’t want to miss the Japanese specialties of Akira Back İstanbul or Zuma Bodrum, or the Cantonese flavors of Hakkasan İstanbul; those who prefer Italian cuisine will settle down at Isola Manzara (Bodrum) or Ristorante Pizzeria Venedik (İzmir). Eleos Yeşilköy (İstanbul), SOTA ALAÇATI (İzmir), and Sait (Bodrum) all offer extraordinary fish and seafood.

Adding these 15 new tables selected in İstanbul to the 37 that continue to be recommended this year, the city now boasts 52 acclaimed restaurants.

3 MICHELIN Special Awards
To celebrate outstanding savoir-faire and highlight various restaurant professions, the inspectors have also decided to honor 3 talented professionals who contribute to forge memorable dining experiences.

Awarded for the first time as part of the İstanbul, İzmir, Bodrum MICHELIN Guide, the MICHELIN Sommelier Award goes to Seray Kumbasar of the Green Star and One MICHELIN Star restaurant Vino Locale in İzmir.

The MICHELIN Service Award, sponsored by Mastercard, goes to Ismail Kahveci and the service team of the Tuğra restaurant in İstanbul for their exceptional sense of hospitality.

In conclusion, the MICHELIN Young Chef Award – in recognition of a promising young talent – goes to Ulaş Durmaz of the Bib Gourmand restaurant The Red Balloon in İstanbul.

The MICHELIN Guide İstanbul, İzmir, Bodrum at a glance:
111 recommended restaurants (77 in İstanbul, 15 in İzmir, 19 in Bodrum) including:
– 1 Two MICHELIN Star restaurant (İstanbul)
– 11 One MICHELIN Star restaurants (6 in İstanbul, 3 in İzmir, 2 in Bodrum)
– 26 Bib Gourmand restaurants (18 in İstanbul, 6 in İzmir, 2 in Bodrum)
– 73 selected restaurants (52 in İstanbul, 6 in İzmir and 15 in Bodrum)
– 5 MICHELIN Green Star restaurants (2 in İstanbul, 3 in İzmir)

The full selection of the İstanbul, İzmir, Bodrum MICHELIN Guide is available free of charge on the MICHELIN Guide website and app. The restaurant selection is completed by the MICHELIN Guide hotel selection, which highlights the most unique and exciting places to stay in Türkiye and throughout the world.

Every hotel in the Guide is chosen for its extraordinary style, service, and character, with options for all budgets, and each hotel can be booked directly through the MICHELIN Guide website and app.

The MICHELIN Guide is a benchmark in gastronomy. Now it’s setting a new standard for hotels. Visit the MICHELIN Guide website, or download the free app for iOS and Android, to discover every restaurant in the selection and book an unforgettable hotel.