The 2026 Michelin Star candidates for Istanbul restaurants have been announced. This exciting list includes restaurants with stars, as well as those on the Bib Gourmand and recommendation lists.

Last year’s Michelin Star winners in Istanbul kept their stars. Two new restaurants also received Michelin Stars. Another Istanbul chef got a Green Star, bringing Turkey’s total to five Green Star restaurants. Seven more Turkish restaurants received Michelin Stars, 16 were added to the Bib Gourmand list, and there are now 74 restaurants on the recommendation list.

Istanbul Michelin restaurants stand out by perfectly showcasing the flavors of the many cultures the city has seen over centuries. Each Michelin Star restaurant and its chef have unique stories, from their ingredients to their cooking methods.

Istanbul Michelin Restaurants 2026

1. TURK Fatih Tutak – 2 Michelin

We walk into TURK with that specific Istanbul feeling—half “this is going to be serious,” half “please let us survive the tasting menu.” Chef Fatih Tutak didn’t just flirt with Michelin attention; he held onto the two Michelin Stars he earned last year, and the kitchen runs like a confident orchestra. At TURK, he reimagines Anatolian flavors by digging into the roots of Turkish cuisine and reshaping familiar tastes into plates that feel unmistakably their own—each dish treated like a small, edible artwork.

Cumhuriyet Hacıahmet Silahşör Cad, Yeniyol Sk. No:2, 34440 Şişli/İstanbul | instagram.com/turkfatihtutak/

2. Mikla- 1 Michelin

Mikla is the kind of place that makes you pause mid-bite and stare out at the skyline like you’re in a moody film about excellent decisions. Perched with a view of historic Istanbul, it’s been a city favorite since October 2005—and yes, that Michelin Star feels earned, not borrowed. The name “Mikla” is the old Viking word for Istanbul, which fits perfectly because the menu loves a clever mash-up: Turkish depth with Scandinavian restraint. Expect refined flavors, stylish plating, and ingredients pulled from different corners of Anatolia—the kind of sourcing that quietly flexes.

Asmalı Mescit, The Marmara Pera, Meşrutiyet Cd. No:15, 34430 Beyoğlu/İstanbul | instagram.com/miklarestaurant/

3. Nicole- 2 Michelin

Nicole Restaurant feels like a secret you’re thrilled to share—set on the top floor of the historic Soeurs Garde-Malades (Nurses Sisters) Apartment, a building that’s been telling stories since 1901. Franciscan nuns once lived here, including Agnés Marthe Nicole, and the restaurant keeps her name like a quiet nod to the past. Under chef Serkan Aksoy, Nicole blends traditional Turkish flavors with a modern edge—not “modern” as in confusing, but “modern” as in: familiar tastes, sharpened and lifted until they feel unforgettable.

Tomtom, Tomtom Kaptan Sk. No:18, 34433 Beyoğlu/İstanbul | instagram.com/nicolerestaurant

4. Neolokal – 1 Michelin

Neolokal, led by Chef Maksut Aşkar, keeps its shine—holding onto both its Michelin Star and Green Star from last year like it’s no big deal (it is, actually). This is where Anatolia meets the present day, and somehow neither side loses: modern techniques woven into deep-rooted food traditions, with a clear respect for land, produce, and the people who grow it. Every plate feels like a bridge—past to present, present to future—without turning into a lecture.

Azapkapı, Mahı, Bankalar Cd. No:11, 34420, 34421 Beyoğlu/İstanbul | instagram.com/neolokal/

5. Araka- 1 Michelin

Araka, founded by Chef Pınar Taşdemir, is our “escape hatch” when Istanbul feels too loud and we need beauty on a plate instead of chaos on the street. Tucked into a charming standalone spot on one of Yeniköy’s lovely streets that drifts toward the sea, it’s a dream for anyone who loves fresh vegetables, herbs, and clean, aromatic flavors. The dishes aren’t trying to shock you—they’re trying to win you over, calmly, and they usually succeed.

Yeniköy, Kapalı Bakkal Sk. No:8, 34464 Sarıyer/İstanbul | instagram.com/araka.istanbul/

6. Arkestra – 1 Michelin

Arkestra is proof that Istanbul’s food scene doesn’t sit still—it sprints. Chef Cenk Debensason has built a restaurant that charmed Michelin inspectors with ease, and the vibe is clear from the first plate: this is art-on-a-plate cooking with seasonal obsession. The menu leans modern European but flirts with global ideas, the kind of creative mix that feels confident instead of confused.

Etiler, Dilhayat Sk. No:28, 34337 Beşiktaş/İstanbul | instagram.com/arkestra.ist/

7. Casa Lavanda – 1 Michelin & 1 Green Star

Casa Lavanda is where we go when we want Istanbul to exhale. Chef Emre Şen turns sustainability into something you can taste—not as a trend, but as a delicious, deliberate way of cooking. His vision earned both 1 Green Michelin Star and 1 Red Star, and the restaurant backs it up with real effort: around 80% of the vegetables come from its own organic garden, while the rest of the ingredients are sourced from local farmers and seasonal producers. Set in Ulupelit village in Şile, it’s the kind of peaceful, green escape that makes you forget you’re anywhere near a mega-city.

Lavanda Hotel, Ulupelit, Seçilmiş Sok No:2, 34980 Şile/İstanbul | instagram.com/casalavanda/

8. Sankai by Nagaya – 1 Michelin

Sankai by Nagaya is where we trade Bosphorus chaos for precision—quiet, focused, and deeply satisfying. This Japanese omakase concept comes from Michelin-starred chef Yoshizumi Nagaya and sits inside the Bebek Hotel by The Stay. Every course arrives like a composed scene: art-like plates, Edomae-style sushi, and Kaiseki elements served in omakase rhythm, where you don’t decide—Chef does, and you just thank the universe.

Bebek, Cevdet Paşa Cd. No:34, 34342 Beşiktaş/İstanbul | instagram.com/sankaibynagaya/

9. The Barn – 1 Michelin Green Star

We go to The Barn when we want dinner to feel like a deep breath. Surrounded by calm, it’s less “restaurant night” and more “we’ve temporarily moved to the countryside and everything tastes better.” Led by Chef Buğra Özdemir, the experience is built around sustainability and serious flavor, using fresh, farm-sourced ingredients with eco-minded practices and a playful, inventive touch.

Gazitepe Mah, Akoren Caddesi, Ören, Çiftlik Evleri No:114, 34570 Silivri/İstanbul | instagram.com/thebarn_in_thefarm/

10. Telezzüz – 1 Michelin Green Star

Telezzüz is the place we point to when someone says vegan fine dining can’t feel special. As Istanbul’s first vegan fine dining restaurant, it doesn’t try to imitate meat—it builds its own world. Under Chef Bahtiyar Büyükduman, the kitchen leans hard into innovative plant-based flavors and backs it up with real sustainability commitment, earning a prestigious Green Sustainability Star. The result is a meal that’s elegant, surprising, and genuinely satisfying—culinary artistry with environmental responsibility woven right in.

Koç Group Sports Club, Kuzguncuk, Kuşbakışı Cd. No:16, 34674 Üsküdar/İstanbul | instagram.com/telezzuz.ist/

2025 Michelin Istanbul Recommendation List

• Apartment – ​​Burçak Kazdal
• Very Very Pera – Khun Nuch
• Herise – Bahadır Bogatir – Asude Akınlı Bogatir
• Restaurant By Divan – Volkan Arik

2024 Istanbul Michelin Restaurants Recommendation List

• Hakkasan Istanbul
• Saku – Cihan Kipçak
• Ruby – Ertan Özturan
• Lokanta Göktürk – Muhsin Ertürk
• Eleos Yeşilköy – Murat Alpboğa
• Asheka – Ömer Akosman
• Courtyard – Özgür Üstün
• Gallada – Taylan Yücel
• Itsumi – Shunichi Horikoshi
• Seraf Vadi – Sinem Özler
• Roka – Suna Hakyemez
• Akira Back – Sungmo Lee
• Borsa Restaurant – Şenel Çin
• Vogue Restaurant – Vedat Demir
• The Galliard Vadistanbul -Muharrem Tenekeci

2024 Bib Gourmand Winners

• Fauna
• Circle by Vertical
• Inari Omakase
• Tavacı Recep Usta – Bostancı
• Efendy
• The Red Balloon
• Aida Wine and Cooking

2024 Michelin Service Award

Tugra Restaurant

2024 Michelin Young Chef Award

Ulaş Durmaz – The Red Balloon

2024 Green Michelin Award

Circle by Verticle – İbrahim Tunç

2023 Istanbul Michelin Restaurants Recommendation List

38 restaurants in Istanbul are included in the Michelin Guide Selection.

• Mevlüt Özkaya – Elderberry
• Aydin Altun – 1924 Istanbul
• Beyti Güler – Beyti
• Birkan Erköylü – Feriye
• Civan Er – Yeni Lokanta
• Durukan Özgen – Restaurant 1741
• Emre İnanır – Tuğra
• Murat Taşdemir – Octo
• Joshua Treacy – Nobu
• Kabir Yılmaz – Matbah
• Nutjarin Plasri – Very Very Thai
• Rudolf Van Nunen – Chance
• Nuri Soysal – Rumelihisarı Pier
• Rıdvan Külçek – Azur
• Ömer Bozyap – Ocak
• Necati Yılmaz – Deraliye
• Yorgi Sabuncu – Coast
• Tevfik Alparslan – Topaz
• Yadin Sağlam – Sofialı 9
• Şevket Cihan – St. Regis Brasserie
• Yusuf Şahin – Kiss The Frog
• Sinem Özler – Seraf
• Selami Güleryüz – Workshop
• Serkan Tapkı – Glens
• Kemal Can Yurttaş – Aila
• Korhan Gürsoy – Inari Omakase
• Kahraman Altun – Fisherman Hero
• Mehmet Akbay – Eleos Beyoğlu
• Musa Değirmenci – Park Fora
• Bahadır Abul – Spago
• Mesut Uysal – 29
• Erol Aslan -Sunset Grill Bar
• Mehmet Akcan – Tatbak
• Domed Lounge
• Aqua – Görkem Özkan
• Banyan – Fikret Demirağ
• Khorasani
• Restaurant 1741

2023 Bib Gourmand Award-Winning Restaurants

• Karaköy Lokantası – Asu Kurt
• Aheste – Volkan Türe
• Friday – Aytekin Alp
• Simple – Five Seas Cuisine -Deniz Şahin
• Cretan – Ayşe Şensılay
• Shipyard – Vedat Başaran
• Alaf – Murat Deniz Temel
• Well done – İnanç Çelengil
• Calipso – Ziya Kaçar
• Pandeli – Bayram Karaçam, Abdullah Sevim

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