MICHELIN Guide 2025: Top Restaurants in Istanbul, Izmir & Muğla

January 31, 2025

Michelin Unveils 2025 Restaurant Selection for Istanbul, Izmir, and Muğla

KUALA LUMPUR, 28 January 2025 – 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 added 32 new restaurants, bringing the total number of recommended establishments in Türkiye to 132 with 77 in Istanbul, 24 in Izmir and 31 in Muğla.

Among these restaurants freshly unearthed by the MICHELIN Guide Inspectors, two have been directly awarded One MICHELIN Star and 9 a Bib Gourmand.

Gwendal Poullennec, International director of the MICHELIN Guide, commented, “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 travellers alike. This 2025 selection is a true ode to culinary dynamism and diversity, where each region shines with its own personality and identity.”

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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 flavours 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, organised by the Slow Food movement to sell surplus from the kitchen garden.

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 flavour 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.

Nine new restaurants awarded a Bib Gourmand

Particularly appreciated by local gourmets and international travellers, 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: four in Istanbul, two in the province of Izmir and three in the province of Muğla.

With the exception of Arka Ristorante Pizzeria, located in Bodrum and offering delicious Italian specialities, these restaurants mostly focus on Turkish flavours 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), 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. This eatery is an inexpensive and excellent gateway to some of the most popular specialities 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, 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 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 rose to 27 with 14 in Istanbul, eight in Izmir and five in Muğla.