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A new selection by The Times highlights 11 standout restaurants across Istanbul, presenting the city as one of the world’s most compelling food destinations where traditional home-style cooking, street flavors, and Michelin-level fine dining sit side by side.
The list, compiled after decades of exploring food across Türkiye, emphasizes how Istanbul continues to stand out as the country’s culinary heart even after losing its political capital status to Ankara in 1923. The guide points out that locally sourced ingredients remain central across dining styles, from neighborhood kebab houses to upscale tasting-menu venues, reflecting the country’s agricultural richness, including tomato and pepper plantations and vineyards in the Urla region.
Several restaurants in the list stand out for shaping Istanbul’s contemporary culinary scene through innovation and seasonal menus.
Arkestra in Etiler reflects a relaxed fine-dining approach where the experience often begins in a cocktail space known as the Listening Room before moving into an elegant dining area. Its menu combines reinvented classics with unexpected pairings, showing how flavours are designed to blend seamlessly.
Similarly, Turk in Bomonti, described as the city’s only two-Michelin-star venue, seats around 30 guests each evening and serves a 12-course tasting menu that changes with the seasons. The restaurant’s reinterpretation of Istanbul street food traditions is exemplified by its modern version of mussel dolma, which includes edible shells and sauces.
Mikla, located at the top of a hotel in Beyoglu, continues to set the pace with what it calls “new Anatolian cuisine,” a concept that merges regional Turkish ingredients with contemporary culinary techniques.
Ciya Sofrasi in Kadikoy is known for its daily-changing selection of mezze and regional dishes from across Türkiye, while Kiyi in Tarabya has built a reputation since 1964 for fresh seafood served in a classic waterside setting.
Adana Ocakbasi in Sisli represents the ocakbasi tradition, meaning a grill-side dining experience where guests often sit directly in front of open charcoal grills to watch meats being cooked.
Feriye Lokantasi in Besiktas combines a historic waterfront location with all-day dining focused on shared plates and desserts such as pistachio baklava, which is a layered pastry filled with nuts and sweetened with syrup.
Telezzuz in Uskudar focuses on vegan fine dining, sourcing ingredients directly from its own garden and incorporating lesser-known vegetables to create visually detailed plates.
Araka in Yenikoy highlights seasonal vegetables and herbs in carefully plated dishes, while Park Fora in Kurucesme blends traditional seafood cooking with international influences such as sushi and paella.
Finally, Okra in Taksim combines Mediterranean-inspired cuisine with sweeping Bosphorus views, reinforcing how dining experiences in Istanbul often integrate both food and location.
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