15 Must-Try Fine Dining Restaurants in Istanbul That Could Earn a Michelin Star

It was recently announced with a surprise news that the 38th destination of the Michelin Guide is Istanbul. After this news, we thought we would compile a list of Istanbul's restaurants that can get a Michelin Star! Here are Istanbul's beautiful fine-dining restaurants...'Mikla opened in October 2005 with the idea of creating a contemporary 'Istanbulite' restaurant. Chef and co-founder Mehmet Gürs created Mikla with a striking balance of Turkish and Scandinavian heritage into the overall fabric, making Mikla a pioneer of its kind. With its visionary, refined food, breathtaking views, modern presentation and inspiring music, Mikla was quickly voted the best restaurant in Istanbul. Today, it continues to receive significant accolades in both local and international reviews.With the 'New Anatolian Cuisine' concept created in August 2012, Mikla has added another plus to its fine dining mission and has succeeded in raising the pioneering bar it has set both locally and internationally. Mikla believes that every ingredient used reflects the traditions of the land and its people, and the 'usually humble' but 'noble' ingredients carefully selected from every corner of Anatolia are interpreted with great respect.Mikla has been included in 'The Worlds 50 Best Restaurants' list since 2015.'Mikla, the restaurant of Mehmet Gürs, serves at The Marmara Pera with its exquisite view and delicious food. Ranked 44th on the prestigious list of The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2018, Mikla's menu is admirable.The Neolokal team defines itself as follows:'The Neolokal team aims to design and present honest food to its guests by taking inspiration from mother earth and traditions. In doing so, they scrutinize traditional recipes and blend them with products that are disappearing because they are not consumed. Chef Maksut Aşkar, the head of the young and curious team, says, 'If we don't take care of it, the next generation will have nothing left to take care of.' By combining local cuisine with modern techniques and an innovative perspective, he creates a refined and new perception.'Neolokal, where traditional dishes are blended with an innovative presentation, was founded by Maksut Aşkar in 2015. While serving dishes from Anatolian cuisine, the stories of these dishes are also told.In 'Mürver' Fire is the protagonist of our story. The sea is the most indispensable source of our cuisine. The land and Anatolia are the greatest miracle with their crops, ingredients, the labor of those who grow them and their recipes. We cook on fire. We serve daily fish and seafood from the Fish Market, meats that we rest, dry and process in our open wood fire and stone oven with herbs of different flavors.'Mürver was opened in 2017 by the owner Chef Mehmet Gürs and Mürver's Chef Yılmaz Öztürk. The most important feature of the place is that it has a giant stone oven. Mürver is a delicious restaurant where Anatolian products are transformed into food.HODAN, which has been opened very recently by Chef Çiğdem Seferoğlu, has achieved a very good momentum and welcomes its guests by interpreting the classics of Turkish cuisine according to its own character. The concept of the place can be interpreted as a synthesis of modern cuisine with local agriculture and the labor of local producers.'Alaf is a nomadic restaurant that feeds on its roots. In Yoruk dialect, Alaf means ember flame. With the name inheritance based on Kurdish, the area has turned into Alaf over time. With this richness created by migration and unification, today you will be a guest at a nomadic table, tomorrow you will be a guest at a Kurdish table, then maybe an Armenian, then a Yezidi table.'Opened by Chef Murat Deniz Temel, Alaf is a traditionalist yet innovative restaurant that interprets traditional cooking techniques based on its own roots. The chef, whose family is nomadic, has family heirlooms at the origins of all of his dishes, from cooking techniques to the table.TOI, which stands for 'Trust of İsmet' and was opened by chef İsmet Saz, conquers hearts with its synthesis of classic French cuisine with Mediterranean and Turkish tastes. TOI is one of the fine-dining venues of Istanbul, which has made a name for itself with its presentations and the flavors of its dishes.Located on the top floor of Tomtom Suites, Nichole Restaurant is named after the nun Agnés Marthe Nicole, one of the former owners of the building. Inspired by the building's historical past and modern reflections of today, Nicole Restaurant aims to blend the concept of Traditional Turkish Cuisine with a unique contemporary interpretation to offer unforgettable culinary experiences to its guests on its stylish terrace with breathtaking views of Istanbul.Aheste Restaurant was opened in 2015 by Ömer Dicle, Hazal Karalı and Cankut Piyale. Inspired by the taste of Mediterranean cuisine, this restaurant awaits those who love to eat in Pera.Sabri Köz said the following about Çiya: 'The adventure of Çiya is actually a journey from a modest kebab shop to a world of food woven with enthusiasm, research and love.Çiya... Like its name, it evokes high mountain tops and mountain flowers. A 'Sofra' with the brand name 'Çiya' was born from this home, which used to be visited only for a good kebab and a good lahmacun, and where even those who knew the name could only learn what it meant by asking. A second specially designed 'kebab shop' has recently joined this richness. Three Çiya's just a few meters away from each other...In these places in Kadıköy Fishermen's Bazaar, you will find a rich cuisine that comes from the wisdom and cuisine of Çiya, or more precisely from the hands of its 'food engineers', Ms. Zeynep and Mr. Musa, and that takes us on a tour of 'a vast geography stretching from Mesopotamia to the Ottoman Empire, from the Balkans to the Caucasus, from Asia to the Arabian Peninsula'.'I think Çiya's is not just a shop, but a research and application center...'Çiya Sofrası was founded by Musa Dağdeviren in 1987. Çiya is famous for serving the forgotten and lost flavors of Anatolia. Although Çiya defines its culinary culture as Southeastern and Eastern Mediterranean Cuisine, there are many dishes from Azerbaijani, Georgian, Turkish, Arab, Armenian, Ottoman, Assyrian, Seljuk, Jewish cultures in accordance with the traditions, customs and beliefs of the region.Yeni Lokanta, founded by Civan Er on Taksim Kumbaracı Yokuşu, offers a fusion of Anatolian cuisine.The following has been said about Yeni Lokanta in Vogue Turkey: 'Yeni Lokanta, located on Kumbaracı Yokuşu, stands out with its decor dominated by blue and green color palettes and invites you in as soon as you make eye contact. Special handmade sourdough bread and smoked butter are served as soon as you sit down. The taste feast that starts at the peak continues with surprise dishes that bring together unexpected flavors such as cherry tabbouleh, vegetarian mantı with dried eggplant, and fried kadayıf with custard. Local wines and delicious cocktails accompany these flavors. It is perfect for introducing your foreign guests to Turkish flavors in a stylish ambiance or for those looking for an innovative alternative to traditional local dishes.Karaköy Lokantası was founded by Oral Kurt in 2000. In their own words: 'It is a family business that has been serving since 2000 and is a very typical regular restaurant. The lunch menu is enriched with traditional recipes and pot dishes, adhering to the 'artisan restaurant' tradition.'TURK was opened in 2019 by chef Fatih Tutak. It is an innovative business with new and modern dishes inspired by the Balkans, Mediterranean, Anatolia and Central Asia, based on traditional home recipes.Apartıman Yeniköy was opened in 2017 by Chef brothers Burçak and Murat Kazdal. Designed as a gastropub, this restaurant serves fine-dining products. In their own words, it brings its guests together with delicious dishes 'without disrespecting the past and without missing the future'.Named after chef Ömür Akkor's grandmother, Zennup takes its name from 1844, the year Mehmet Kamil wrote the first Turkish cookbook. Offering rare examples of Ottoman and Anatolian cuisine, Zennup was first opened in Bursa and then in Istanbul. Very special and local Anatolian flavors are served on handmade china collection plates.'We prepare our original dishes following a cuisine full of different flavors and varieties reflecting the cultural richness of Anatolia, by carefully selecting the most natural ingredients, traditional recipes and cooking methods, and present them to you so that you can taste them with peace of mind.Seraf was founded by Doğan Yıldırım, the owner of the restaurant. Seraf is derived from the Ottoman word for 'to eat'. With the great contribution of Seraf Restaurant General Manager and chef Sinem Özler, Seraf Restaurant is in a restaurant category that comes from the ancient culture of Anatolia and sets tradition as its motto.