Michelin Guide Comes to Turkey

By Justin Mays:

Foodies will delight with the news that the Michelin Guide is coming to Istanbul. Renowned for its rich culinary traditions, Turkey will officially be celebrated by the guide on October 11, 2022, as the next fine-dining destination to receive its debut list. The first selection will boost Istanbul’s reputation as a world-class destination for food and recognize talented chefs throughout the city. Turkey has a tremendously varied gastronomic landscape, and the Guide is expected to showcase the creative cuisine and quality ingredients that Turkey produces.

Food lovers have long recognized Turkish cuisine as one of the top global cuisines. Speculation is that many of the San Pellegrino recommended restaurants will make a list.  Sleek Mikla, located in lively Beyoglu, is currently ranked at 60 on the San Pellegrino World’s 100 Best Restaurants List. These are Beyoglu’s Aheste and Yeni Lokanta, Kiyi in seaside Tarabya, Inari Omakase in Bosphorus adjacent to Kurucesme, and the original Salt Bae establishment Nusr-et Steakhouse in Etiler, Karakoy’s namesake Karakoy Lokantasi and Neolokal located in the old Ottoman bank building and Ciya Sofrasi on the Asian side in Kadikoy. Istanbul’s strategic position between continents has animated the culinary scene in ways that many other places cannot match, and the fusion of flavors will delight food tourists.

Michelin publishes guidebooks in over 30 countries, and Istanbul will be honored alongside Toronto as a new inductee to the guide. Deserving restaurants will be welcomed after being appraised by professional inspectors. The appraisal is based on five criteria: the quality of ingredients, harmonious flavor, cooking mastery, consistency of the menu and between inspectors’ visits, and the personality of the chef in their cuisine.

We are excited to see which Istanbul restaurants make this prestigious list!