Michelin Star Restaurants in Istanbul: Pick Your Evening
Nine Istanbul restaurants hold Michelin stars. Pick one by the evening you want. Menu prices and booking rules checked 20.10.2026.
Table of Contents
Michelin’s 2026 selection for Türkiye lists nine starred restaurants in Istanbul province: TURK Fatih Tutak with two stars, and eight with one star: Araf İstanbul, Araka, Arkestra, Casa Lavanda, Mikla, Neolokal, Nicole and Sankai by Nagaya. Michelin announced the selection on 4 December 2025. Below, each restaurant sits under the kind of evening it suits, with the menu prices and booking rules from its own pages, checked 20.10.2026.
In short · checked 20.10.2026
Pick the evening first. The prices and rules are each restaurant’s own.
- Stars: TURK Fatih Tutak has two. Araf İstanbul, Araka, Arkestra, Casa Lavanda, Mikla, Neolokal, Nicole and Sankai by Nagaya have one. Michelin’s own words: “High quality cooking” for one star, “Excellent cooking” for two.
- Green Star: TURK, Neolokal and Casa Lavanda also carry Michelin’s Green Star, which marks sustainable practice.
- Menu prices are printed by Araka, Arkestra, Mikla, Nicole and TURK. Arkestra, Mikla, Nicole and TURK state that VAT is included; Mikla adds that service is not.
- Deposit: TURK asks 9,900 TL per person within 24 hours, and the deposit is not refunded if you cancel within 72 hours of the booking.
- Diets: TURK says it cannot make vegan, vegetarian, lactose-free or gluten-free menus. Mikla and Araka publish vegan menus.
Pick your evening tap what you want
Tap an evening and the restaurants that fit it appear, with Michelin’s distinction, its price mark and the one thing to know before you book. A restaurant shows under every evening it fits. Menu prices are the restaurants’ own, checked 20.10.2026.
What kind of evening?
A view over the city
Mikla, Nicole, Sankai by Nagaya
- Mikla
- One star · Beyoğlu · ₺₺₺₺. The dining room is on the 18th floor of The Marmara Pera, and Michelin describes a 360° view of Istanbul. Open Monday to Saturday from 18:00, last food order 21:30 (Mikla). Catch: the tasting menus are for complete tables only.
- Nicole
- One star · Beyoğlu · ₺₺₺₺. A terrace on the upper floor of the Tomtom Suites building, with a view of the Old Town and the Princes’ Islands (Nicole). Catch: tasting menu 1 is served until 20:30; from 21:00 only tasting menu 2 is available.
- Sankai by Nagaya
- One star · Bebek · ₺₺₺₺. Japanese contemporary cooking in a hotel in Bebek, with views of the Bosphorus; Michelin also lists a free shuttle service for guests. Open Monday to Saturday from 18:30.
A tasting menu · prices checked 20.10.2026
Araka, Arkestra, Mikla, Nicole, TURK
- Araka
- One star · Yeniköy · ₺₺₺. Tasting menu 7,500 TL per person; vegetarian and vegan tasting menus 6,000 TL. Open Tuesday to Sunday from 15:00, closed Monday. Catch: tell your server about allergies and sensitivities; for gluten-free or dairy-free, contact the restaurant.
- Arkestra
- One star · Etiler · ₺₺₺₺. The chef’s table menu is a tasting menu at 5,800 TL per person, VAT included. Open Tuesday to Saturday from 18:00; the à la carte menu is available too.
- Mikla
- One star · Beyoğlu · ₺₺₺₺. Tasting menu 10,500 TL per person, vegan tasting menu 9,600 TL; VAT included, service not included. Catch: tasting menus are for complete tables only.
- Nicole
- One star · Beyoğlu · ₺₺₺₺. Tasting menu 1 costs 8,900 TL per person and menu 2 costs 8,300 TL, VAT included. Catch: everyone at the table is served the same length of menu.
- TURK Fatih Tutak
- Two stars · Şişli (Bomonti) · ₺₺₺₺. A 14-course tasting menu at 23,900 TL per guest, VAT included; allow about 200 minutes. Catch: a deposit of 9,900 TL per person within 24 hours, and no vegan, vegetarian, lactose-free or gluten-free versions.
Japanese cooking
Sankai by Nagaya
- Sankai by Nagaya
- One star · Bebek · ₺₺₺₺. Michelin lists Japanese contemporary cooking with sushi, and a choice between a sushi set menu and a signature set menu. Open Monday to Saturday from 18:30, closed Sunday. Booking is through the restaurant itself.
Vegetarian or vegan · prices checked 20.10.2026
Araka, Mikla, Nicole, Neolokal
- Araka
- One star · Yeniköy · ₺₺₺. A vegetarian and a vegan tasting menu, each 6,000 TL per person. Michelin says the chef likes to express her creativity with vegetables and herbs.
- Mikla
- One star · Beyoğlu · ₺₺₺₺. A vegan tasting menu at 9,600 TL per person, VAT included, service not included; Michelin says Mikla always offers a vegan set menu. Write any intolerance or allergy in the note field when you book (Mikla’s rules).
- Nicole
- One star · Beyoğlu · ₺₺₺₺. A vegetarian menu on request: ask when you book. Some dishes contain onion, garlic and pepper, and the kitchen does not change dishes to taste (Nicole).
- Neolokal
- One star · Beyoğlu, in the SALT Galata building · ₺₺₺₺. Michelin mentions a vegetarian menu and local produce from nearby suppliers.
Not here: TURK Fatih Tutak says it cannot make vegan, vegetarian, lactose-free or gluten-free menus.
Open fire at a counter
Araf İstanbul
- Araf İstanbul
- One star, new in the 2026 selection · Kadıköy · ₺₺. A counter around an open fire, with a few tables in the conservatory; Michelin says capacity is limited. Open Wednesday to Sunday, 19:00 to 22:00. Catch: its own page says most dishes feature offal. Booking is through the restaurant itself.
A garden or a terrace
Casa Lavanda, Araka
- Casa Lavanda
- One star and Green Star · Şile · ₺₺₺₺. A hotel restaurant in Ulupelit village: Michelin puts it some 40 km from Istanbul, and its own page says 45 minutes. About 80% of its vegetables grow in its 2,000 m² garden (Casa Lavanda). Catch: it says stays cannot take guests under 12; in spring and summer only Sunday lunch, brunch and events, 13:00 to 17:00, suit children. Michelin offers online booking.
- Araka
- One star · Yeniköy · ₺₺₺. A rural-style house with a terrace at the back, according to Michelin. Open Tuesday to Sunday from 15:00, closed Monday.
Michelin’s ₺₺ price mark, “A moderate spend”
Karaköy Lokantası, Araf İstanbul
- Karaköy Lokantası
- Bib Gourmand, Michelin’s term for “good quality, good value cooking” · Karaköy · ₺₺. Turkish and Mediterranean dishes in a family-run restaurant (since 2000); Michelin mentions a quiet terrace and a harbourside location. Open for lunch Monday to Saturday 12:00 to 16:00, for dinner Monday to Saturday 17:30 to 24:00 and Sunday from 16:00 (restaurant). Catch: bookings only for dinner, groups up to six, children over 14 at dinner, and the table is held for 15 minutes (booking rules).
- Araf İstanbul
- One star · Kadıköy · ₺₺. Michelin gives Araf the ₺₺ price mark, the lowest of the nine starred restaurants. It is a counter with limited capacity, so book ahead.
Choosing dish by dish · prices checked 20.10.2026
Arkestra, Araka, St. Regis Brasserie
- Arkestra
- One star · Etiler · ₺₺₺₺. An à la carte menu in a 1960s villa, next to the chef’s table menu; prices include VAT (Arkestra). Open Tuesday to Saturday from 18:00.
- Araka
- One star · Yeniköy · ₺₺₺. An à la carte list besides the tasting menus. Open Tuesday to Sunday from 15:00, closed Monday.
- St. Regis Brasserie
- Michelin Selected, listed without a star or Bib Gourmand · Nişantaşı · ₺₺₺. International and Turkish dishes à la carte in the St. Regis hotel; Michelin names its kebab with meatballs as a house signature. Open daily from 07:00 to 01:00; book through the hotel’s dining page.
Michelin’s price marks: ₺₺ “A moderate spend”, ₺₺₺ “Special occasion”, ₺₺₺₺ “Spare no expense”. Menu prices are the restaurants’ own; stars, Green Stars and the Bib Gourmand are Michelin’s.
What the table costs set the diners and the menu
Five of the starred restaurants print their menu prices: Araka, Arkestra, Mikla, Nicole and TURK. Choose one, choose a menu and set the number of diners: the card shows the food bill with VAT, service and deposit as that restaurant states them. It adds menus only, as printed.
Menu prices · checked 20.10.2026
Example: two diners at Mikla take the tasting menu: 2 × 10,500 TL = 21,000 TL. Mikla’s menu page says VAT is included and service is not.
Araka
- Tasting menu 7,500 TL
- Vegetarian tasting menu 6,000 TL
- Vegan tasting menu 6,000 TL
Arkestra
- Chef’s table tasting menu 5,800 TL
Prices include VAT.
Mikla
- Three-course menu 8,500 TL
- Tasting menu 10,500 TL
- Vegan tasting menu 9,600 TL
Prices are in TL, VAT included.
Service is not included.
Cancel at least 8 hours before; after 30 minutes without you the table is released.
Nicole
- Tasting menu 1 8,900 TL
- Tasting menu 2 8,300 TL
All prices are in TL and include local taxes (VAT).
Everyone at the table is served the same length of menu.
TURK Fatih Tutak
- 14-course tasting menu 23,900 TL
All prices include VAT.
Deposit to book: 9,900 TL per person, taken off the final bill.
Up to 5 guests per booking. Allow about 200 minutes; water, coffee and tea are included. Cancel at least 72 hours before to get the deposit back.
Prices come from each restaurant’s own pages: Araka, Arkestra, Mikla, Nicole and TURK, checked 20.10.2026.
All eleven at a glance Michelin’s data
The nine starred restaurants, the Bib Gourmand and the Selected restaurant from this page, in alphabetical order. Distinction, price mark, cuisine and hours are from Michelin’s listings; the booking column is what each listing says.
| Restaurant | Michelin | Price mark | Area | Cuisine | Open | Book through |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Araf İstanbul | One star | ₺₺ | Kadıköy | Contemporary, Turkish | Wed–Sun 19:00–22:00 | The restaurant |
| Araka | One star | ₺₺₺ | Yeniköy | Creative, modern | Tue–Sun 15:00–24:00 | The restaurant |
| Arkestra | One star | ₺₺₺₺ | Etiler | Fusion | Tue–Sat 18:00–01:00 | The restaurant |
| Casa Lavanda | One star, Green Star | ₺₺₺₺ | Şile | Traditional, Mediterranean | – | Michelin’s page or the restaurant |
| Karaköy Lokantası | Bib Gourmand | ₺₺ | Karaköy | Turkish, Mediterranean | Mon–Sat 12:00–16:00 and 17:30–24:00; Sun 16:00–24:00 | The restaurant (dinner only) |
| Mikla | One star | ₺₺₺₺ | Beyoğlu | Mediterranean, modern | Mon–Sat from 18:00 | The restaurant |
| Neolokal | One star, Green Star | ₺₺₺₺ | Beyoğlu | Turkish, modern | Tue–Sat 18:00–01:00 | Michelin’s page or the restaurant |
| Nicole | One star | ₺₺₺₺ | Beyoğlu | Modern, Turkish | Tue–Sun 18:30–23:30 | The restaurant |
| Sankai by Nagaya | One star | ₺₺₺₺ | Bebek | Japanese contemporary | Mon–Sat 18:30–00:30 | The restaurant |
| St. Regis Brasserie | Selected | ₺₺₺ | Nişantaşı | International, Turkish | Daily 07:00–01:00 | The hotel |
| TURK Fatih Tutak | Two stars, Green Star | ₺₺₺₺ | Bomonti | Modern, Turkish | Tue–Sat 18:30–23:30 | The restaurant |
Sources: Michelin’s listings, linked in the first column, checked 20.10.2026. Hours for Mikla come from its page, for Karaköy Lokantası from its page. Hours change, so confirm with the restaurant when you book.
Where they are five parts of the city
The starred restaurants are spread over the old Beyoğlu hill, the Bosphorus shore, the Şişli district, the Asian side and one village outside the city. Tap a part of town.
What the marks mean and what they leave out
What a star judges
Michelin gives stars for the food on the plate: the quality of the ingredients, the harmony of flavours, mastery of technique, the chef’s personality in the cooking, and consistency across the menu and over time. It says that the style of the room, its comfort and the service have no bearing on a star. A star tells you about the cooking; the view, the dress code and the price are separate questions (Michelin: What is a Michelin Star?).
Bib Gourmand
Michelin’s mark for excellent food at an affordable price; it introduced it in 1997. Karaköy Lokantası is the Bib Gourmand on this page.
Selected
Restaurants that Michelin lists in the guide without a star or a Bib Gourmand. St. Regis Brasserie is the one on this page.
Green Star
Awarded for practice that Michelin’s inspectors found inspiring for the future of gastronomy. TURK, Neolokal and Casa Lavanda carry it.
Before you book what the pages ask of you
The booking rules below are the ones the restaurants print on their own pages. They differ a lot from one table to the next.
- Where to bookMichelin’s own pages offer online booking for Neolokal and Casa Lavanda. The other starred restaurants manage their own bookings: use the restaurant’s page or phone.
- Deposit and cancellingTURK asks a deposit of 9,900 TL per person within 24 hours and takes it off the final bill; there is no refund if you cancel within 72 hours, and cutting the group within 72 hours costs 7,500 TL per person (TURK). Mikla asks you to cancel at least 8 hours before and releases the table after 30 minutes (Mikla). Karaköy Lokantası holds a table for 15 minutes (Karaköy Lokantası).
- Group sizeTURK takes one to five guests per booking, Karaköy Lokantası up to six. Mikla’s tasting menus are for complete tables only, and Nicole serves the whole table the same length of menu.
- Diets and allergiesSay so when you book: Mikla has a note field, Araka asks you to tell the server and to contact the restaurant for gluten-free or dairy-free, Nicole takes vegetarian requests. TURK cannot change its menu for these diets.
- TURK: semi-formal dress code (men wear a collar and long trousers; no shorts, sports clothes, hoodies, caps or flip-flops), guests aged 12 and over, no children’s menu, no valet parking.
- Karaköy Lokantası: dinner only for children over 14, and no space for strollers.
- Mikla: open Monday to Saturday from 18:00; it is closed on Sundays and for lunch.
Beyond Istanbul and what to read next
Michelin’s Türkiye selection also covers İzmir, Muğla and, since 2026, Cappadocia (announcement); this page covers Istanbul only.
Istanbul markets and bazaars
What the old bazaars sell and when they open.
Cappadocia hot-air balloon prices
Prices and booking for the balloon flights.
Questions short answers
Which Istanbul restaurant has two Michelin stars?
TURK Fatih Tutak, in Bomonti. It is the only two-star restaurant in Istanbul in Michelin’s 2026 selection; the other eight starred restaurants have one star.
Can I book the starred restaurants through Michelin?
For two of them, yes: Michelin’s pages for Neolokal and Casa Lavanda offer online booking. For the others, Michelin says the restaurant manages its own bookings.
Do the menu prices include VAT and service?
Arkestra, Mikla, Nicole and TURK state that VAT is included, and Mikla adds that service is not. Read the line on each restaurant’s own page before you go, because prices and terms change.
Can I bring children?
It depends on the restaurant. TURK accepts guests aged 12 and over and has no children’s menu, Karaköy Lokantası takes children over 14 at dinner, and Casa Lavanda says stays cannot take guests under 12.
Sources
- Michelin Guide Türkiye 2026 selection, announced 4 December 2025 — Michelin Guide, checked 20.10.2026
- What is a Michelin Star? — Michelin Guide, checked 20.10.2026
- Araf İstanbul: Michelin listing — Michelin Guide, checked 20.10.2026
- Araka: Michelin listing — Michelin Guide, checked 20.10.2026
- Arkestra: Michelin listing — Michelin Guide, checked 20.10.2026
- Casa Lavanda: Michelin listing — Michelin Guide, checked 20.10.2026
- Karaköy Lokantası: Michelin listing — Michelin Guide, checked 20.10.2026
- Mikla: Michelin listing — Michelin Guide, checked 20.10.2026
- Neolokal: Michelin listing — Michelin Guide, checked 20.10.2026
- Nicole: Michelin listing — Michelin Guide, checked 20.10.2026
- Sankai by Nagaya: Michelin listing — Michelin Guide, checked 20.10.2026
- St. Regis Brasserie: Michelin listing — Michelin Guide, checked 20.10.2026
- TURK Fatih Tutak: Michelin listing — Michelin Guide, checked 20.10.2026
- Mikla: menu — Mikla, checked 20.10.2026
- Mikla: reservation rules — Mikla, checked 20.10.2026
- Nicole: menu and information — Nicole, checked 20.10.2026
- Neolokal — Neolokal, checked 20.10.2026
- TURK Fatih Tutak: reservation and policies — TURK Fatih Tutak, checked 20.10.2026
- Araka: menu — Araka, checked 20.10.2026
- Araka: tasting menu (PDF) — Araka, checked 20.10.2026
- Araka: vegetarian tasting menu (PDF) — Araka, checked 20.10.2026
- Araka: vegan tasting menu (PDF) — Araka, checked 20.10.2026
- Arkestra — Arkestra, checked 20.10.2026
- Arkestra: chef’s table menu (PDF) — Arkestra, checked 20.10.2026
- Araf İstanbul — Araf İstanbul, checked 20.10.2026
- Araf İstanbul: about — Araf İstanbul, checked 20.10.2026
- Casa Lavanda — Casa Lavanda, checked 20.10.2026
- Casa Lavanda: dining — Casa Lavanda, checked 20.10.2026
- Karaköy Lokantası: information — Karaköy Lokantası, checked 20.10.2026
- Karaköy Lokantası: reservation — Karaköy Lokantası, checked 20.10.2026
- The St. Regis Istanbul: dining — The St. Regis Istanbul, checked 20.10.2026
The illustrations were drawn for this article. They show no real restaurant rooms, signs or logos.
