Where should I eat lunch in Istanbul?

Claire's pick is Çiya Sofrası in Kadıköy. Take the ferry across to the Asian side, it's worth it.

A Cappadocia specialty cooked in a sealed clay pot, and Claire calls it dinner and a show at once.

Why is Gaziantep famous for food?

Gaziantep has been a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy since 2015, and it's known for baklava, lahmacun and kebab.

What foods is each region of Turkey known for?

The southeast for baklava, lahmacun and kebab, the Aegean for olive oil dishes and seafood, the Black Sea for cornbread, anchovies and butter, and Central Anatolia for mantı and testi kebab.

Turkey Luxury Food Tour Guide | Caviar in the Air

Q: Does Istanbul have Michelin-star restaurants?

Yes. The Michelin Guide arrived in Istanbul in 2022, and Turk Fatih Tutak became the city's first two-star restaurant. Mikla and Neolokal are also must-visits.

Turkish food carries flavors from Central Asia, the Mediterranean and the Middle East, refined in Ottoman palace kitchens. Eating your way through Turkey is eating your way through history.

Where should you eat on a luxury food tour of Turkey? In Istanbul, book Turk Fatih Tutak (the city's first two-star Michelin restaurant), Mikla and Neolokal, then take the ferry to Kadıköy for lunch at Çiya Sofrası. Add testi kebab in Cappadocia and baklava in Gaziantep, a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy since 2015.

Key facts

Michelin in Istanbul: the guide arrived in 2022, and Turk Fatih Tutak became the city's first two-star restaurant.
Must-book tables: Mikla for rooftop Bosphorus views, Neolokal for forgotten Anatolian ingredients.
Worth the ferry: lunch at Çiya Sofrası in Kadıköy, on the Asian side.
Beyond Istanbul: testi kebab in Cappadocia and baklava in Gaziantep.
Getting there: Turkish Airlines flies nonstop to Istanbul from many U.S. cities.

The Fine Dining Scene

The Michelin Guide arrived in Istanbul in 2022, and Turk Fatih Tutak became the city's first two-star restaurant.

The Bosphorus Bridge lit up at dusk with the Istanbul skyline behind it Photo: Osman Özavcı / Unsplash

Must-Visit Restaurants

Mikla: rooftop Bosphorus views and modern Anatolian cooking from chef Mehmet Gürs
Neolokal: modern Turkish food built on forgotten Anatolian ingredients
Turk Fatih Tutak: Istanbul's first two-star Michelin restaurant

Turkey's Food by Region

Region	Signature Dishes
Southeast (Gaziantep)	Baklava, lahmacun, kebab
Aegean	Olive oil dishes, seafood
Black Sea	Cornbread, anchovies, butter
Central Anatolia	Mantı, testi kebab

Gaziantep has been a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy since 2015.

Trays of pistachio baklava stacked in a Turkish pastry shop Photo: Encal Media / Unsplash

Claire's Food Recommendations

My non-negotiables in Istanbul: lunch at Çiya Sofrası in Kadıköy (take the ferry across, it's worth it), afternoon tea at the Four Seasons Sultanahmet, and dinner at Mikla for the sunset alone. In Cappadocia, testi kebab cooked in a sealed clay pot is dinner and a show at once. For my travelers, I arrange private cooking classes with local grandmothers in Gaziantep, and the baklava alone is worth the detour.

Between meals, my Istanbul luxury guide covers the hotels and the Bosphorus, and my Cappadocia guide gets you up in a balloon before that testi kebab dinner.

Taste Turkey with Caviar in the Air, where every meal tells a story and you never have to make the reservation yourself.

6X Condé Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist with 65+ countries visited across all 7 continents.