The World’s 10 Best Turkish Restaurants
Turkish restaurants span a broad, deeply regional dining culture: from meze-led tables and charcoal-grilled kebabs to slow-cooked stews, breads, seafood, and desserts that reflect Ottoman, Aegean, Anatolian, and Black Sea influences. In the contemporary fine-dining end of the spectrum, chefs increasingly present these traditions with polished tasting menus and modern technique, while still foregrounding local ingredients and recognizable Turkish flavors. That tension between memory and reinvention is central to several of the best-known names in this guide. TURK Fatih Tutak describes itself as creating a new “alphabet” for Turkish cuisine, while neolokal emphasizes traditional recipes, endangered ingredients, and a refined local-cuisine approach. Together, they show how Turkish dining can be both rooted and forward-looking. For diners, the draw is variety as much as identity: a Turkish meal may move from breads and cold starters to grilled meats or seasonal fish, then finish with syrups, nuts, dairy-based sweets, and coffee. In cities from Istanbul to London, Dubai, New York, Riyadh, and beyond, Turkish restaurants now range from elegant destination rooms to more casual spots, but the common thread remains a generous, flavor-driven hospitality built around shared plates and distinctive regional character.
TURK Fatih Tutak
Turkey
TURK Fatih Tutak approaches Turkish food through memory, regional ingredients and a changing twelve-course tasting menu. In Istanbul’s Bomonti district, chef Fatih Tutak takes familiar culinary references and reshapes them with contemporary techniques, allowing the country’s geography and producers to guide the cooking. The restaurant accommodates around thirty guests each evening. A chef’s table brings diners closer to the kitchen, while AVLU, the courtyard space, provides a place to begin the experience before entering the dining room. The meal lasts approximately three hours, giving the sequence of small courses time to develop rather than compressing it into a conventional dinner.
Neolokal
Turkey
Neolokal at SALT Galata in Istanbul builds contemporary cooking around traditions that risk being forgotten. Chef Maksut Aşkar and his team examine old recipes closely, then use modern techniques to present them in new forms. The focus is on Turkish culinary heritage and ingredients sourced directly. Rather than treating tradition as a fixed collection of dishes, the kitchen uses it as a foundation for an evolving meal, preserving flavours while changing their presentation. Its setting on Bankalar Avenue in Karaköy places the restaurant within a cultural institution. That connection suits Neolokal’s wider purpose: a meal here is also an exploration of food memory, regional ingredients and how inherited recipes can continue to change.
Asil at Rixos JBR
Dubai, UAE
Asil Dubai is a premier Turkish restaurant nestled within the Rixos Premium Dubai hotel, offering a contemporary dining experience infused with authentic Turkish flavors and hospitality. Known for its elegant ambiance and stunning waterfront location overlooking the Dubai skyline and the Arabian Gulf, Asil Dubai presents a sophisticated setting for guests to indulge in traditional Turkish cuisine. The menu showcases a diverse array of dishes, including savory mezze, succulent grills, fresh seafood, and delightful desserts, all crafted with the finest ingredients and inspired by the rich culinary heritage of Turkey. With live entertainment adding to the vibrant atmosphere, Asil Dubai provides an immersive culinary journey and exceptional service, making it a sought-after destination for both locals and visitors seeking an unforgettable Turkish dining experience in Dubai.
Yeni
London, UK
Yeni is a Turkish restaurant in Soho, London, at 55 Beak Street, W1F 9SH. The official site presents it as Civan Er’s London restaurant and links it to his earlier work at Yeni Lokanta in Istanbul. Michelin lists the same address and cuisine style, confirming the identity of this particular branch in central London and placing it firmly within the capital’s contemporary Turkish dining scene. The kitchen is built around Turkish cooking with an emphasis on open-fire methods and seasonal British produce. The website describes à la carte and tasting menus, while Michelin also records set sharing menus. The food offering includes both vegetarian and vegan dishes, and the restaurant’s approach draws on traditional techniques while presenting them in a modern Soho setting shaped by the produce available to the kitchen. Yeni’s contact details indicate that it accepts reservations and handles group bookings, private dining and special requests. That suggests a service style geared to both smaller tables and organised gatherings, rather than a purely casual walk-in operation. The official description emphasises a warm, welcoming atmosphere, which fits a restaurant that balances neighbourhood familiarity with the more structured demands of destination dining in central London. Taken together, the verified details show a focused Turkish restaurant with a clear Istanbul connection and a distinct London identity. Michelin notes the use of open fire and traditional Turkish techniques, while the official site stresses seasonal ingredients and cooking rooted in Civan Er’s background. The experience is therefore shaped by specific food preparation, a concise menu structure and attentive hospitality, rather than by unnecessary flourish or a wide-ranging format.
Rüya
Dubai, UAE
Rüya is a restaurant in Dubai, UAE.
Nusr-Et
New York, USA
Nusr-Et Steakhouse New York is the New York branch of the Nusr-Et restaurant group, located at 60 W 53rd St in Manhattan. Official restaurant pages identify this address as the New York outpost and classify it as a steakhouse rather than a broader mixed dining venue. The location places it in a central part of the city, and established listings tie the same branch to Midtown West, helping distinguish this specific restaurant from the group’s other international restaurants and sister locations elsewhere. The core offer is a steakhouse menu shaped around meat dishes, while the official New York page also draws attention to named house specialities including Nusr-Et Sushi and Lokum. That combination indicates a menu built not only around steaks but also around a small set of dishes strongly associated with the brand. Rather than presenting itself as an all-purpose restaurant with wide-ranging formats, the branch is defined by a focused food identity centred on steaks, branded signature plates and a recognisable style of service and presentation. Service begins at noon each day, with official hours running from 12:00 to 22:15 from Sunday to Thursday and to 22:45 on Fridays and Saturdays. The same page also promotes a daily lunch special, showing that lunch is an established part of the operation rather than an incidental add-on to dinner. These details suggest a restaurant designed for both midday and evening dining, with a schedule that supports business throughout the day instead of concentrating solely on late-night or special-occasion trade. Taken together, the verified details present Nusr-Et Steakhouse New York as a branded Manhattan steakhouse with a clearly defined identity at one specific address. Its character comes through a combination of central location, steak-led dining and the prominence of signature dishes highlighted by the operator. The experience is framed around restaurant service rather than ancillary facilities, with the emphasis on the food offer and the branch’s place within the wider Nusr-Et group. In practical terms, it reads as a distinct city restaurant, not simply a name on a global list.
Sofra
London, UK
Sofra is a restaurant in London, UK.
MADO
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
MADO is a restaurant in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Anatolia
Australia
Anatolia is a restaurant in Australia.
Nicole
Turkey
Nicole occupies the top floor of Tomtom Suites in Istanbul, with a terrace looking towards the Old Town and Princes’ Islands. The restored 1901 building once housed Franciscan nuns, and the restaurant takes its name from former owner Agnés Marthe Nicole. Traditional Turkish cooking is interpreted through contemporary tasting menus. Recent courses include Circassian duck, Balıkesir lamb with mutancana and a Datça almond dessert, giving regional references a place within the progression. Menus of different lengths are offered, with local or international wine pairings and a beer pairing. A vegetarian menu can be requested. The terrace and historical setting make the restaurant especially suited to a meal given time and attention.