Food culture doesn’t emerge overnight. Rather, it’s born from necessity and availability, shaped by tastes and fashions, influenced by a nation’s prosperity and adapted according to the lifestyle of its population. In the case of Türkiye, it was forged during centuries of trade and conquest. From the coast of the Mediterranean to the plains and mountains of Anatolia, Turkish cuisine draws from an abundance of regional influences and thousands of years of history.
In modern-day Istanbul, the bustling streets are a theatre of culinary creativity. The Greeks, Persians and Romans all claimed the city for their own over the years, from the era of ancient Byzantium to its halcyon days as prosperous Constantinople, when much of the world’s trade flowed through the city and with it, the tastes of those who passed by.
While empires rose and fell around it, Türkiye’s gastronomic repertoire grew increasingly sophisticated. Spices arrived from the Far East and India, grilled meats and sticky sweets from Mesopotamia and the Levant, fish from the Black Sea, vegetables, olives and wine from the Balkans and Mediterranean, hearty stews from the Caucasus, and eventually, potatoes and tomatoes from the Americas. All made their mark on the Turkish kitchen.
Today, travellers flock to Istanbul and the resorts of the Turkish Riviera to feast on these global flavours, complemented by a plethora of global dining experiences that weave Turkish elements into their own blend of culinary styles. International superstars like Akira Back, Wolfgang Puck and Nobu Matsuhisa have opened outposts in Istanbul, where a new generation of Turkish chefs are lending their unique experiences and insights to these global brands, while homegrown chefs like Osman Sezener from KITCHEN by Osman Sezener, are stamping their own signature on modern Turkish cuisine.
All four of the following restaurants are members of The Luminary Set, a growing collection of critically acclaimed restaurants in Europe and the Middle East.
www.theluminaryset.com
1. SPAGO BY WOLFGANG PUCK
The St. Regis Istanbul
It’s fitting that the world’s culinary crossroads should be home to an outpost of Spago by Wolfgang Puck, a global gastronomic sensation that takes diners on a journey across the world from the kitchens of the Americas to the bustling streets of Asia via the brand’s Italian roots. Situated on the top floor of The St. Regis Istanbul, the restaurant’s menu changes with the seasons, but diners can expect to find Spago signatures like smoked salmon pizza and lettuce cups with stir fried filet mignon and black bean vinaigrette all year-round. The Spago Istanbul wine list dances through the vineyards of California before turning to Türkiye’s lesser-known wines, which complement a selection of handcrafted cocktails and mocktails that can be tweaked to taste. After sampling delicate desserts like pistachio mille-feuille or chestnut profiteroles, diners can soak in the spectacular views over Maçka Park and the Bosphorus from the rooftop terrace.
2. NOBU ISTANBUL
The Ritz-Carlton, Istanbul
For the last three decades, Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa has made it his personal mission to make sure everyone in the world appreciates the punchy, flavour-packed dishes of Nikkei cuisine — a fabulous fusion of Peruvian and Japanese gastronomic traditions. To make things easier for first timers, the restaurant suggests diners order from the Eight Highlights menu, which comprises a curated collection of Nobu favourites including the effortlessly elegant yellowtail with jalapeno, the impossibly moreish rock shrimp tempura and Nobu’s signature black cod with miso, the dish that started it all. More experienced Nobu alumni may opt for the premium omakase menu, putting their faith in the Nobu Istanbul team to surprise and delight, or select from the ’Now’ menus loaded with new creations from the kitchen; all served in the minimal surrounds of the restaurant overlooking the mighty Bosphorus.
3. KITCHEN BY OSMAN SEZENER
The Bodrum EDITION
For Turkish chef Osman Sezener, who steered KITCHEN by Osman Sezener to its first Michelin star this year, each recipe starts with his insatiable curiosity about the land he calls home. With a firm focus on sustainable sourcing, local produce and squeezing every ounce of flavour from ingredients, his menus are a celebration of the Aegean coast. Set on a beautiful terrace at The Bodrum EDITION with bougainvillea-covered trellises and endless Aegean views, the restaurant offers two distinct experiences. Chef’s Exploration invites diners to select one dish from each of the four sections, while The Journey of the Chef is an eight-course tasting menu with wine pairings; an ode to the Aegean that takes diners on a gastronomic voyage across southwest Türkiye. The inventive cocktail list is crafted with a focus on recycling and zero waste, and for every cocktail bought, the restaurant donates an olive seedling to a local farmer.
4. AKIRA BACK ISTANBUL
JW Marriott Hotel Istanbul Marmara Sea
From teen snowboarder and extreme sports superstar to a global gastro sensation who honed his craft in the kitchens of Nobu Matsuhisa, Akira Back’s journey has been anything but ordinary. The same can be said for his restaurant overlooking the Marmara Sea, Akira Back Istanbul, where the chef’s unique take on contemporary Japanese and Korean dining is translated into a menu brimming with surprises, blending signature dishes like the acclaimed AB tuna pizza or spider roll with new plates that showcase the chef’s artistic style and unfailing attention to detail. As well as celebrating the Korean chef’s culinary roots, Akira Back Istanbul is a showcase of modern artwork, set to the backdrop of the spectacular Marmara Sea and views of the Ataköy skyline. For the ultimate private dining experience, the AB Suite seats 10 diners for an up-close and personal private dining experience flanked by walls of art.