AŞEKA KARAKÖY

Tucked away in a quiet corner of Istanbul, ASEKA is one of those rare restaurants where you feel genuinely welcome the moment you walk through the door. The atmosphere is intimate and warm, with dimmed lighting and a cozy setting that makes you relax instantly. The tasting menu is truly exceptional: thoughtful, balanced, and full of flavor without being overly worked. Each dish shows skill, restraint, and confidence in the ingredients. Equally impressive is the wine selection—exclusively local Turkish wines, carefully chosen to complement the food and highlight the richness of the country’s wine regions. This is not just a good meal, it’s a memorable dining experience. ASEKA is a gem, and in my view, absolutely deserving of at least a Bib Gourmand, given the level of cooking, consistency, and heart on the plate.

The best food we had in Istanbul! This is a higher end restaurant, so of course the price will reflect. Rest assured you are receiving top quality, creative food and great service. The chef even came out to ensure everything was tasting great. We ordered 5 dishes and all of them were stand out! Amazing experience, would return and would highly recommend!

Everything was excellent! We enjoyed every dish the chef prepared. Here what we had by order of what we liked most: smoked trout, tater tots, steak tartare, beef oxtail pave then marinated eggplant. Final bill was around 6000 lira including service charge of 12%. Chef was kind enough to say hi after we finished. Highly recommend if you looking for fine dining.

I am glad I tried it. I was the first one in the restaurant and the only one having lunch there right at the opening. The staff was very considerate and courteous. The menu got all my favourites like salmon, ox tail and beef tartar. Bloody Marry was excellent as well. The prices are on the high end but I greatly enjoyed the food and hope I'll have a chance to come back in the near future.

Visited in August 2025 Turkey 🇹🇷 Istanbul AŞEKA KARAKÖY came up in a Michelin Guide recommendation, promising a refined blend of Turkish and European cuisine. We visited twice, drawn by its sleek, dark, and elegant ambiance. FOOD: The menu is concise, split into starters, hot appetizers, mains, and desserts. We tried the pork stomach burger—tasty, but the bun overwhelmed the thin slice of meat, throwing off the balance. The salmon rillette was a standout: silky, juicy, with a delicate flavor that hit all the right spots. The corn soup was smooth and rich, a comforting delight. The tomato with stracciatella was fresh and juicy, unlike street-market tomatoes, but felt too simple, lacking a spark to elevate it. For mains, the beef tail was the star—tender, flavorful, falling apart with a crisp crust for texture. The fish, while well-cooked, was underwhelming, with a slightly chewy texture that didn’t quite satisfy. SERVICE: The service was impeccable, truly Michelin-worthy. The chef personally visited our table, tailored our order to accommodate my husband’s dietary restrictions, and made us feel valued—a gesture that brought us back for a second visit. VERDICT: AŞEKA KARAKÖY delivers high-quality food with thoughtful details, earning its Michelin Guide nod. It’s a great pick for an elegant evening with refined, yet approachable flavors. However, the experience comes at a steep price—prices jumped 20-30% between our visits in just two weeks, which feels unjustified. If you’re after a sophisticated vibe and don’t mind the cost, it’s worth a visit, but the rising prices might make you think twice.