Restaurant in Istanbul, Turkey
Michelin-recognised Russian dining, Beyoğlu address.
A Michelin Plate-recognised address in Beyoğlu's Asmalı Mescit quarter, 1924 İstanbul serves Russian cuisine in a city whose dining scene is overwhelmingly defined by Anatolian and modern Turkish traditions. With a 4.4 Google rating across more than 1,300 reviews, it occupies a distinctive niche at the ₺₺₺ price tier, offering one of the few serious Russian tables in Istanbul.
Yes — if you are looking for Russian cuisine done at a Michelin-recognised standard in Istanbul, 1924 İstanbul is the clear answer. It holds a Michelin Plate for both 2024 and 2025, which puts it in a distinct category: a specialist kitchen in a city where the dominant fine-dining conversation is almost entirely about Modern Turkish. For explorers who want something genuinely outside that conversation, this is one of the few credible options. The address is Asmalı Mescit, Olivya Geçidi Sok. 7-A in Beyoğlu — the neighbourhood most associated with the city's independent restaurant scene, tight alleyways, and evening foot traffic.
1924 İstanbul occupies a specific niche: Russian cuisine in a city where that is not a common proposition, backed by back-to-back Michelin Plate recognition. That credential matters here because it signals the kitchen is working to a consistent standard that external reviewers have verified twice. A Google rating of 4.4 from 1,364 reviews adds a second layer of confidence , at that volume, the score is not a statistical fluke.
The atmosphere in Asmalı Mescit runs warm and close. The neighbourhood is one of Istanbul's most walkable dining corridors, and venues here tend toward intimate room sizes, low ceilings, and ambient energy that builds through the evening. Expect a room that feels lived-in rather than designed-for-Instagram. Noise level will be conversational in the early evening and livelier later , if you want to talk through the food, arrive before 8 PM.
The price tier is ₺₺₺, which places it below the ₺₺₺₺ tier occupied by most of Istanbul's headline Modern Turkish addresses. For context, that means you are likely spending meaningfully less per head here than at Turk Fatih Tutak, Mikla, or Neolokal, while still eating at a Michelin-acknowledged table. That value gap is one of the stronger arguments for booking here.
Russian cuisine as a category does not travel as well as, say, pizza or ramen. Dishes that rely on temperature contrast, delicate pastry, or precise sauce consistency lose something in transit. That is not a criticism specific to 1924 İstanbul , it applies to the format broadly. If you are considering an off-premise order, focus on items that hold their structure: denser preparations, cured or preserved elements, or cold dishes. Anything that arrives at the table involving crisp pastry or emulsified sauces is better eaten in-house. The restaurant's Michelin Plate recognition is attached to the in-room experience, and that is where the value proposition is strongest. Book a table rather than ordering out if the choice is available to you.
See the comparison section below for a full peer breakdown against Istanbul's leading fine-dining addresses.
If Russian cuisine is your focus, it is worth knowing how this kitchen sits globally. Palkin in St. Petersburg is the benchmark for historic Russian fine dining, and Kachka in Portland is the North American reference point for Russian comfort cooking done well. 1924 İstanbul is neither of those , it is a specifically Istanbul interpretation, which makes it interesting for travellers rather than a substitute for either.
For broader Istanbul planning, our full Istanbul restaurants guide covers the city's range across price tiers and cuisines. If you are building an itinerary, the Istanbul hotels guide, bars guide, and experiences guide round out the practical picture. Further afield in Turkey, Maçakızı in Bodrum and Nahita Cappadocia in Nevsehir are worth noting for trips beyond Istanbul. In the Beyoğlu area itself, Arkestra and Casa Lavanda offer useful alternatives if your group wants something different on the same evening.
Booking difficulty here is low , you do not need to plan weeks in advance the way you would for a ₺₺₺₺ Michelin-starred address like Turk Fatih Tutak. A few days' notice is typically sufficient, though weekend evenings in Beyoğlu fill faster. If you have a fixed date, book it regardless , there is no cost to booking early at an easy-to-book venue.
If you want to stay at ₺₺₺ and explore the Beyoğlu area, Casa Lavanda and Arkestra are nearby options. For Modern Turkish fine dining at a higher price point, Neolokal and Mikla are the standard comparisons. Neither offers Russian cuisine , 1924 İstanbul has no direct competitor in Istanbul at Michelin Plate level for this specific cuisine type.
No specific seat count or group policy is available in the venue record. Given the Asmalı Mescit location and typical room sizes in the area, assume intimate capacity. For groups larger than 6, contact the restaurant directly before booking to confirm availability , Beyoğlu venues at this tier often have limited large-table configurations.
Specific menu items are not listed in the venue record, so no dish recommendations can be made here without risk of inaccuracy. What the Michelin Plate recognition does confirm is that the kitchen is working to a consistent standard across its menu. Ask the staff what is strongest on the current menu when you arrive , at a Michelin-acknowledged address, that question will get a useful answer.
No tasting menu details are confirmed in the available data. At ₺₺₺ pricing with a Michelin Plate, the value case for any tasting format here is likely strong relative to ₺₺₺₺ peers , but confirm the format and price at the time of booking. If a tasting menu is available, the back-to-back Michelin recognition suggests the kitchen has the range to support one.
| Venue | Awards | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1924 İstanbul | Michelin Plate (2025); Michelin Plate (2024) | ₺₺₺ | — |
| Turk Fatih Tutak | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | ₺₺₺₺ | — |
| Neolokal | Michelin 1 Star, World's 50 Best | ₺₺₺₺ | — |
| Mikla | Michelin 1 Star, World's 50 Best | ₺₺₺₺ | — |
| Nicole | Michelin 1 Star | ₺₺₺₺ | — |
| Arkestra | Michelin 1 Star | ₺₺₺₺ | — |
A quick look at how 1924 İstanbul measures up.
Book at least one to two weeks ahead, more if you are visiting on a weekend or during peak tourist season in Istanbul. As a Michelin Plate holder for 2024 and 2025 on Olivya Geçidi — a compact pedestrian passage in Asmalı Mescit — the restaurant draws consistent demand despite its niche proposition. Contact through the venue directly as no booking platform or phone number is publicly listed in Pearl's records.
For Turkish fine dining with Michelin recognition, Turk Fatih Tutak and Neolokal are the stronger comparisons on ambition and culinary identity. Mikla is the choice if Bosphorus views matter as much as the plate. Nicole offers a refined seasonal menu at a similar price tier. None of these serve Russian cuisine, so if that is specifically what you want, 1924 İstanbul has no direct Istanbul competitor at this recognition level.
No group-specific capacity data is available in Pearl's records. The Olivya Geçidi address suggests a compact space typical of Asmalı Mescit's pedestrian-passage venues, which usually favour smaller parties. For groups of four or more, confirm availability and any minimum-spend requirements directly with the restaurant before assuming it can seat you comfortably.
Specific menu items are not documented in Pearl's records, so any dish-level recommendation would be speculation. What the Michelin Plate recognition in both 2024 and 2025 does confirm is that the kitchen is executing Russian cuisine at a consistent standard. Arrive with an appetite for the full format — ordering light at a Michelin-recognised Russian table in Istanbul defeats the purpose of going.
Whether a tasting menu is offered is not confirmed in Pearl's records, and inventing format details would mislead you. At a ₺₺₺ price point with back-to-back Michelin Plate recognition, the kitchen is priced and positioned as a considered dinner rather than a casual meal. If a tasting format is available when you contact the venue, it is likely the format that best justifies the spend — Russian cuisine built around a structured progression is more coherent than ordering à la carte at this tier.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
