telezzüz

Verdict

Telezzüz earns a confident recommendation for anyone in Istanbul who wants serious plant-based cooking rather than a token vegan menu. Sitting inside the Koç Group Sports Club in Kuzguncuk on the Asian shore, it is an odd address on paper, but it works in practice. At ₺₺₺₺ pricing, it is not cheap for Istanbul, but it is priced in line with the city's leading modern Turkish restaurants; all of which still serve meat. If creative, zero-waste, plant-forward cooking is what you are after, book here first.

The Setting

The sports complex address in Kuzguncuk, on the quieter Asian side of the Bosphorus, is the first thing first-timers need to make peace. This is not a restaurant on a busy pedestrian strip with foot traffic nudging you through the door. You come to Telezzüz deliberately, which means the crowd inside has also come deliberately; a subtle but real advantage for the atmosphere. The exterior is ornate and colourful, a clear signal that the experience inside is going to be more considered than a standard health-food café. Visually, the space commits fully to a celebration of nature, with the decor reinforcing the kitchen's ethos rather than contradicting it. The overall effect is relaxed without being casual in a way that costs quality, exactly the register that makes this kind of meal work.

For a first visit, know that Kuzguncuk is one of Istanbul's more charming neighbourhoods, building time around the area makes the trip across the Bosphorus more rewarding. The restaurant is reachable by ferry to Üsküdar and then a short ride, or directly by taxi from the Asian side. It is worth planning around rather than treating as a spontaneous drop-in.

The Kitchen

The Michelin recognition specifically calls out the kitchen's creativity, the examples given in the award notes are instructive: mushroom ceviche, deep-fried artichoke served with mushroom ketchup, a sweet plum and chilli sauce, olive oil mayonnaise, crunchy vegetables. These are not simplified or apologetic dishes. They use technique, frying, fermentation, sauce-building, to create layered flavour without animal products, which is meaningfully harder than it sounds. The zero-waste commitment and local sourcing are built into the cooking rather than announced as marketing, which is the right way to operate. The cocktail programme is noted as a genuine complement to the food, not an afterthought, so arrive ready to drink alongside your meal rather than defaulting to water.

For anyone who has spent time at the better vegan restaurants in Europe, such as KLE in Zurich or Légume in Seoul, the cooking at Telezzüz sits comfortably in that tier. The difference is the Turkish flavour vocabulary, the plum sauces, the artichokes, the chilli balance, which gives the menu a specificity that imported plant-based formats often lack.

What to Expect on a First Visit

Booking is classified as easy, which means you do not need to plan weeks ahead the way you would for Istanbul's harder-to-access tasting-menu restaurants. That said, the sports complex setting and the deliberate clientele mean this is not a last-minute walk-in restaurant by feel. Make a reservation, arrive on time, give the kitchen the chance to show what it can do across multiple courses. The cocktail pairing is worth taking seriously, the food is complex enough that the drinks are doing real work alongside it. Dress is relaxed; this is not a formal dining room, but the ₺₺₺₺ pricing means you will feel comfortable in smart casual rather than gym wear. The ornate exterior and nature-led interior give the meal a sense of occasion without requiring you to perform formality.

If you are visiting Istanbul for the first time and want to understand the city's restaurant scene beyond the obvious, Telezzüz is a useful data point. It shows that Istanbul's serious cooking is not limited to modern Turkish tasting menus or Bosphorus-view fish restaurants. The Asian side has its own distinct character, Kuzguncuk is one of the better arguments for crossing the water. For a broader picture of what is available, see our full Istanbul restaurants guide, and if you are building a longer trip, our Istanbul hotels guide, bars guide, and experiences guide are worth checking alongside it.

Ratings and Trust Signals

• Michelin Plate (2024), recognised for creative, sustainable plant-forward cooking
• Price tier: ₺₺₺₺, in line with Istanbul's top-tier restaurants
• Booking difficulty: Easy

Practical Details

Telezzüz is located at the Koç Group Sports Club, Kuzguncuk, Kuşbakışı Cd. No:16, 34674 Üsküdar, Istanbul. The Asian-side address means a ferry to Üsküdar or a taxi from the Asian shore is the most practical route. Hours and phone contact are not publicly confirmed at time of writing, so check current booking availability directly. Dress smart casual. The cocktail programme is strong enough to factor into your budget. This is a sit-down, multi-course experience rather than a quick lunch format. Quick reference: Koç Sports Club, Kuzguncuk, Asian Istanbul, book ahead, smart casual, cocktails recommended.

More to Explore in Turkey

If you are travelling beyond Istanbul, Maçakızı in Bodrum, Narımor in Izmir, and Nahita Cappadocia in Nevsehir are worth adding to your itinerary. On the Asian side of Istanbul, Poyraz Sahil Balık Restaurant in Beykoz is a strong alternative for seafood. For a different register altogether, Kokorecci Asim Usta in Bornova and Aravan Evi in Ürgüp show the range of what Turkish hospitality can offer outside the fine-dining category. Casa Lavanda is worth a look if you want a traditional-leaning option back in Istanbul.