Restaurant in Izmir, Turkey
Estate dining with a Michelin-validated kitchen.
A Michelin Plate-recognised estate restaurant in Menderes, south of Izmir, where the kitchen earns its place alongside the vines. At ₺₺ pricing, the wine-paired Mediterranean cooking — including the confirmed lamb and squid dishes that caught Michelin's attention — delivers serious value for food and wine travellers willing to make the drive from the city.
Yes — and not just for the wine. İsabey Bağevi is a working wine estate in the Menderes district south of Izmir that has earned a Michelin Plate (2024) for its kitchen, not merely its vineyard. If you are looking for somewhere that combines estate-grown Sauvignon Blanc, a Mediterranean menu cooked with real technique, and a setting that is genuinely hard to replicate in the Aegean region, this is it. At a ₺₺ price point, it also sits considerably below what Michelin-recognised experiences typically cost in this part of Turkey, which makes the value case easy to make.
Sit outside under the plane tree — which, at over 350 years old, predates the modern Turkish state by two centuries , and you have the atmospheric foundation of the meal before a dish arrives. The terrace here is not incidental decor. It sets a specific tone: unhurried, anchored in place, appropriate for a meal that asks you to pay attention. The ambient energy is calm rather than convivial; this is not a high-noise dining room, and that matters if you are coming specifically to taste wine alongside food. For food and wine explorers who want conversation alongside their courses, the outdoor setting is a genuine asset. Compare that to the livelier, more social rooms you will find at Teruar Urla or Ortaya Alaçatı, and İsabey reads as the more contemplative choice.
The kitchen's confirmed anchor dishes give you a clear read on the cooking style. Buttery lamb stock with medium-rare lamb chops is classical Mediterranean technique executed without shortcuts , the depth of that stock signals a kitchen that is building flavour over time, not assembling plates. Squid stuffed with minced lamb, served with a white wine sauce, is the kind of dish that only works when the sourcing and timing are right; it is also a natural showcase for the estate's Sauvignon Blanc, where the wine's acidity cuts through the richness of the lamb filling. This is food built to be eaten with wine, which is exactly what you want from an estate restaurant. For broader context on what estate-driven Mediterranean cooking looks like across Turkey's Aegean coast, the approach here sits closer to Nahita Cappadocia's produce-led ethos than to urban tasting-menu formality.
The Isabey estate's primary focus is Sauvignon Blanc, which is not the grape most people associate with western Turkey's Aegean output. That specificity is informative: the kitchen has a fixed wine identity to cook around, and the menu reads as a deliberate pairing exercise rather than a generic Mediterranean selection. If you are coming from the wine side and want to understand what Aegean Sauvignon Blanc can do with food, this is one of the more useful places to spend an afternoon. For dedicated winery exploration across the Izmir region, see our full Izmir wineries guide, which includes Hus Şarapçılık and other producers worth building a day around.
2024 Michelin Plate recognition is the clearest public signal that the kitchen's ambitions have been validated externally. A Michelin Plate is not a star, but it is a recommendation , Michelin's inspectors ate here and found food of sufficient quality and consistency to flag it for their readers. In the Izmir dining context, where Michelin coverage is still relatively sparse compared to Istanbul, this distinction carries real weight. It positions İsabey Bağevi alongside a small group of Aegean-coast restaurants operating at a recognised level of seriousness, which is useful for calibrating expectations. If you want a frame of reference for what Michelin-acknowledged cooking looks like in Turkey's broader restaurant scene, Turk Fatih Tutak in Istanbul sits at the starred end of that spectrum; İsabey occupies a more accessible register while still meeting a comparable standard of care.
Book İsabey Bağevi if you are combining a wine estate visit with a proper meal and want both to be taken seriously. It works for couples, small groups with a food or wine interest, and anyone building an Aegean food day that might also include a stop at Scappi or Narımor in the city. It is less suited to large parties looking for a lively night out, or to diners who prioritise urban restaurant energy over rural estate calm. For a full picture of where this fits in the city's dining options, our full Izmir restaurants guide is the practical starting point. Pair your visit with our Izmir hotels guide, bars guide, and experiences guide if you are planning a longer stay in the region.
Reservations: Easy to book , no significant lead time required under normal conditions, though calling ahead is advisable given the estate location. Budget: ₺₺, placing this well below comparable Michelin-recognised venues in Turkey. Getting there: The estate is in Menderes, approximately 25–30 km south of central Izmir; a car or taxi is the practical option. Leading for: Wine-paired lunches, couples, food-and-wine itineraries, Aegean day trips. Google rating: 4.6 from 2,032 reviews, which for an estate restaurant with a niche focus indicates a consistently positive visitor experience across a substantial sample.
| Venue | Price | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| İsabey Bağevi | ₺₺ | Easy | — |
| Vino Locale | ₺₺₺ | Unknown | — |
| Teruar Urla | ₺₺₺₺ | Unknown | — |
| OD Urla | ₺₺₺ | Unknown | — |
| Gula Urla | ₺₺ | Unknown | — |
| Ayşa Boşnak Börekçisi | ₺ | Unknown | — |
Side-by-side comparison to help you decide where to book.
If the kitchen is leading with dishes like lamb chops in buttery lamb stock and squid stuffed with minced lamb in white wine sauce, a multi-course format plays to its strengths. The Michelin Plate (2024) confirms the kitchen earns the format. Call ahead to confirm current menu structure, as specific offerings are not published online.
Yes. A 350-year-old plane tree for shade, a working Sauvignon Blanc estate as the backdrop, and a Michelin-recognised kitchen make this a strong choice for a dinner that feels considered rather than generic. It suits couples and small groups more than large parties. The estate setting does the occasion work for you without requiring a formal city venue.
It is manageable solo, but the estate format and terrace setting are built for sharing the experience with at least one other person. The ₺₺ price range keeps the financial commitment low, so a solo visit is not a costly experiment — but the wine-and-food pairing dynamic is harder to appreciate alone. Solo diners with a genuine interest in the estate and its Sauvignon Blanc will get more out of it than someone looking for counter-seat energy.
No significant lead time is required under normal conditions, but calling ahead is advisable given the estate location in Menderes, south of Izmir. Walk-in visits to a working winery carry more logistical risk than a city restaurant. A day or two of notice is a sensible minimum, especially if you are travelling specifically for the meal.
The terrace setting under a centuries-old plane tree on a working wine estate points toward relaxed but presentable. Nothing in the venue record suggests a formal dress code. Comfortable clothing that works outdoors in the Izmir climate is the practical call — think smart casual in the loosest sense, not a jacket-required room.
At ₺₺, this is mid-range pricing for a Michelin Plate venue on a wine estate, which makes the value case straightforward. You are getting estate-grown wine, a kitchen that has earned external recognition in 2024, and a setting that no city restaurant in Izmir can replicate. For the combination of credentials and price point, it overdelivers.
OD Urla and Teruar Urla are the closest comparisons — both are wine-region restaurants in the Urla peninsula west of Izmir with serious food credentials. OD Urla skews more formal and is better if you want a tighter tasting menu format. Teruar Urla suits those who want wine-first focus. İsabey Bağevi is the strongest option if the estate experience and Michelin recognition at a ₺₺ price point are the deciding factors.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
