Restaurant in Izmir, Turkey
Michelin-recognised. Aegean prices. Worth the drive.
Levan holds Michelin Plate recognition for 2024 and 2025 and sits at the ₺₺ price tier — making it the most accessible serious restaurant on the Urla peninsula outside Izmir. A Google rating of 4.2 from 557 reviews confirms consistent quality across diner types. Book ahead during summer and allow time for the drive from central Izmir.
At the ₺₺ price tier, Levan is one of the more accessible Michelin Plate holders in Turkey's Aegean dining corridor — and that positioning matters when you are deciding how to allocate a meal budget across a trip to the Izmir region. You are not paying Istanbul fine-dining prices here. What you get in return is a Turkish kitchen that has earned Michelin Plate recognition in both 2024 and 2025, operating out of Urla, the wine-producing peninsula west of Izmir that has become one of the country's most serious dining destinations. If you are building a food itinerary around the Urla area and wondering which restaurant deserves a confirmed reservation, Levan belongs near the leading of that list.
Levan sits on Kuşcular Caddesi in Urla's Kuşçular district, a quieter address than Izmir's central waterfront. For a first-timer, that location tells you something about the experience: this is a destination restaurant, not a convenience stop. You come here with intention. The cuisine is Turkish, and given the Michelin Plate recognition across two consecutive years, the kitchen is operating at a level that distinguishes it from standard regional Turkish fare. The Google rating of 4.2 across 557 reviews suggests broad satisfaction rather than a narrow cult following, which is useful information — it means the experience is reliable across different diner types, not just enthusiasts who came pre-converted.
If you are visiting Izmir and have one meal to allocate to something above the everyday, Levan in Urla is the call, particularly if you value culinary ambition at a price that does not require rationalising. Travellers who want to compare Aegean dining at this tier should also look at our full Izmir restaurants guide, which covers the wider region. For drinks before or after, the Izmir bars guide and Izmir wineries guide are worth consulting , Urla's wine producers are a natural companion to a meal at this level.
Michelin Plate recognition in the Turkish context, particularly in a region like Urla where a cluster of serious restaurants have emerged over the past decade, signals a kitchen with a clear point of view. The Plate designation does not carry the weight of a star, but it indicates that inspectors found the cooking worth noting , good ingredients, honest technique, a degree of culinary intention above the neighbourhood average. At the ₺₺ price point, that combination is what makes Levan worth the drive from central Izmir.
For a first visit, arrive with enough time to settle into the meal rather than treating it as a quick dinner. Restaurants at this level in the Urla circuit tend to be built around a progression of courses rather than a strictly à la carte format, and the experience rewards patience. Visually, the Urla setting , away from the urban density of Izmir , tends to produce restaurants with more considered interiors and, in warmer months, outdoor space that takes advantage of the Aegean landscape. While specific details about Levan's room are not confirmed in our data, the address and the restaurant's profile suggest an environment suited to a proper sit-down meal rather than a rushed one. Current seasonal timing, with summer fully open in this part of Turkey, means the restaurant is likely operating at full capacity , book ahead rather than arriving on spec.
For context on what Michelin-recognised Turkish cooking looks like at higher price tiers, Turk Fatih Tutak in Istanbul and Lokanta 1741 in Istanbul offer useful reference points for how the category scales up. Closer to the Aegean coast, Maçakızı in Bodrum represents the beach-luxury end of the spectrum. Levan sits at a more grounded price level than any of those, which is part of its appeal.
If you are building a broader Izmir dining itinerary, a few other addresses are worth cross-referencing. In the city itself, Narımor and Aslında Meyhane cover different registers , meyhane culture versus more contemporary approaches. Adil Müftüoğlu is another local reference worth checking. For something more casual, Ayşa Boşnak Börekçisi and Beğendik Abi represent the affordable, locally-beloved end of the spectrum , useful if you want to balance one serious meal with lower-key eating. Outside the region entirely, Nahita Cappadocia in Nevsehir and Aravan Evi in Ürgüp show what Michelin-era Turkish dining looks like in other parts of the country. For Turkish cuisine abroad, dede in Baltimore is a useful comparison for how the cuisine translates internationally.
If you are planning the wider trip, our Izmir hotels guide and Izmir experiences guide cover what to do beyond the table. The Urla peninsula rewards a full day or overnight stay , pairing Levan with a visit to one of the area's wineries makes for a well-structured trip. See the wineries guide for which producers are worth the detour.
Levan's address is Kuşçular, Kuşcular Cd. No:3, 35430 Urla/İzmir. Urla is approximately 45 minutes from central Izmir by car , factor that into your planning, particularly if you are combining the meal with other Urla activities. A phone number and website are not confirmed in our current data; the safest approach is to search directly for the restaurant or ask your hotel concierge to assist with a reservation. Booking difficulty is rated easy, but during the summer high season in this part of Turkey, easy does not mean spontaneous , a few days' notice is sensible. Dress code is not specified for Levan, but a Michelin Plate restaurant in a wine-producing region warrants smart-casual at minimum. Also consult our Kokorecci Asim Usta in Bornova and Poyraz Sahil Balık Restaurant in Beykoz if your Izmir trip extends toward other parts of the region.
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Levan | Turkish | Michelin Plate (2025); Michelin Plate (2024) | Easy | — |
| Vino Locale | Country cooking | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Teruar Urla | Mediterranean Cuisine | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| OD Urla | Farm to Table, Creative French | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Gula Urla | Seafood | Unknown | — | |
| Ayşa Boşnak Börekçisi | Turkish | Unknown | — |
What to weigh when choosing between Levan and alternatives.
At the ₺₺ price tier, Levan is among the more accessible Michelin Plate holders in Turkey's Aegean region, which makes the value case straightforward. If you're coming from Izmir specifically for a serious Turkish table at a fair price, it holds up. For a higher-investment format, OD Urla positions itself further up the price curve and may suit those wanting a more elaborate experience.
The address — Kuşcular Cd. No:3 in Urla's Kuşçular district — is around 45 minutes from central Izmir by car, so this is not a casual drop-in. Plan the visit as a destination, not an afterthought. Levan holds consecutive Michelin Plate recognition (2024 and 2025), which signals consistent quality at the ₺₺ price point.
Nothing in the venue record rules out solo dining, and at ₺₺ pricing the financial commitment is low enough to make a solo visit reasonable. That said, Urla's location means a dedicated 45-minute drive each way — factor in whether that suits a solo itinerary or whether a central Izmir option like Narımor makes more logistical sense.
Specific booking lead times aren't documented for Levan, but Michelin Plate venues in Turkey's Aegean corridor have seen demand grow sharply since the 2024 Michelin Turkey guide launched. Booking at least 1–2 weeks out is a reasonable default, with more notice advisable on weekends or during summer when Urla sees higher visitor traffic.
Within Urla, Teruar Urla and Gula Urla are worth comparing on format and price before you commit. OD Urla is the higher-spend option in the same area if you want a more produced dining experience. In central Izmir, Narımor and Aslında Meyhane cover different ground — more accessible for guests without a car.
Group suitability isn't confirmed in the venue record, and without published capacity details it's impossible to say whether large tables are available. check the venue's official channels before planning a group visit — Urla's smaller restaurant addresses often have limited floor space.
No dress code is specified in the venue record. At the ₺₺ price tier in a regional Aegean setting, the expectation is likely relaxed rather than formal — but if you're building an evening around the visit after a day out in Urla, presentable casual is a safe read.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
