Chef Restaurants in Izmir

Food and kitchen documentaries, which we have been following more and more on social media platforms rather than mainstream media channels, have started to increase our interest in food and beverage culture. As a result of this interest, we have started to research not only popular places but also places where we want to try different foods and drinks. For those who are too immersed in this field and looking for alternatives, chef restaurants can be a good start. So what are these chef restaurants? “Chef restaurants” are restaurants where the chef in the kitchen is also the owner of the business. If words like gastronomy, gourmet, world cuisine have started to enter your life and you can count the names of chefs one after another, we can introduce you to some of the very special restaurants that are pioneers in this field in Turkey. Three of them are located in Urla, a coastal town in beautiful Izmir. These restaurants, which opened with the concept we mentioned, have started to be compared to many restaurants not only in Turkey but also in the world in a short time and have gained a special place for themselves. Here are the chef restaurants in Izmir that we have chosen for you...

OD URLA

OD URLA is a very special place where you can satisfy your soul not only with its food but also with the ambiance of the restaurant. Its name means fire in old Turkish. It is the first singular restaurant experience of its chef and owner Osman Sezener. He is accompanied by a very special chef team of 5 people. All the flavors of Od Urla are prepared using ingredients from local producers and the most natural cooking techniques. Since the freshness of the ingredients is as important as their seasonality, the menu is updated every 45 days. Of course, you may think twice before ordering a meal that seems confusing to you, but the probability of anything in the place disappointing you is very low. If you are undecided about the variety in the menu, there is a tasting menu. However, if you have been to Izmir and want to make your way here, you should definitely make a reservation in advance. Because this restaurant, which adds value to the face of Urla, can be exposed to intense interest from guests regardless of the season.

Address: Rüstem, Rüstem Mahallesi 2018/9 Sokak, Süt Pınarı Mevkii No:28, 35430 Urla/İzmir

MA URLA

Osman Sezener's new venue opened in May 2021 in a more boutique glass building located in the olive grove of OD URLA. Unlike OD URLA, the restaurant focuses on seafood and its name is "MA", which means water in old Turkish. As can be understood from the carefully thought-out names of both restaurants, "MA" and "OD" want to put themselves in the forefront in terms of gastronomy.

Address: Rüstem Mah., 2018/9 Sokak, No:28, Urla, İzmir, Turkey

URLA VINO LOCALE

Ozan Kumbasar is the chef and founder of Urla Vino Locale. He is one of those people who at some point gets bored with their city life and realizes the dream of opening a cafe or restaurant in a quiet Aegean town. The restaurant has its own dynamics. Seasonal menus prepared with special flavors, local dishes are supported with different cooking techniques. Moreover, the restaurant team is very knowledgeable in every aspect of dishes that are not presented to the guest without being tried. You can understand how serious a process this seemingly romantic project actually involves from the moment you sit at the table. You can call and get information about the menu that they change regularly whenever you want.

Address: Kuşçular, 8037. Sk. No:3, 35430 Urla/İzmir

AGRİLİA

Agrilia has the distinction of being the first restaurant to open when Çeşme and especially Alaçatı were not yet discovered, in other words, when their stone houses had not yet been converted into boutique hotels or cafes. First in a tobacco factory, then in an olive oil workshop, and finally in the garden of Alavya Hotel, it has been serving with chef Melih Tekşen, who has not left him alone for 21 years. It has maintained its line without compromising popular demands, has been careful to maintain its refined menu since the day it opened, but of course has not neglected to include unique surprises from time to time. Melih Tekşen is another person who turns a dream into reality. While he works in a completely different sector such as sock production due to being a family business, he goes to Leiths School of Food and Wine in London to open a restaurant in Alaçatı, which he is a fan of, and to do his job properly, and returns with an education on world cuisine and wine. Local producers and artisans' products in Alaçatı are also used in the Italian recipes in Melih Bey's kitchen in this way.

Address: Alaçatı, Kemalpaşa Cd. 84/A, 35930 Çeşme/İzmir

Written by: Şebnem Gürer