Masters/Fine Dining Restaurant/Neolokal

Neolokal

No.100 World's 50 Best 2025 — elite chef

Fine Dining RestaurantFine DiningTurkeyWorld's 50 Best

Veronica's Take

At Neolokal, chef Maksut Aşkar has quietly catapulted to the No.100 spot on the World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 list, transforming Istanbul's dining scene with his inventive take on Turkish heritage. Set in the Salt Galata cultural complex, the restaurant offers not just a feast for the palate but also a visual spectacle through its floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Golden Horn. Aşkar's commitment to sustainability is evident in his sourcing from a local farm in Gümüşdere, and his radical transparency extends to sharing recipes online, making his culinary research open to all. This is a dining experience that marries innovation with a deep respect for tradition, all while offering a side of breathtaking views.

neolokal With chef Maksut Aşkar at the helm, Neolokal spins Turkish heritage produce into original global and local dishes. Part of the city’s Salt Galata cultural complex, the restaurant also serves jaw-dropping views of the Golden Horn through its floor-to-ceiling windows – be sure to make time for a rooftop cocktail. Neolokal’s supplies come from a sustainable farm in nearby Gümüşdere, and believing his research should be open source, Aşkar also gives away his recipes online.

Accolade

List: World's 50 Best Restaurants · Rank: 100 · Year: 2025

Key Facts

The people behind Neolokal

Maksut Askar

profile

Chef

Chef at the helm of Neolokal, Istanbul (No.100, World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025), in the Salt Galata complex. Sources from a sustainable farm in Gumusdere and publishes his recipes openly.