Urla Vino Locale
Mediterranean restaurant · Urla ·
Michelin-starred dining with seasonal Turkish & international flavors
Michelin-starred dining with seasonal Turkish & international flavors
"Ascends to Two Stars with a cuisine that blends Turkish terroir with subtle influences from Thailand, Japan and beyond. Tucked away in a leafy corner just outside Izmir, it feels deeply of its place as Ozan and Seray Kumbasar make local and seasonal ingredients shine. The menu moves gracefully between land, sea and vegetables, always blending character and identity, while Seray’s warm, professional service and wine pairings further elevate the experience. It becomes the first restaurant to receive Two Stars in Izmir and the second in Türkiye, sharing the Two-Star stage with TURK FATİH TUTAK." - The MICHELIN Guide
"If I’m focused on wine, I go to Vino Locale where Seray Kumbasar, Türkiye's first Michelin Sommelier award winner, teams up with chef Ozan Kumbasar (a Michelin Star and Green Star holder) to present local wines paired with complementary dishes." - The MICHELIN Guide
"One of Urla’s most exceptional restaurants, with both a Michelin Star and a Green Star, this address marries the region’s ingredients with the best local wines along the Urla Vineyard Road and stands out for unwavering sustainability and localism. After partner‑sommelier Seray Kumbasar won Michelin’s Best Sommelier Award in 2023, she broadened the list beyond the immediate region, traveling across Türkiye to source bottles and even inspiring the kitchen, led by her husband and chef Ozan, to create dishes expressly to showcase specific local grapes—Karkuş among them. Her philosophy treats food and wine as an ideal relationship, sometimes one complementing the other but always elevating each other, and her enthusiasm—also noted by Michelin inspectors—has galvanized a curious new generation of guests. Grounded in gastronomic ethics, the team recruits trainees from the local vocational college, deepens wine education, champions natural wines, and commits to buying pesticide‑free grapes from local producers, using their growing influence to nudge both customers and winemakers toward experimentation and to reshape regional drinking and dining habits." - The MICHELIN Guide
"A Michelin-starred restaurant run by chef Ozan Kumbasar, offering monthly-changing menus paired with wines selected by Michelin Sommelier 2024 awardee Seray Kumbasar."
"Born from a passion for Urla’s nature and abundance, this Green Starred spot embraces zero-waste and sustainability, changing its menu almost monthly to follow local, seasonal ingredients. That rhythm means ceaseless work: Chef Ozan Kumbasar continually develops new recipes, the kitchen and service teams keep adapting, and Seray Kumbasar crafts fresh wine pairings—an energy that fuels constant experimentation and success. A vivid example is the reinterpretation of fried artichoke with Urla’s sakız artichoke, whose less fibrous, more delicate character elevates a Roman classic. Though the menu shifts with the seasons, one dish never changes: the lemon parfait, whose profits support the Koruncuk Foundation for children, underscoring that fairness and sustainability extend beyond local sourcing and zero-waste. The commitment to community continues with opportunities for students from the cookery department of Urla Hakan Çeken High School to work in the restaurant, intertwining food with people, the region, producers, and consumers." - The MICHELIN Guide
