Fire, a counter and two chefs
Araf is small on purpose. It’s a counter restaurant, so you eat facing the cooking, with the fire and the chefs a short reach away. Kenan Çetinkaya and Pınar Korgan Çetinkaya run it together. The focus is open-fire cooking built around pure Turkish flavours.
That focus earned Araf its first Michelin Star in 2026. A counter this small doesn’t let a kitchen hide anything. You see each plate assembled and the flame that cooked it, which is the point of eating here.
Why Kozyatağı, and why cross the water
Kozyatağı is a residential and office district in Kadıköy, on the Asian side. Most visitors staying in Sultanahmet or Beyoğlu never get there. A starred meal pulls you into a part of Istanbul where people actually live and work, away from the old city’s tour circuit.
Bağdat Caddesi, the long shopping avenue of the Asian shore, is a short taxi ride south. Kadıköy’s market streets around the ferry pier are a few metro stops west. Either makes a good walk before dinner.
Getting to Araf
Kozyatağı station is on the M4 metro line, which runs from Kadıköy out to Tavşantepe. Your route depends on where you’re staying:
- From Sultanahmet or Sirkeci: take the Marmaray under the Bosphorus to Ayrılık Çeşmesi, then change to the M4 towards Tavşantepe.
- From Karaköy, Eminönü or Beşiktaş: take a ferry to Kadıköy (about 20 minutes on the water), then board the M4 at Kadıköy station.
- By taxi: the bridges can jam badly at evening rush hour. Rail is usually the more predictable option.
From the European side, allow about an hour door to door. Confirm the exact address when you book and check the walk from Kozyatağı station on a map app.
Booking a seat at the counter
Plan ahead. A tiny dining room that has just been starred doesn’t have many seats, and walk-ins are a gamble. Some practical points:
- Reserve early through the restaurant’s official channels, and check its current opening days and hours before you plan the evening around it. They were not available when this guide was written.
- Mention dietary needs when you book. A counter kitchen cooking over fire plans its service carefully, and last-minute swaps are harder.
- Arrive on time. Counter seating usually runs to a shared rhythm, so one late party holds up everyone else.
- Paying: cards are widely accepted in Istanbul restaurants. Tipping around 10 percent is customary in Turkey for good service, often left in cash even when you pay the bill by card.
Prices aren’t published here, so check the restaurant’s own site or ask when you reserve. At the counter, you can watch the cooking and talk to the chefs when they have a moment, so take the chance to ask what’s on the fire.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Araf in Istanbul?
Araf is in Kozyatağı, in the Kadıköy district on Istanbul's Asian side. The nearest metro stop is Kozyatağı on the M4 line. Confirm the exact street address when you book.
How do I get to Araf from the European side?
From Sultanahmet, take the Marmaray to Ayrılık Çeşmesi and change to the M4 towards Tavşantepe. From Karaköy, Eminönü or Beşiktaş, take a ferry to Kadıköy and board the M4 there. Allow about an hour.
Do I need a reservation at Araf?
Plan on yes. It's a tiny counter restaurant that won its first Michelin Star in 2026, so seats are limited. Book through the restaurant's official channels and confirm current hours before you go.
What kind of food does Araf serve?
Open-fire cooking that highlights pure Turkish flavours, from chefs Kenan Çetinkaya and Pınar Korgan Çetinkaya. That approach earned the Michelin Star. Ask when you book what the current menu format is.
What is near Araf for before or after dinner?
Bağdat Caddesi, the Asian side's long shopping avenue, is a short taxi ride south. Kadıköy's market streets and ferry pier are a few M4 stops west.
Plan your trip to Istanbul
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