Seraf Vadi

The story

Seraf Vadi, Istanbul: Contemporary Turkish Cooking in Sariyer

Seraf Vadi is a contemporary Turkish restaurant at Kemerburgaz Cad. No7G Kapi No 7, 34396 Sariyer, Istanbul. Gault&Millau awarded it 15 points in 2026, and the kitchen reworks traditional Anatolian recipes with seasonal ingredients.

Chef Sinem Özler's cooking

Sinem Özler joined Seraf first as a manager and later took over kitchen production. She had no formal kitchen training, so she learned the production processes on the job alongside founder Doğan Yıldırım. Much of her cooking comes from travel, with time spent in different Anatolian regions learning local techniques from home cooks.

Seasonal produce and small producers

The menus follow the season, and the team buys directly from farmers, with particular support for women producers and cooperatives. Some recipes rely on slow, labor-intensive methods, such as bread baked in a stone oven or meat and vegetables cooked in a copper pot. Traditional preservation helps the kitchen limit waste.

Tasting, vegetarian and wine menus

The restaurant offers a tasting menu, a vegetarian menu, a beverage menu, a wine list and a dessert menu. The wine list draws on Turkish grapes, chosen to pair with the food. Wine Spectator gave the wine program its Award of Excellence in 2025.