How to Book Araf İstanbul — No Apps, Direct Only (2026)
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There are twelve seats, one open fire, and no booking app. Araf İstanbul is the tiny Kadıköy counter where Kenan and Pınar Korgan Çetinkaya cook offal and large cuts over flame. One Michelin star since 2026. The only way in is direct, and it is worth the effort.
A 12-seat open-fire counter in Kadıköy with one Michelin star; book direct weeks ahead for a solo seat at the flames.
Araf is one of Istanbul's hardest small tables, not because of an app war but because there are so few seats. Twelve covers a night, one seating, and a direct-only book. You want weeks, not days.
How Hard Is Araf İstanbul to Book?
Hard, by arithmetic. Twelve seats and a single evening service from 7pm to 10pm mean the counter is gone quickly once a date opens, and a Michelin star has only tightened it. Two to four weeks is the realistic lead, more around Istanbul's festival and holiday weeks.
There is no easier back door of lunch or a second room. The one flexibility is midweek: a Wednesday or Thursday counter opens sooner than a Friday or Saturday. The restaurant is closed on Tuesdays.
The Platform and the Window
Araf takes no OpenTable, Resy or SevenRooms booking. You reserve direct through the restaurant's own site at arafistanbul.com, by phone, or by Instagram message, and the team confirms by hand. Because there is no public app calendar, the move is to contact them early for your date and follow up, rather than refreshing a platform.
If your date is fixed and the counter is full, a concierge can sometimes place you through the restaurant directly, and a polite follow-up close to the date can catch a cancellation. For how the major apps work when a restaurant does use them, see our OpenTable versus Resy explainer.
What You Are Actually Booking
Araf is an offal-forward, fire-driven kitchen, what Turkish cooks call sakatat raised to fine-dining level. Kenan and Pınar Korgan Çetinkaya work a single open hearth at the twelve-seat counter, with a few tables in the conservatory behind. The cooking is bold and product-led, large cuts and offal taken over flame, the lamb T-bone and the skirt steak among the anchors.
It runs a la carte alongside a tasting option; a single lamb T-bone is around ₺2,200 and skirt steak about ₺4,000 a kilogram, with a 12% service charge, so plan on roughly ₺3,000 to 4,500 a head before wine. Araf holds one Michelin star in the 2026 Guide Türkiye and sits in the 19 Mayıs quarter of Kadıköy on the Asian side. For scores and the full read, see our Araf İstanbul verdict, and the Istanbul dining guide maps the rest. The counter is a strong seat for a solo diner and for a first date with nerve.
Don't bother booking Araf İstanbul if
You are squeamish about offal or want a quiet table away from the heat. The menu leans hard into sakatat and the cooking happens an arm's length away over open fire. A diner who wants a calm, vegetable-led tasting should book Neolokal or Araka instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
How hard is it to book Araf İstanbul?
Hard, mostly by size. Araf has twelve counter seats and one evening service, so dates fill fast and a Michelin star has tightened it further. Two to four weeks of notice is realistic, and midweek opens sooner than a weekend. It is closed on Tuesdays. For the hardest tables anywhere, see our guide to impossible restaurant reservations.
What platform does Araf İstanbul use for reservations?
None of the apps. Araf takes no OpenTable, Resy or SevenRooms booking; you reserve direct through arafistanbul.com, by phone, or by Instagram message, and the team confirms by hand. Contact them early for your date and follow up rather than refreshing a platform. For how the apps work elsewhere, read our OpenTable versus Resy explainer.
How far in advance should you book Araf İstanbul?
Two to four weeks for most dates, and more around Istanbul's holiday and festival weeks, since there are only twelve seats. A midweek counter, Wednesday or Thursday, opens sooner than Friday or Saturday. Because there is no public app calendar, the lead time is really about reaching the team early and confirming directly.
How much does Araf İstanbul cost?
Plan on roughly ₺3,000 to 4,500 a head before wine, with a 12% service charge added. The kitchen runs a la carte alongside a tasting option; a lamb T-bone is around ₺2,200 and skirt steak about ₺4,000 a kilogram. The cooking is offal-forward and fire-driven. For deposits and cancellation terms generally, read our explainer on restaurant deposits and no-show fees.
Is Araf İstanbul good for solo dining?
Yes, it is one of Istanbul's best counters for a solo seat. The twelve-stool counter faces the open fire, so a single diner gets the full show and easy conversation with Kenan and Pınar Korgan Çetinkaya. Book a midweek date direct and ask for a counter stool rather than a conservatory table. See more options in our solo dining guide.