The Red Balloon

The Red Balloon, nestled in the beautiful Bosphorus village of Yenikoy, has earned Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition for its exceptional value and quality. Chef Ulas Durmaz, winner of Michelin's 2024 Young Chef Award, creates a distinctive culinary style blending Mediterranean freshness with North Aegean influences. Starting from humble beginnings as a dishwasher at 14, Durmaz now leads a kitchen focused on quality local ingredients and sustainability. The restaurant grows some ingredients in a nearby orchard, and vegetable waste becomes compost at Damlica Farm, their key supplier. Signature dishes like slow-cooked beef neck with spicy apricot sorbet and pickled matsutake mushrooms showcase his inspired cooking that gives familiar flavors interesting twists.