Bodrum is the Turkish version of St Tropez of France, full of many local small restaurants and international restaurants like Nobu, Zuma, Hakkasan, and Papermoon, and hotels like Mandarin Oriental, Kempinski operational, and Four Seasons to come soon.
After the pandemic in the summer of 2022, it was visited a lot by affluent international guests from all countries of Europe and Russia too. There are many restaurants popping up in summer from Istanbul, and other European capitals, and some good local restaurants open all year around. However, my mention will be Zai in central Bodrum.
ZAI
Zai is not a restaurant only. It is a big plot of olive trees with two restaurants, a Cafe, a pastry and bread shop, a whiskey bar, a gin bar, a beer bar, an art gallery, an open-air theater used for jazz and other concerts, movies, talks and panel discussions, a library and an open-air museum of many sculptures and other artwork by prominent artists. It is open every day from nine in the morning to midnight, except Mondays. Overall, it is an oasis of a well-designed architectural beauty in crowded Bodrum, with always nice and low-volume background music mixing well with the sounds of the birds around. You may take your book to read it there during the day with coffee or some wine and have some pastry or a pizza when you feel like it. Or, you may come for a proper dinner to continue with a jazz concert in the summer months. Zai evolves each year to get better.