With this weekend’s opening of The Maine — the buzzy third outpost from restaurateur Joey Ghazal — the holiday season starts off strong at the new Maxx Royal Bodrum. Only 15 minutes by helicopter, 22 minutes by boat, or an hour’s drive from Milas-Bodrum Airport, a new culinary dream destination is seducing jet setters. Perched on a hilltop with unobstructed, 360-degree views of the Aegean Coast, The MAINE Bodrum — which overlooks the entire Maxx Royal Resort in which it is located — is worth a trip all on its own.
The long-awaited locale and its menu pay homage to founder Joey Ghazal’s memories of his trips to New England from Dubai, where he grew up. After already delighting some of the most discerning international clientele with projects in the UK and Spain, the Lebanese-Canadian restauranteur’s latest venture in Turkey is set to impress. “The interiors take their stylistic cues from our other seasonal summer destination, The MAINE Ibiza, with its dark brutalist monastic simplicity and candle-lit ambience,” says Ghazal, describing the restaurant’s third outpost as being “for all who visit Bodrum looking for a memorable night out, which our resident Cuban band from Mayfair and our DJs are guaranteed to deliver.
” Accommodating 100 guests indoors with an additional 50 seats on the terrace, the venue also has exceptional cliffside private dining for 20 people. “The view from The MAINE was all the inspiration we needed, which is why the restaurant fe.