Traditional Turkish Drinks and Where to Drink Them in Istanbul

Turkey has a wide range of traditional drinks and they taste really good. Some of them you can drink any time in the day and some of them are better at special occasions. Here are the most famous traditional drink and some tips about the best places to try them.

1. Turk Kahvesi - Turkish Coffee

This is one of the most famous drinks in Turkey and it is world wide known hard coffee. It is traditionally served with a little coffee cup and a little glass of water. On the plate of the cup is placed a piece of lokum (Turkish delight). Less traditional places may place a piece of chocolate or cookie. The reason for the dessert is that the coffee may be bitter and it serves as sugar. But you don't only have "no sugar" choice; you may order "middle sugary" or "very sugary". The coffee is cooked in a cezve, a coffee pot (traditionally in a copper one, but that is not always the case), or on hot ash. The best coffee should have a thick layer of foam on it.

You can drink delicious Turkish coffee around Misir Carsisi (Egyptian Bazaar) and Kapali Carsi (Grand Bazaar). You can also buy fresh coffee from Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi and make your coffee yourself. Bebek Kahvesi at Bebek is also very famous and has a beautiful sea view.

2. Cay - Tea

When you say tea in Turkish, you will be served boiled black tea with the colour red. The tea glass is described as "slim-waisted" (it was recently and interestingly chosen as the best whiskey glass by a website) and the tea colour is described as "rabbit's blood" (it sounds fierce, but the best tea is must be such vivid red). Tea lovers are divided in two: The ones who claim that real tea must be sugar free and the others who think it doesn't matter. Try both ways to decide.

There are many places to drink delicious tea, but the little tea houses are generally the best. There are many at the coasts. Corlulu Ali Pasa Medresesi houses a cosy one. One of the most famous and crowded tea houses in Istanbul belongs to "Mustafa amca" at Hazzopulo Pasaji. That passage hosts many tea houses and all of them are crowded at any time of the day and the week.

3. Ayran

Ayran is my favourite soft drink along with lemonade. It is made by adding adequate quantity of water and mixing both with a little salt. (I tried ayran two times at Varna, Bulgaria. I guess it was made from buttermilk and tasted sweeter.) Some restaurants ask you if you like "open ayran" or "closed ayran". If you can't trust the hygene of the place, prefer "closed ayran" which is packaged. However, there are some restaurants that you shouldn't miss "open ayran".  "Open ayran" is mixed at the restaurant and is served with an extra added "kopuk (foam)".

You can find closed ayrans at any market, but open ayran should be tried at particular places. What comes to my mind is Buket Lahmacun & Kebap at Mecidiyekoy. (Its "lahmacun"s are a different story). Open ayran is usually served in glasses, but this one serves it with copper bowl and you drink it with a small ladle.

4. Boza

Boza is an interesting drink. It is so thick that it may be eaten with a spoon. Not everyone likes the taste, but the ones who love it, love it till the end. It is made from corn semolina, water and sugar. It is usually referred as a winter drink, but if you came to Istanbul at another season, you can surely try it. Beware that boza gets spoiled in 6 or 7 days, so drink it fresh. There are also bottled bozas, but I don't think they taste as good.

Until quite recently, especially at winter nights, boza seller would wander at the streets and would call out: "Booozaaaa!". There are still boza sellers, but they are much less in number. The most famous place to drink boza in Istanbul is Vefa Bozacisi. It is almost the one and the only name about boza. Vefa Bozacisi was opened in 1876 and as you would guess, it is a witness of important historical events that took place in Istanbul. It is at the beginning of Unkapani Manifaturacilar Carsisi and at the corner of Vefa Lisesi. There you can also try "şıra" which will be explained below.

5. Şıra

Şıra is unfermented grape or sometimes apple, and it almost tastes like non-alcoholic wine. It contains a high quantity of fructose, so it is rather sweet. It is dark red in colour. It is usually served with Iskender kebap and other kinds of kebabs.

You can find şıra at restaurants and they also found bottled at markets.

6. Salgam Suyu - Turnip Juice

Turnip juice is a specialty of Cukurova Region, but it can be found all around Turkey. It is red, cloudy and sour. It may be bitter or not. Bitter taste is usually given with a special pickle juice. Turnip juice is generally served with black carrot and drank with kebab, as well as raki and appetizers.

It is found at traditional restaurants. You can also buy it bottled from markets.

7. Salep

Here comes the drink of drinks of wintertime. Salep is a very delicious hot drink. It is made from the tuberous root of the orchide. The powder is mixed with milk and sugar. Proportions and freshness is vitally important for the best taste. It is served in a cup with some cinemmon sprinkled on it.

I think the best salep is the one you buy from the herbalist and do at home. The salep of the restaurant chains Kahve Dunyasi, Mado, Sutis and Saray Muhallebicisi are all right. However, I won't suggest you the moderate prices this time. For salep is an expensive drink, you should pay more to drink a real one.

8. Raki

Raki is the traditional alcoholic drink. It is served with its bottle, a bottle of water, two glasses for each person and a little bucket of ice that you put with tongs. You or your friends at the table serve raki. Most people don't feel more than the half of the glass, because it is a very hard drink. You fill the rest of the glass with water and the other glass with water (if you like, turnip juice can be served instead of water). The drink looks milky. After all, it's nickname is "lion's milk".

Apart from other drinks, raki has a special culture. There are many unwritten rules and written books about it. From the way you hold the glass to the topics you talk at the table, everything is included in this culture. But don't worry and enjoy your drink. Nobody will criticise you for trying raki.

Qualified raki brands are available at markets and meyhanes (Turkish traditional pubs). Mezes (appetizers) have a great importance. They may include mashed aubergines, mashed chickpeas, spiced yoghurt, and so on. The more you try, the more you'll discover unique tastes. Most meyhanes at Taksim, Kumkapi and Kadikoy are good at raki tables. But try to check the menu and prices first.

9. Sarap - Wine

For red wine, there are three kinds of grapes that come to mind first: Okuzgozu from East Anatolia, Bogazkere from Southeast Anatolia, and Kalecik Karasi from Ankara. There are also local white wines.

10. Bira - Beer

There are not many local beer brands in Turkey, compared to Europe. But the famous brands are available at markets, package stores and pubs.