How to Drink Rakı: A Beginner's Guide from a Century-Old Meyhane
At a rakı table for the first time, it can feel like a world of unwritten rules. In fact they all serve one purpose: not to rush. Drawing on nearly a century of rakı tables at Koço, across from Moda Pier, here is a simple guide for beginners.
Short answer: Pour the rakı first, add cold still water (usually about two parts water to one part rakı, adjusted to taste) and add ice last, if at all; at Koço the ice comes in a separate bowl. Sip it slowly, with mezes such as white cheese, melon and lakerda.
What Is Rakı?
Rakı is Turkey's traditional aniseed spirit, distilled from grapes and flavoured with aniseed. Mixed with water it turns milky white, which is why it is nicknamed “lion's milk” (aslan sütü). At the meyhane it is less a drink than a tempo: it sets the pace of the whole evening.
Serve It Cold
Rakı is best served chilled, at around 8–10°C. Too cold and it hides its aroma; too warm and the aniseed turns sharp. For the water, use cold, still drinking water from the fridge; sparkling water spoils the structure of the drink.
Water First, Ice Last
The traditional order is simple: rakı first, then ice-cold water. Ice comes in a separate bowl and, if you want it, goes in last. Putting the ice in first shocks the rakı and changes its aroma.
As soon as the water meets the rakı, it clouds into white. This is the aniseed meeting the water: natural, and part of the pleasure.
The Rakı-to-Water Ratio
The ratio depends on the person, but a good starting point is one measure of rakı to two of water. Beginners can add a little more water. Some prefer their rakı sek (neat), with a separate glass of water alongside.
The Right Glass and the Right Ice
A tall, narrow glass gathers the aroma and slows you down. If you use ice, choose a few large pieces: they melt slowly and don't water the drink down. With the ice added last, the rakı is first balanced by the water and only then cooled.
Sip, Don't Shoot
Rakı is sipped, never downed. A single glass can last a whole conversation; on a summer evening one glass takes 20–30 minutes. The aim is not to get drunk but to make the evening last.
What to Eat with Rakı
Rakı's best friend is water; its second is meze. The safest pairing for beginners is white cheese, melon, lakerda and onions with sumac: these carry the taste of rakı and balance it at the same time.
In summer, light, cold, olive-oil mezes suit it best: smoky aubergine salad with lemon and garlic, lightly salted çiroz, purslane with yoghurt. Then comes the fish of the season. Our seafood meze guide and guide to rakı and fish go further.
Toasts and Table Manners
Raise your glass with “Şerefe!” (to honour). A rakı table is not a race: the one rule to remember is that the conversation should flow without interruption. Koço is a music-free meyhane, so nothing gets in the way of the talk; conversation is the real content of the evening. If it is your first meyhane, read our beginner's guide to meyhanes too.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you drink rakı?
Pour the rakı, add cold still water (about two parts water to one part rakı, to taste) and add ice last if you like. Sip it slowly, with mezes.
Do you put water or ice in rakı first?
Water first. Ice, if you want it, goes in last; adding ice first shocks the rakı and changes its aroma. At Koço the ice is brought in a separate bowl.
Why does rakı turn white?
The aniseed oils in rakı dissolve in alcohol but not in water, so adding water clouds the drink into a milky white. That is why rakı is called lion's milk.
What should a beginner eat with rakı?
White cheese and melon are the classic start. Lakerda, onions with sumac and cold olive-oil mezes follow, then the fish of the season.
How strong is rakı?
Rakı is a strong spirit, usually around 45% alcohol, which is why it is diluted with water and sipped slowly alongside food.
Visit Koço Restaurant
Moda Caddesi No:171, Kadıköy, Istanbul (across from Moda Pier) · Reservations: +90 216 336 07 95 · Open every day 12:00–00:00.
Comments