Built around the sea of Marmara and the Black Sea, Istanbul is full of fish restaurants called “meyhane“. These establishments exist since the Byzantine empire, they were in the coastal cities and welcomed the sailors wanting to drink while having a bite to eat. They developed in the Ottoman era where Muslims who could not drink wine fell back on the rakı, an anisated alcohol similar to Ouzo or Pastis.
You can bump into a “meyhane” in every corner during your holiday, in this regard we strongly advise you not to enter the first one you see, avoid the ones in the old town and under Galata Bridge: farm fish and the exorbitant prices for a lower quality are unfortunately too frequent!
In these establishments we usually drink rakı (Turkish pastis) while eating mezes as starters followed by fish. This kind of meal gave birth to an expression “let’s have a “rakı-balık” (“raki-fish“). It is a Turkish tradition, a “rakı-Balık” usually lasts for hours, and all topics of conversation are discussed. It’s really a very friendly meal, definitely a must-do during your stay.
