abi
/a·BEE/The table
“Big brother.” The everyday way to address an older man, including the waiter or meyhaneci. Respectful and friendly at once.
The Turkish Tavern, Glossary
Glossary
The words of the meyhane, of rakı, wine and beer, of the songs and of the long night, with how to say them. 390 words, and counting.
A
abla
/ab·LA/The table
“Big sister.” The friendly, respectful way to address an older woman, from the cook to a fellow guest.
See abi
acılı ezme
/a·juh·LUH ez·MEH/Meze & fish
Tomato, pepper, onion and parsley chopped to a paste and sharpened with pomegranate molasses.
adab
/a·DAB/The table
Manners, but older and warmer than the English word. The unwritten rules of how to sit, pour, talk and leave.
Adakarası
/a·da·ka·ra·SUH/Wine
A red grape from Avşa island in the Marmara.
adisyon
/a·dis·YON/The table
The bill, written by hand on a numbered pad as the night goes on. From French addition.
See hesap
afiyet olsun
/a·fee·YET ol·SUN/Toasts & sayings
“May it do you good.” Said to anyone eating, before or after.
ağırlamak
/a·uhr·la·MAK/The table
To host and look after a guest properly: feed them, keep their glass filled, see them off at the door.
ağır abi
/a·UHR a·BEE/The table
“Heavy older brother.” A respected, seasoned man whose word carries weight. At the table he speaks less and is listened to more.
ağzına sağlık
/a·zuh·NA sa·LUK/Toasts & sayings
“Health to your mouth.” Said to someone who has just put something well, or sung.
ahbap
/ah·BAP/The table
A friend, a pal. Warm but not as deep as dost. Ahbap çavuş ilişkisi is a cosy network of mutual favours.
See kafadar, kadeh arkadaşı
ahtapot
/ah·ta·POT/Meze & fish
Octopus, grilled, or sliced into a salad with olive oil and vinegar.
akordeon
/a·kor·de·ON/Music
Accordion, heard in some meyhane bands and in old Istanbul popular song.
See kanto
aksak
/ak·SAK/Music
“Limping.” Rhythms with uneven beats, such as 9/8 counted 2+2+2+3. Natural to dancers here, a puzzle to newcomers.
akşamcı
/ak·sham·JUH/The table
An evening drinker. A person whose working day ends, most days, at a small table with a small bottle. Said with affection.
akşamdan kalma
/ak·sham·DAN kal·MA/Toasts & sayings
“Left over from the evening.” Hungover.
See işkembe çorbası
akya
/AK·ya/Meze & fish
Leerfish. A large, firm Aegean fish, good grilled in steaks.
See ızgara
alkol derecesi
/al·KOL de·re·je·SEE/Rakı
Alcoholic strength. Rakı is usually bottled at around 45 percent.
See rakı
allahaısmarladık
/al·la·ha·uhs·mar·la·DUHK/Toasts & sayings
Goodbye, said by the one leaving: “We entrust you to God.” The reply is güle güle.
See güle güle
Allah bereket versin
/al·LAH be·re·KET ver·SEEN/Toasts & sayings
“May God give you plenty.” Said to the shopkeeper or meyhaneci when paying or being treated. A thank you for a good table.
See ziyade olsun
Alman usulü
/al·MAN u·su·LÜ/The table
“German style.” Splitting the bill so each pays a share. Practical, and slightly frowned on among old friends.
See ısmarlamak
anason
/a·na·SON/Rakı
Aniseed. Its oil gives rakı both its scent and the white cloud that appears when water goes in.
ana yemek
/a·NA ye·MEK/Meze & fish
Main course. At a meyhane often just the fish, coming after the meze.
See ızgara
anetol
/a·ne·TOL/Rakı
Anethole, the oil from aniseed. It dissolves in strong alcohol and turns rakı cloudy white when water is added.
See anason, aslan sütü
arak
/a·RAK/Rakı
The anise spirit of the Levant, made from grape spirit and aniseed. Rakı’s closest cousin to the south.
ara sıcak
/a·RA suh·JAK/Meze & fish
“In-between hot.” Hot small plates that arrive after the cold meze and before the fish: börek, fried mussels, liver.
arnavut ciğeri
/ar·na·VUT ji·e·REE/Meze & fish
“Albanian liver.” Small cubes of liver fried crisp, served with sliced onion, sumac and parsley.
arpa
/ar·PA/Beer
Barley. Malted, it becomes beer.
arpa suyu
/ar·PA su·YU/Beer
“Barley water.” Slang for beer.
See bira
aslan sütü
/as·LAN sü·TÜ/Rakı
Lion’s milk. Rakı once water has turned it white.
atom
/a·TOM/Meze & fish
Thick yogurt under dried chillies sizzled in butter. Named for the heat.
ayaküstü
/a·yak·üs·TÜ/The table
On your feet, in passing. “Just one, ayaküstü” is how many four-hour evenings begin.
Aydın Boysan
/ay·DUHN boy·SAN/The table
Architect and writer (1921-2018), and the best-known voice of the Istanbul rakı table. Many rules of the table are quoted in his name.
See adab
ayılmak
/a·yuhl·MAK/Toasts & sayings
To sober up.
ayran
/ay·RAN/Meze & fish
Salted yoghurt drink. Cooling, and a common cure on the morning after.
See akşamdan kalma
ayyaş
/ay·YASH/Toasts & sayings
A drunkard. Harsher than akşamcı, which is said with affection; ayyaş is not.
B
babagannuş
/ba·ba·gan·NOOSH/Meze & fish
Smoky roasted aubergine mashed with tahini or chopped with vegetables, depending on the region.
bağ
/BA/Wine
A vineyard. A bağ evi is the small house among the vines.
bağbozumu
/ba·boh·zu·MU/Wine
The grape harvest, in late summer and autumn. Literally “breaking the vineyard”.
bağcı
/ba·JUH/Wine
Vine grower.
See bağ
bağlama
/ba·la·MA/Music
The long-necked folk lute of Anatolia, behind most türkü.
bahşiş
/bah·SHEESH/The table
A tip. For the waiters, left with the bill. For the band, folded inside a song request.
See istek
bakır
/ba·KUHR/Rakı
Copper, the traditional metal of rakı stills.
See imbik
balık çorbası
/ba·LUHK chor·ba·SUH/Meze & fish
Fish soup, often made from bony rock fish like iskorpit.
See iskorpit
balık ekmek
/ba·LUHK ek·MEK/Meze & fish
Grilled fish in bread, sold by the water in Istanbul.
See uskumru dolma
barbunya
/bar·BUN·ya/Meze & fish
Red mullet. Small, fried whole and eaten with the fingers.
baş köşe
/BASH kö·SHE/The table
The seat of honour, usually the one facing the room or furthest from the door. Offered to the eldest or the most respected guest, who will politely refuse it at least once.
batakhane
/ba·tak·ha·NEH/The table
A dive: a drinking or gambling den of bad reputation. Literally “swamp house”. Everything a meyhane tries not to be.
bendir
/ben·DEER/Music
A large frame drum with a deep sound.
See def
beyaz peynir
/bay·AZ pay·NEER/Meze & fish
White brined cheese, sliced thick. With cold melon it is the first plate on most rakı tables.
See kavun
beyaz şarap
/be·YAZ sha·RAP/Wine
White wine. A good match for fish when rakı is not wanted.
See şarap
beyin salatası
/be·YEEN sa·la·ta·SUH/Meze & fish
Poached lamb’s brain, sliced and dressed with lemon and parsley. A classic of the old Istanbul meyhane.
bira
/BEE·ra/Beer
Beer. From Italian birra. In Türkiye mostly pale lager, drunk very cold.
birahane
/bee·ra·ha·NEH/Beer
A beer house. Louder than a meyhane, and quicker.
bira bahçesi
/BEE·ra bah·che·SEE/Beer
A beer garden. Tables under trees, often by the water.
bira bardağı
/BEE·ra bar·da·UH/Beer
The heavy glass mug with a handle, made to be clinked.
bira mezesi
/BEE·ra me·ze·SEE/Beer
Beer’s own meze: salted nuts, fried mussels, chips. Less ceremony than the rakı table.
See çerez
bir tek atalım
/beer TEK a·ta·LUHM/Toasts & sayings
“Let’s throw back a single.” The casual invitation to a quick drink, which may well become a long night.
Boğazkere
/bo·az·ke·REH/Wine
“Throat burner.” A red grape from Diyarbakır, deep in colour and high in tannin. The firm half of the classic eastern blend.
See Öküzgözü
Bomonti
/bo·MON·tee/Beer
Istanbul’s first industrial brewery, opened in 1890 by the Swiss Bomonti brothers. The district around it still carries their name.
Bornova Misketi
/BOR·no·va mis·ke·TEE/Wine
An aromatic Muscat from Bornova, near İzmir. Made dry or sweet.
boza
/bo·ZA/Beer
A thick, slightly sour drink of fermented millet, very low in alcohol. A winter drink, sold at night with roasted chickpeas and cinnamon.
See leblebi
Bozcaada
/boz·JA·a·da/Wine
A small island in the northern Aegean, Tenedos in Greek, with vineyards since antiquity and grapes of its own.
buğulama
/bu·u·la·MA/Meze & fish
Fish gently steamed or poached with tomato, peppers and herbs in its own juices.
buyurun
/BU·yu·run/Toasts & sayings
“Please, go ahead.” The all-purpose word of hospitality: come in, sit down, help yourself, here you are.
See kerem edin, hoş geldiniz
buz
/BUZ/Rakı
Ice. It goes in after the water. Dropped into neat rakı, it turns the anise oil into a film on top.
buzluk
/buz·LUK/The table
Ice bucket. Holds ice for the glasses and sometimes the bottle itself.
büyük
/bü·YÜK/Beer
“Large.” How you order a 50 cl beer: bir büyük.
See küçük
C
cacık
/ja·JUHK/Meze & fish
Yogurt thinned with water and cucumber, with garlic and mint. Eaten with a spoon from a bowl, unlike haydari.
See haydari
can dostu
/JAN dos·TU/The table
A soul friend, the closest kind. Can ciğer is the more colloquial form for friends who are inseparable.
See dert ortağı
cümbüş
/jüm·BÜSH/Music
A fretless lute with a metal bowl and skin face, loud enough for a busy room.
See ud
Ç
çakırkeyif
/cha·kuhr·ke·YEEF/Toasts & sayings
The bright, easy state one glass short of drunk. The point to stay at.
Çalkarası
/chal·ka·ra·SUH/Wine
A red grape from Denizli, light in colour and mostly made into rosé.
Çavuş
/cha·VUSH/Wine
A white grape grown on Bozcaada and eaten as a table grape too.
See Bozcaada
çerez
/che·REZ/Meze & fish
Nibbles: nuts, roasted chickpeas, seeds. The plate that arrives first and is still there at the end.
See leblebi
Çiçek Pasajı
/chi·CHEK pa·sa·ZHUH/The table
An arcade off İstiklal Avenue, built in 1876 as the Cité de Péra. Flower sellers gave it its name; the meyhanes came later.
çiftetelli
/chif·te·tel·LEE/Music
A lively dance and rhythm, the one that gets people out of their chairs late in the night.
See Roman havası, oyun havası
çilingir sofrası
/chi·lin·GEER sof·ra·SUH/The table
The small rakı table laid at home for two or three, with a few meze and a long night ahead. Literally “locksmith’s table”; the origin of the name is disputed.
See sofra
çinakop
/chi·na·KOP/Meze & fish
Young bluefish, smaller than lüfer. Fried or grilled.
See lüfer
çiroz
/chi·ROZ/Meze & fish
Mackerel dried in the sun, then dressed with vinegar, olive oil and dill.
çoban salatası
/cho·BAN sa·la·ta·SUH/Meze & fish
“Shepherd’s salad.” Chopped tomato, cucumber, pepper and onion with lemon and oil.
See roka
çorbacı
/chor·ba·JUH/The table
A soup shop, often open all night. The traditional last stop after a meyhane, for işkembe or kelle paça.
çupra
/CHUP·ra/Meze & fish
Gilt-head bream. Grilled whole with olive oil and lemon.
D
dağıtmak
/da·uht·MAK/Toasts & sayings
“To scatter.” To lose control after drinking: getting loud, emotional or messy. Something the table tries to prevent.
See ölçüyü kaçırmak
damıtma
/da·muht·MA/Rakı
Distillation. Rakı is distilled at least twice, the second time with aniseed in the still.
darbuka
/dar·bu·KA/Music
The goblet drum, held under the arm. The pulse of the second half of the night.
davet
/da·VET/The table
An invitation. Inviting someone to the meyhane usually means you are paying, unless agreed otherwise.
See davetlisiniz, ısmarlamak
davetlisiniz
/da·vet·li·si·NEEZ/Toasts & sayings
“You are invited.” Said when asking someone out, and it means you will pay. Accept with thanks, not a wallet.
See davet, hesap bizden
def
/DEF/Music
Frame drum with jingles, played in fasıl.
delikanlı
/de·li·kan·LUH/Toasts & sayings
A young man; also someone straight and honourable who keeps his word. Delikanlılık is the code of that kind of conduct.
See racon
demlenmek
/dem·len·MEK/Toasts & sayings
To steep, like tea. To soften slowly over a long evening at the table.
deniz börülcesi
/de·NEEZ bö·rül·je·SEE/Meze & fish
Samphire. Blanched, pulled from its stem and dressed with garlic, lemon and olive oil.
dertleşmek
/dert·lesh·MEK/The table
To share your troubles with each other. Late in the night, when the meze are cold and the talk turns personal.
See dert ortağı, hasbihal
dert ortağı
/DERT or·ta·UH/The table
“Partner in trouble.” The friend you confide in. A meyhane table is a classic place to find one.
See dertleşmek, kadeh arkadaşı
dibine kadar
/di·bi·NEH ka·DAR/Toasts & sayings
“To the bottom.” All the way, in drinking or in anything else.
dil balığı
/DEEL ba·luh·UH/Meze & fish
Sole. Usually fried.
See tava
dinlendirme
/din·len·deer·ME/Rakı
“Resting.” Letting the distilled rakı sit, sometimes in oak, before bottling so the flavour settles.
See meşe fıçı
dostlar sağ olsun
/dost·LAR SA ol·sun/Toasts & sayings
“Long live friends.” Said when friends make up for what life lacks; half toast, half philosophy.
dostluğa
/dost·lu·A/Toasts & sayings
“To friendship.” A simple toast, often for the first or last glass.
dost meclisi
/DOST mej·li·SEE/The table
“A gathering of friends.” A table where everyone is known and trusted, and where you can say what you think.
doyum olmaz
/do·YUM ol·MAZ/Toasts & sayings
“One never has enough.” Said of good company: muhabbetinize doyum olmaz, I could listen to you all night.
See muhabbet
duble
/dub·LEH/Rakı
A double measure. From French double. Ordered more often than singles, and sipped more slowly.
See tek
E
ekmek sepeti
/ek·MEK se·pe·TEE/The table
Bread basket. Bread arrives unasked and is refilled through the night.
See kuver
eksik olma
/ek·SEEK ol·MA/Toasts & sayings
“Don’t be missing.” A warm, informal thank you, as in may you never be absent from my life.
See sağ ol
ellerinize sağlık
/el·le·ri·ni·ZEH sa·LUK/Toasts & sayings
“Health to your hands.” Said to whoever cooked or poured.
Emir
/e·MEER/Wine
A crisp white grape of Cappadocia, grown in volcanic soil.
See Kapadokya
enginar
/en·gi·NAR/Meze & fish
Artichoke hearts cooked in olive oil with peas, carrot and dill. A spring plate.
en kötü günümüz böyle olsun
/EN kö·TÜ gü·nü·MÜZ böy·LEH ol·SUN/Toasts & sayings
“May our worst day be like this one.” The toast of a good night.
eski toprak
/es·KEE top·RAK/The table
“Old soil.” An old-timer: a long-standing regular who has seen the place change owners and waiters.
See müdavim
estağfurullah
/es·taf·fu·ru·LAH/Toasts & sayings
“God forbid.” Said modestly when someone praises you or runs themselves down. The polite way to deflect a compliment.
See rica ederim
ev sahibi
/EV sa·hi·BEE/The table
The host, literally “owner of the house”. At the meyhane, whoever organised the table. He orders, watches the glasses and usually expects to pay.
See misafir, hesap bizden
ev şarabı
/EV sha·ra·BUH/Wine
House wine, usually poured by the carafe.
See karaf
eyvallah
/ey·val·LAH/Toasts & sayings
Thanks; fine; so be it. A street word with dignity, used for thanks, agreement or a short goodbye.
See sağ ol, eksik olma
F
fasıl
/fa·SUHL/Music
A suite of songs in one makam, played at the table by a small band. The slow pieces come first, and the night speeds up with them.
See makam, fasıl heyeti
fasılcı
/fa·suhl·JUH/Music
A fasıl musician. They walk among the tables and take requests.
See fasıl heyeti, istek
fasıl heyeti
/fa·SUHL he·ye·TEE/Music
The fasıl band. Usually violin, kanun, ud, clarinet and darbuka, moving from table to table.
See fasıl
fava
/FA·va/Meze & fish
Dried broad beans cooked to a purée and set with olive oil. Cut into slices and served with dill and red onion.
fener balığı
/fe·NER ba·luh·UH/Meze & fish
Monkfish. Firm and boneless, used for kebabs and casseroles.
See buğulama
fıçı bira
/fuh·CHUH BEE·ra/Beer
Draught beer. Literally “barrel beer”.
fıkra
/fuhk·RA/Toasts & sayings
A joke told as a little story. Nasreddin Hoca and Temel fıkraları are table staples.
See nükte
fondip
/fon·DEEP/Toasts & sayings
Bottoms up. French fond and Turkish dip, both meaning bottom. Not done with rakı.
G
garson
/gar·SON/The table
Waiter. From French garçon. A good one keeps glasses filled and plates moving without ever interrupting the talk.
gavurdağı salatası
/ga·vur·da·UH sa·la·ta·SUH/Meze & fish
Finely chopped tomato, onion and walnuts with pomegranate molasses. From the southeast.
See çoban salatası
gazel
/ga·ZEL/Music
A free, unmetred vocal improvisation on a poem. The singer’s answer to the instrumental taksim.
See taksim
gazino
/ga·ZEE·no/Music
Large music halls with dinner, drinks and star singers, at their height in Istanbul from the 1950s to the 1970s.
gece kuşu
/ge·JE ku·SHU/Toasts & sayings
“Night bird.” Someone who comes alive after dark and goes home at dawn.
See akşamcı
geçmiş olsun
/gech·MEESH OL·sun/Toasts & sayings
“May it be past.” Said to anyone unwell; said with a grin to the one nursing yesterday’s rakı.
See akşamdan kalma, şifa olsun
girit ezmesi
/gi·REET ez·me·SEE/Meze & fish
“Cretan paste.” White cheese crushed with herbs, olive oil and pistachio, brought to the Aegean coast by Cretan families.
güle güle
/gü·LE gü·LE/Toasts & sayings
“Go smiling.” Goodbye, said by the one staying behind to the one leaving.
Ğ
ğ
/yu·mu·SHAK GEH/Toasts & sayings
Yumuşak ge, the soft g. No Turkish word begins with it, so it never gets a toast of its own. It only lengthens the vowel before it, which is why bardağı sounds like bar·da·uh.
H
hal hatır sormak
/HAL ha·TUHR sor·MAK/Toasts & sayings
To ask after someone’s health and news. The first minutes at any table, before the first meze arrives.
See ne var ne yok
hamsi
/HAM·see/Meze & fish
Black Sea anchovy. A winter fish, fried in cornmeal or baked.
hardaliye
/har·da·li·YE/Wine
A Thracian drink of fermented grape juice with mustard seeds and cherry leaves. Low or no alcohol, depending on how it is made.
hasbihal
/has·bi·HAL/Toasts & sayings
A heart-to-heart. An old word for quiet, intimate talk about how life really is.
See dertleşmek, muhabbet
haydari
/hay·da·REE/Meze & fish
Strained yogurt, thick enough to hold a spoon upright, with garlic, dill and dried mint.
See cacık
hayırlı akşamlar
/ha·yuhr·LUH ak·sham·LAR/Toasts & sayings
“A blessed evening.” A warmer, more traditional good evening, common among older people.
See iyi akşamlar
hep beraber
/HEP be·ra·BER/Toasts & sayings
“All together.” The call, often from the singer, for the whole room to join in the chorus.
hesap
/he·SAP/The table
The bill. “Hesap, lütfen” asks for it. At many tables the next ten minutes are spent arguing over who pays.
See ısmarlamak, Alman usulü
hesap bizden
/he·SAP biz·DEN/Toasts & sayings
“The bill is on us.” The host’s claim to pay, usually made early and firmly to avoid the hesap kavgası.
See hesap kavgası, ısmarlamak
hesap kavgası
/he·SAP kav·ga·SUH/The table
The fight over the bill. Everyone reaches for it, wallets come out, the waiter waits. Losing gracefully is part of the ritual.
See hesap, hesap bizden, Alman usulü
hicaz
/hi·JAZ/Music
A makam with a wide step that sounds unmistakably eastern to Western ears. Many meyhane songs are in hicaz.
See makam
hoş bulduk
/HOSH bul·duk/Toasts & sayings
The reply to hoş geldiniz, literally “we found it pleasant”. Said as you sit down.
See hoş geldiniz
hoş geldiniz
/HOSH gel·di·NEEZ/Toasts & sayings
Welcome. The answer is hoş bulduk, “we have found it pleasant”.
humus
/hu·MUS/Meze & fish
Chickpea and tahini purée. In parts of Türkiye it comes warm, sometimes with pastırma on top.
hürmet
/hür·MET/The table
Respect, especially toward elders. At the table it shows in small things: letting them sit first, filling their glass first, touching your glass lower than theirs when you clink.
See tokuşturmak, baş köşe
hüzün
/hü·ZÜN/Toasts & sayings
A shared, gentle melancholy. The mood of the last songs of the night.
hüzzam
/hüz·ZAM/Music
A melancholy makam much loved in fasıl and late-night songs.
I
ısmarlamak
/uhs·mar·la·MAK/The table
To treat; to order something for someone else. “Bu benden”, this one is on me, is the phrase that starts the argument over the bill.
See hesap
ızgara
/uhz·ga·RA/Meze & fish
Grilled over charcoal. The plainest and most respected way to cook fresh fish.
İ
ikram
/ik·RAM/The table
Something offered free as hospitality: a plate of fruit at the end, a meze to try, a glass for a regular. Refusing an ikram outright can give offence.
See müesseseden, meyve tabağı
ilk kadeh
/EELK ka·DEH/The table
The first glass of the night. It is raised together, usually with a short toast, before anyone drinks alone.
See şerefe, kadeh kaldırmak
imam bayıldı
/i·MAM ba·yuhl·DUH/Meze & fish
“The imam fainted.” Aubergine stuffed with onion and tomato and cooked slowly in a great deal of olive oil.
imbik
/im·BEEK/Rakı
The still, traditionally a copper alembic. Rakı is distilled in it, the second time with aniseed.
incesaz
/in·jeh·SAZ/Music
“Fine instruments.” A small ensemble of ud, kanun, violin, ney and tanbur, the chamber music of old Istanbul.
iskorpit
/is·kor·PEET/Meze & fish
Scorpionfish. Bony, so mostly used for soup.
See balık çorbası
istavrit
/is·tav·REET/Meze & fish
Horse mackerel. Small, cheap and good fried.
See tava
istek
/is·TEK/Music
A request. At a meyhane it is often written on a napkin and sent to the band with a tip folded inside.
See bahşiş
işkembe çorbası
/ish·kem·BEH chor·ba·SUH/Toasts & sayings
Tripe soup with garlic and vinegar. The old cure, eaten at three in the morning after a long table.
See akşamdan kalma
iyi akşamlar
/ee·YEE ak·sham·LAR/Toasts & sayings
Good evening. The greeting at the door and to the meyhaneci; also used when leaving.
See hayırlı akşamlar
iyi geceler
/ee·YEE ge·je·LER/Toasts & sayings
Good night. Said only when leaving for bed, never as a greeting.
See iyi akşamlar
J
jeton düşmek
/zhe·TON düsh·MEK/Toasts & sayings
“The token drops.” To finally get the joke. From the brass tokens of old payphones, which fell a moment after you dialled.
K
kadeh
/ka·DEH/Toasts & sayings
A drinking glass. “Bir kadeh”, one glass, is the invitation. It is never one glass.
See kadeh kaldırmak
kadeh arkadaşı
/ka·DEH ar·ka·da·SHUH/The table
“Glass companion.” A drinking friend: the person you call when you want a table for two.
See ahbap, dert ortağı
kadeh kaldırmak
/ka·DEH kal·duhr·MAK/Toasts & sayings
To raise a glass. When clinking, younger people touch below the rim of an elder’s glass, as a sign of respect.
kafa
/ka·FA/Toasts & sayings
Head. “Kafam güzel”, my head is nice, means pleasantly tipsy.
kafadar
/ka·fa·DAR/The table
A like-minded companion. Someone whose head works like yours, close to kafa dengi.
See kafa dengi, ahbap
kafası güzel
/ka·fa·SUH gü·ZEL/Toasts & sayings
“His head is lovely.” Pleasantly tipsy and in good humour.
See çakırkeyif, kafa
kafayı bulmak
/ka·fa·YUH bul·MAK/Toasts & sayings
“To find the head.” To get happily, thoroughly drunk.
kafayı çekmek
/ka·fa·YUH chek·MEK/Toasts & sayings
To drink heavily, to get properly drunk. More casual and less admiring than demlenmek.
See kafayı bulmak, demlenmek
kafa dengi
/ka·FA den·GEE/The table
Literally “head-level”. Someone who thinks the way you do. The person you most want across the table.
kağıtta
/ka·uht·TA/Meze & fish
Cooked in paper, so the fish steams in its own juices with vegetables.
See buğulama
kahve
/kah·VE/The table
Turkish coffee, served at the very end to mark that the night is closing. Often brought as an ikram.
kalamar
/ka·la·MAR/Meze & fish
Squid, cut into rings and fried. Served with tarator.
See tarator
Kalecik Karası
/ka·le·JEEK ka·ra·SUH/Wine
A light, red-fruited red from Kalecik, near Ankara. Brought back from near extinction by Ankara University researchers from the 1970s.
kalkan
/kal·KAN/Meze & fish
Turbot. A prized, expensive Black Sea fish, best in winter and spring.
See ızgara
kanto
/KAN·to/Music
Light, cheeky stage songs of late Ottoman Istanbul, sung in the theatres of Pera.
kanun
/ka·NUN/Music
A zither laid flat on the knees and plucked with picks worn on the fingers. Small levers retune its strings in the middle of a song.
Kapadokya
/ka·pa·DOK·ya/Wine
Cappadocia, in central Anatolia. Vines grown high up, in volcanic soil.
See Emir
kapanış
/ka·pa·NUSH/The table
Closing. The end of the night, when the music stops, the bill is settled and the meyhaneci joins the last table for a glass.
karaf
/ka·RAF/Rakı
A carafe. Some meyhanes pour their rakı and house wine by the carafe.
karagöz
/ka·ra·GÖZ/Meze & fish
Two-banded seabream, with dark marks by the eye and tail. Good grilled.
Karalahna
/ka·ra·lah·NA/Wine
A dark, tannic red grape of the island of Bozcaada.
See Bozcaada
Karasakız
/ka·ra·sa·KUHZ/Wine
A red grape of Bozcaada, also called Kuntra. Makes light, fresh reds.
See Bozcaada
karıştırmak
/ka·ruhsh·tuhr·MAK/The table
To mix. Mixing drinks, rakı with wine or beer, is warned against as the shortest road to a bad morning. Pick one and stay with it.
karides
/ka·ri·DES/Meze & fish
Shrimp or prawns. Fried, grilled or baked in güveç.
See karides güveç
karides güveç
/ka·ri·DES gü·VECH/Meze & fish
Shrimp baked in a small clay pot with tomato, peppers and cheese. A classic ara sıcak.
karşılama
/kar·shuh·la·MA/Music
A Thracian folk dance in 9/8 time, danced in pairs facing each other.
See aksak, Roman havası
kase
/ka·SE/The table
A bowl, for cacık, olives or soup.
See cacık
kaşar
/ka·SHAR/Meze & fish
A firm yellow cheese, served in slices or grilled.
See beyaz peynir
kavun
/ka·VUN/Meze & fish
Melon, served cold beside white cheese at the start of the night.
See beyaz peynir
kefal
/ke·FAL/Meze & fish
Grey mullet. Its roe is used for tarama.
See tarama
kelle paça
/kel·LE pa·CHA/Meze & fish
Soup of sheep’s head and trotters with garlic and vinegar. A traditional morning-after cure.
See işkembe çorbası, çorbacı
keman
/ke·MAN/Music
Violin. In older Turkish music it is often played upright, resting on the knee.
kemençe
/ke·men·CHE/Music
A small bowed fiddle held upright on the knee. The classical kemençe plays in fasıl; the Black Sea kemençe is a different instrument.
kendini bilmek
/ken·di·NEE bil·MEK/Toasts & sayings
“To know oneself.” To know your limits and your place. High praise for a drinker.
See ölçüyü kaçırmak
kerem edin
/ke·REM e·DEEN/Toasts & sayings
“Do us the kindness.” An old, gracious way to say please sit, please eat. Heard from older hosts.
See buyurun
keyif
/ke·YEEF/Toasts & sayings
Pleasure, ease, good mood. If you are keyifli, you are fine where you are and have no plans to leave.
kırmızı şarap
/kuhr·muh·ZUH sha·RAP/Wine
Red wine.
See şarap
kıvamında
/kuh·va·muhn·DA/Toasts & sayings
“At the right consistency.” Just right. A drinker who is kıvamında is warm, talkative and nowhere near too much.
kızartma
/kuh·zart·MA/Meze & fish
A plate of fried vegetables, aubergine, peppers, courgette, served with garlic yoghurt or tomato sauce.
See köpoğlu
klarnet
/klar·NET/Music
The clarinet, in Türkiye usually pitched in G. In Romani music it leads the band, and the dancing.
See Roman havası
kofana
/ko·FA·na/Meze & fish
The largest size of lüfer, the bluefish.
See lüfer
kokoreç
/ko·ko·RECH/Meze & fish
Seasoned lamb intestines grilled on a spit and chopped in bread. Late-night food after the meyhane.
See çorbacı
kolay gelsin
/ko·LAY gel·SEEN/Toasts & sayings
“May it come easy.” Said to anyone working, from the waiter to the musicians. Polite and noticed.
See eyvallah
koltuk meyhanesi
/kol·TUK mey·ha·ne·SEE/The table
A small drinking room hidden behind a grocer’s shop in old Istanbul. You went in for bread and came out at midnight.
komi
/ko·MEE/The table
The junior waiter who clears plates, brings bread and refills water. From French commis.
köpoğlu
/köp·o·LU/Meze & fish
Fried aubergine and peppers with garlic yoghurt and tomato.
köpük
/kö·PÜK/Beer
Foam, the head on a beer. A finger’s width is about right.
kör kütük
/KÖR kü·TÜK/Toasts & sayings
“Blind as a log.” Dead drunk.
köz biber
/KÖZ bi·BER/Meze & fish
Peppers roasted over embers, peeled and dressed with olive oil and vinegar.
Kumkapı
/kum·ka·PUH/The table
An old fishermen’s quarter on Istanbul’s Marmara shore, known for its fish meyhanes and wandering fasıl musicians.
See fasıl heyeti
kurtlarını dökmek
/kurt·la·ruh·NUH dök·MEK/Toasts & sayings
“To shake out one’s worms.” To let loose and have fun after a long time holding back.
See keyif
kuru üzüm
/ku·RU ü·ZÜM/Rakı
Dried grapes, raisins. Many rakı are made from suma of dried grapes; others from fresh grapes.
kusura bakmayın
/ku·su·RA bak·MA·yuhn/Toasts & sayings
“Don’t look at the fault.” Sorry, excuse me. For a late arrival, a spilled glass or leaving early.
kutu bira
/ku·TU bi·ra/Beer
Canned beer.
See bira
kuver
/ku·VER/The table
Cover charge, a fixed sum per person for bread, water and table service. Common on meyhane bills. From French couvert.
See adisyon, servis ücreti
küçük
/kü·CHÜK/Beer
“Small.” A 33 cl beer.
See büyük
küfelik
/kü·fe·LEEK/Toasts & sayings
“Fit for the basket.” So drunk you would need carrying home in a porter’s basket. Old Istanbul slang.
kül tablası
/KÜL tab·la·SUH/The table
Ashtray. Once on every meyhane table; indoor smoking is now banned in Turkey and ashtrays moved to the terrace.
kürdan
/kür·DAN/The table
Toothpick. Found on the table for meze like cheese and melon cubes, and used discreetly after fish.
See beyaz peynir
kürdi
/kür·DEE/Music
A makam with a soft, wistful colour, common in popular songs.
See makam
L
lakerda
/la·KER·da/Meze & fish
Bonito cured in salt, sliced thick and served with red onion. One of the oldest plates on the table.
See palamut
leblebi
/leb·le·BEE/Meze & fish
Roasted chickpeas. Part of the çerez, and the companion of boza in winter.
See boza
levrek
/lev·REK/Meze & fish
Sea bass. Grilled whole, or baked in a crust of salt.
longa
/LON·ga/Music
A fast, playful instrumental piece, a favourite showpiece for violin and clarinet.
See klarnet
lüfer
/lü·FER/Meze & fish
Bluefish, the autumn fish of the Bosphorus. Grilled whole, it is the reason many people drink rakı in October.
See çinakop, rakı balık
M
mahalle meyhanesi
/ma·hal·LE mey·ha·ne·SEE/The table
The neighbourhood meyhane: plain room, known faces, prices for locals. Where müdavim culture is strongest.
mahmurluk
/mah·mur·LUK/Toasts & sayings
Grogginess after drinking or too little sleep. Heavy eyes, slow mornings.
See akşamdan kalma
mahzen
/mah·ZEN/Wine
Cellar, where wine is stored and aged.
See şaraphane
makam
/ma·KAM/Music
A melodic mode: a scale, a path through it and a mood. Turkish music has dozens.
See hicaz
malt
/MALT/Beer
Malted barley, the base of beer.
See arpa
mantar
/man·TAR/Wine
Cork; also the word for mushroom.
See tirbuşon
masa
/MA·sa/The table
Table. In a meyhane it is the unit of everything: you book a masa, the kitchen cooks for a masa, the bill belongs to a masa.
maşa
/ma·SHA/The table
Tongs, for lifting ice into a glass. Fingers are frowned on.
See buzluk
matiz
/ma·TEEZ/Toasts & sayings
Old slang for drunk, from the argot of Istanbul’s streets and taverns.
maya
/ma·YA/Beer
Yeast. The same word is used for dough starter and yoghurt culture.
See bira
mayşe
/may·SHE/Beer
Mash, the mix of grain and water that begins brewing. Also used for fermented fruit before distilling.
meclis
/mej·LEES/The table
A gathering or company of people seated together. An old, slightly literary word for the table and everyone at it: dostlar meclisi, a gathering of friends.
melas
/me·LAS/Rakı
Molasses, from sugar beet. Neutral alcohol made from it may be blended with grape suma in some rakı.
See suma
mercan
/mer·JAN/Meze & fish
Common pandora. A pinkish bream for the grill.
See ızgara
meşe fıçı
/me·SHE fuh·CHUH/Rakı
Oak cask. Used to rest some rakı and to age wine.
See dinlendirme
meyhane
/mey·ha·NEH/The table
A tavern built around rakı, meze and long talk. From Persian mey, wine, and hâne, house.
meyhaneci
/mey·ha·ne·JEE/The table
The keeper of a meyhane. Usually on the floor rather than behind a desk, and usually remembers what you drank last time.
meyve tabağı
/mey·VE ta·ba·UH/The table
A plate of seasonal fruit served at the end, often on the house. A cue that the kitchen is closing.
meze
/me·ZEH/Meze & fish
Small plates shared at the table and eaten slowly between sips. From Persian maze, taste. Cold ones first, hot ones later.
See soğuk meze, ara sıcak
mezeci
/me·ze·JEE/The table
A meze maker or shop selling ready meze by weight. Useful for setting up a çilingir sofrası at home.
See çilingir sofrası, meze
mezesiz içilmez
/me·ze·SEEZ i·chil·MEZ/Toasts & sayings
“One does not drink without meze.” Every meyhane agrees.
See meze
meze tepsisi
/me·ZE tep·si·SEE/The table
The tray of cold meze carried to your table so you can choose by eye. Point at what you want and the plates stay.
See vitrin, soğuk meze
mezgit
/mez·GEET/Meze & fish
Whiting. A soft winter fish, usually fried.
See tava
midye dolma
/mid·YEH dol·MA/Meze & fish
Mussels stuffed with spiced rice and served cold with lemon. Also sold on the street, late at night.
See midye tava
midye tava
/mid·YEH ta·VA/Meze & fish
Mussels fried in batter, served with tarator.
See tarator
misafir
/mi·sa·FEER/The table
Guest. Whoever invited you is responsible for you all night, from your glass to the bill.
muhabbet
/mu·hab·BET/The table
Warm, unhurried talk among people glad to be together. The real reason for the evening. The rakı is there to keep it going.
See sohbet
muhabbet ehli
/mu·hab·BET eh·LEE/The table
“People of muhabbet.” Those who know how to sit at a table: listen as well as talk, drink steadily without getting loud, and stay for the whole evening.
muhammara
/mu·ham·ma·RA/Meze & fish
Red pepper and walnut paste with pomegranate molasses. From Aleppo, now on tables across the region.
müdavim
/mü·da·VEEM/The table
A regular. Someone with a usual table, a usual order and, in older places, a glass kept for them behind the bar.
müesseseden
/mü·es·se·se·DEN/Toasts & sayings
“From the establishment.” On the house. Said by the waiter as he sets down a plate or glass you did not order.
See ikram
Mürefte
/mü·REF·te/Wine
A wine town on the Marmara coast of Thrace with a long winemaking history.
N
nakarat
/na·ka·RAT/Music
Refrain. The chorus everyone joins in on.
See hep beraber
Narince
/na·reen·JEH/Wine
“Delicately.” A white grape from Tokat. Its leaves are the prized ones for sarma.
See yaprak sarma
nazlanmak
/naz·lan·MAK/The table
To play coy, refusing an offer once before accepting. Expected manners for the seat of honour or a second helping; refusing three times is overdoing it.
Nevizade
/ne·vee·za·DEH/The table
A narrow street of meyhanes beside the fish market in Beyoğlu, Istanbul. On summer nights the tables spill into the street.
ney
/NEY/Music
The end-blown reed flute. More at home in an incesaz than in a loud meyhane.
See incesaz
ne var ne yok
/NE var ne YOK/Toasts & sayings
“What is there, what isn’t?” How are things. Also how a regular asks the waiter what is good tonight.
See siz bilirsiniz
nice senelere
/ni·JEH se·ne·le·REH/Toasts & sayings
“To many more years.” For birthdays, anniversaries and any night worth repeating.
nihavend
/ni·ha·VEND/Music
A makam close to the Western minor scale, popular in 20th-century şarkı.
See makam
nuş olsun
/NOOSH OL·sun/Toasts & sayings
An older blessing on food and drink, from Persian nûş. Said to someone eating or drinking; rarer now, and charming for it.
nükte
/nük·TE/Toasts & sayings
A quick, clever remark. A guest with nükte is welcome at any table.
See fıkra
O
ortaya
/or·ta·YA/Toasts & sayings
“To the middle.” Ordering a dish to share: ortaya bir salata. Most meze are ordered this way.
See porsiyon
otlar
/ot·LAR/Meze & fish
Greens. On the Aegean coast a dozen wild herbs, boiled or wilted in olive oil, can fill a whole tray.
otuzbeşlik
/o·tuz·besh·LEEK/Rakı
The 35 cl bottle, the classic size for two. Ordering a second one is a decision.
oyun havası
/o·YUN ha·va·SUH/Music
Dance tune. The fast, rhythmic pieces played to get people dancing.
See çiftetelli
Ö
Öküzgözü
/ö·küz·gö·ZÜ/Wine
“Ox eye.” A red grape from Elazığ in eastern Anatolia, with large dark berries. Soft and fruity, often blended with Boğazkere.
See Boğazkere
ölçüyü kaçırmak
/öl·chü·YÜ ka·chuhr·MAK/Toasts & sayings
“To miss the measure.” To overdo it. The opposite of drinking with adab.
örtü
/ör·TÜ/The table
Tablecloth. White cloth on the tables is a mark of the older, more formal meyhane; paper over cloth in busier ones.
See peçete
P
paçanga böreği
/pa·chan·GA bö·re·EE/Meze & fish
Fried pastry filled with pastırma, cheese, tomato and pepper. An ara sıcak of the Istanbul meyhane.
See ara sıcak
palamut
/pa·la·MUT/Meze & fish
Atlantic bonito, which runs through the Bosphorus in autumn. Grilled fresh, or salted into lakerda.
See lakerda
Papazkarası
/pa·paz·ka·ra·SUH/Wine
“The priest’s black.” A red grape of Thrace, grown near the Bulgarian border.
See Trakya
pastırma
/pas·tuhr·MA/Meze & fish
Air-dried cured beef in a spicy çemen coat. Sliced thin, sometimes warmed.
See ara sıcak
patlıcan salatası
/pat·luh·JAN sa·la·ta·SUH/Meze & fish
Aubergine charred over a flame until smoky, then chopped with olive oil, garlic and lemon. Some add yogurt.
patron
/pat·RON/The table
The owner, in everyday speech. In a small meyhane he is often also the meyhaneci working the floor.
See meyhaneci
peçete
/pe·che·TE/The table
Napkin. Paper in a plain meyhane, cloth in a grander one.
See örtü
peşrev
/pesh·REV/Music
An instrumental prelude in Ottoman music, often opening a fasıl.
See fasıl, saz semaisi
pilaki
/pi·la·KEE/Meze & fish
Beans or fish cooked in olive oil with carrot, garlic and onion, eaten cold.
piyaz
/pi·YAZ/Meze & fish
White bean salad with onion, parsley, egg and vinegar or tahini.
See pilaki
porsiyon
/por·si·YON/The table
Portion. Meze come in small portions to be shared; yarım porsiyon is a half portion, handy for a table of two.
See ortaya
R
racon
/ra·JON/The table
Slang for the unwritten code of how things are done, borrowed from the street. Racon kesmek is to lay down the law, often with a swagger.
rakı
/ra·KUH/Rakı
An anise spirit made by distilling grape suma with aniseed, usually bottled at 45 percent. Drunk slowly, with water, ice and meze.
See suma, anason, aslan sütü
rakı balık
/ra·KUH ba·LUK/Rakı
Rakı and fish, said almost as one word. The classic pairing for an autumn night when lüfer is in season.
See lüfer
rakı bardağı
/ra·KUH bar·da·UH/Rakı
The tall, narrow glass rakı is poured into. Narrow so the cloud shows, tall so there is room for water.
rakı sofrası
/ra·KUH sof·ra·SUH/The table
A table laid for rakı: small plates of meze, water, ice, tall glasses. The phrase suggests a long evening rather than a meal.
See sofra, çilingir sofrası, rakı balık
rast
/RAST/Music
One of the foundational makams, bright and settled.
See makam
rebetiko
/re·BE·ti·ko/Music
Greek urban song of the ports, much of it carried from İzmir and Istanbul in the 1920s. A close relative of the meyhane songbook.
rica ederim
/ri·JA e·de·REEM/Toasts & sayings
“Please” or “You are welcome”, depending on when you say it. The reply to thanks.
See estağfurullah
roka
/RO·ka/Meze & fish
Rocket, served as a simple green plate beside fish.
See çoban salatası
Roman havası
/ro·MAN ha·va·SUH/Music
A fast dance tune in 9/8 from Türkiye’s Romani musicians. When it starts, someone stands up.
See aksak
roze
/ro·ZE/Wine
Rosé wine, popular on summer terraces.
See şarap
Rum
/RUM/The table
Istanbul’s Greek Orthodox community. For centuries many of the city’s meyhanes were kept by Rum, Armenian and Jewish families, and the menus still show it.
S
sağlığına
/sa·luh·uh·NA/Toasts & sayings
“To your health.” A toast to one person. To the whole table: sağlığınıza.
sağ ol
/SA ol/Toasts & sayings
“Be well.” The everyday thank you between friends; sağ olun to someone older or to more than one.
See eyvallah, eksik olma
sakız rakısı
/sa·KUHZ ra·kuh·SUH/Rakı
Rakı flavoured with mastic resin from Chios and Çeşme. An Aegean style with a pine-like note.
sardalya
/sar·DAL·ya/Meze & fish
Sardine. Grilled or fried, best from the Aegean in late summer.
See ızgara
sarhoş
/sar·HOSH/Toasts & sayings
Drunk. From Persian, literally “head-happy”.
See çakırkeyif
saz
/SAZ/Music
Any musical instrument. Also the long-necked lute of Anatolian folk music, the bağlama.
saz semaisi
/SAZ se·ma·i·SEE/Music
An instrumental form, usually closing a classical fasıl.
See peşrev
segah
/se·GAH/Music
A makam with a distinctive microtonal starting note.
See makam
sek
/SEK/Rakı
Neat, with nothing added. From French sec. A few people drink rakı sek; everyone else talks about them.
selametle
/se·la·met·LE/Toasts & sayings
“Go in safety.” An old-fashioned farewell, warm and slightly formal.
See güle güle
selam göndermek
/se·LAM gön·der·MEK/The table
To send greetings to another table, sometimes with a drink or a plate via the waiter. A nod and a raised glass is the expected reply.
semizotu
/se·meez·o·TU/Meze & fish
Purslane, the fleshy summer green, mixed with garlic yogurt.
servis ücreti
/ser·VEES üj·re·TEE/The table
A service charge added to the bill. Where it appears, extra tipping is optional; many still leave something for the waiter.
sıhhatler olsun
/suh·hat·LER OL·sun/Toasts & sayings
“May it bring health.” Said to someone who has just eaten, washed or had a shave; at the table it works like afiyet olsun.
See afiyet olsun, nuş olsun
sızmak
/suhz·MAK/Toasts & sayings
“To seep.” To fall asleep where you sit, at the end of the night.
sigara böreği
/si·ga·RA bö·re·EE/Meze & fish
“Cigarette pastry.” Thin pastry rolled around white cheese and parsley, then fried.
sinarit
/si·na·REET/Meze & fish
Common dentex. A large, firm fish, often baked or steamed.
See buğulama
siz bilirsiniz
/SEEZ bi·leer·si·NEEZ/Toasts & sayings
“You know best.” Leaving the order to the waiter or meyhaneci. A sign of trust, and usually rewarded.
sofra
/sof·RA/The table
The laid table and everything on it. By extension, the people sharing it. A good sofra is about the company as much as the food.
sofra kurmak
/sof·RA kur·MAK/The table
To lay the table. At home it means cloths, plates and the first cold meze set out before the bottle is opened.
See sofra, çilingir sofrası
soğuk meze
/so·UK me·ZEH/Meze & fish
Cold meze. The opening tray of yogurt dips, olive-oil vegetables, cheese and cured fish. Most of the night is spent here.
sohbet
/soh·BET/The table
Conversation. Lighter than muhabbet. Sohbet can happen anywhere; muhabbet needs a table and time.
See muhabbet
son kadeh
/SON ka·DEH/The table
“The last glass.” Announced more than once on a good night, and rarely the last.
Sultaniye
/sul·ta·nee·YEH/Wine
A seedless Aegean grape, best known dried as the sultana, and also made into light white wine.
suma
/su·MA/Rakı
The grape distillate rakı is built on. Distilled again with aniseed in copper stills, it becomes rakı.
See rakı
su bardağı
/SU bar·da·UH/Rakı
The glass of plain water kept beside the rakı. You sip from both, all night.
sürahi
/sü·ra·HEE/The table
Water jug. Always on a rakı table, since every glass is cut with cold water.
See su bardağı, tazelemek
Ş
şakşuka
/shak·shu·KA/Meze & fish
Fried aubergine and peppers in a garlicky tomato sauce, eaten cold. Not the egg dish of almost the same name.
şalgam
/shal·GAM/Rakı
A salty, sour, deep purple drink of fermented black carrot and turnip. In Adana it is drunk alongside rakı, glass for glass.
şarap
/sha·RAP/Wine
Wine. Anatolia is one of the oldest homes of the vine, and the word meyhane itself means wine house.
See meyhane
şaraphane
/sha·rap·ha·NE/Wine
A winery or wine-making house.
See mahzen
şarkı
/shar·KUH/Music
A song. In particular the urban art song of Istanbul, the core of the fasıl.
See türkü
Şarköy
/SHAR·köy/Wine
A Thracian coastal town and wine district on the Sea of Marmara.
şef garson
/SHEF gar·son/The table
Head waiter. Takes the order, knows the regulars and decides which table gets the best fish of the day.
şerbetçiotu
/sher·bet·chee·o·TU/Beer
Hops. Literally “sherbet-maker’s herb”.
şerefe
/she·re·FEH/Toasts & sayings
“To honour.” The toast. Said once at the start, and again when someone new joins the table.
See kadeh kaldırmak
şıra
/shuh·RA/Wine
Freshly pressed, unfermented grape juice. Sold sweet in autumn. Left alone, it becomes wine.
şifa olsun
/shi·FA OL·sun/Toasts & sayings
“May it heal.” Said over food or drink, especially something taken for the body, such as soup the morning after.
See afiyet olsun, geçmiş olsun
şişe
/shi·SHE/Rakı
Bottle. At the table a rakı bottle is ordered by size and set in an ice bucket or on the table.
T
tabak
/ta·BAK/The table
Plate. Meze arrive on small plates; each guest takes a little at a time onto their own.
See meze
tadında bırakmak
/ta·duhn·DA bu·rak·MAK/Toasts & sayings
“To leave it at its taste.” To stop while it is still good. The wise drinker’s rule.
See kıvamında, ölçüyü kaçırmak
taksim
/tak·SEEM/Music
An improvised solo in free time that opens a piece and lays out its makam.
See makam
tambur
/tam·BUR/Music
A long-necked lute of Ottoman classical music, with a round body and a delicate sound.
See ud
tarama
/ta·ra·MA/Meze & fish
A whipped spread of fish roe, bread and olive oil. Pale cream when made at home, bright pink in shops.
tarator
/ta·ra·TOR/Meze & fish
A sauce of walnuts, bread, garlic and lemon. The partner of fried mussels and squid.
tatlı
/tat·LUH/Meze & fish
Dessert. Often skipped in favour of fruit, or helva after fish.
See meyve tabağı
tava
/ta·VA/Meze & fish
Pan fried, usually after a dusting of flour. Hamsi tava and mezgit tava are classics.
taverna
/ta·VER·na/The table
The Greek cousin of the meyhane, with ouzo or tsipouro in place of rakı and many of the same meze under other names.
See uzo
tazelemek
/ta·ze·le·MEK/The table
“To freshen.” Topping up glasses, ice and water. Good manners say you look after your neighbours’ glasses before your own and never let an elder reach for the bottle.
tek
/TEK/Rakı
A single measure. Order “bir tek” and you are only stopping by.
See duble
Tekel
/te·KEL/Rakı
The Turkish state monopoly on alcohol and tobacco, which made most of the country’s rakı for much of the 20th century. Its alcohol business was sold off in 2004.
See tekel bayii
tekel bayii
/te·KEL ba·yee·EE/The table
The corner shop licensed to sell alcohol and tobacco. The name survives from the old state monopoly.
See Tekel
Tekirdağ
/te·KEER·da/Rakı
A town on the Sea of Marmara with a long rakı tradition. Tekirdağ rakısı is a registered geographical name.
tekmil
/tek·MEEL/Meze & fish
The topping that finishes a plate, from an old word for complete. Tekmilli fava comes dressed with red onion, dill, pul biber, lemon and olive oil. Tekmilsiz fava is plain.
See fava
tirbuşon
/tir·bu·SHON/Wine
Corkscrew. From French tire-bouchon.
See mantar
tokuşturmak
/to·kush·tur·MAK/The table
To clink glasses. With an elder or someone you honour, you touch your glass below the rim of theirs. Kadeh tokuşturmak is the full phrase.
topik
/to·PEEK/Meze & fish
An Armenian meze of Istanbul: chickpea and potato wrapped around slow-cooked onion, with tahini and cinnamon.
torik
/to·REEK/Meze & fish
A large palamut, bonito. Torik is also the fish used for lakerda.
Trakya
/TRAK·ya/Wine
Thrace, the European corner of Türkiye between the Black Sea, the Marmara and the Aegean. A leading wine region.
tulum peyniri
/tu·LUM pey·ni·REE/Meze & fish
A crumbly, sharp cheese traditionally matured in a skin. Good with rakı and melon.
See beyaz peynir
turşu suyu
/tur·SHU su·YU/Meze & fish
Pickle juice, drunk from a glass. Sold by street pickle shops, and sworn by after a long night.
See şalgam, akşamdan kalma
tuzluk
/tuz·LUK/The table
Salt cellar. Rarely needed when the meze are good.
türkü
/tür·KÜ/Music
A folk song from the Anatolian countryside. Late at night, city songs often give way to türkü.
See şarkı
U
ud
/UD/Music
The fretless, short-necked lute, ancestor of the European lute. The name comes from Arabic.
uskumru dolma
/us·kum·RU dol·MA/Meze & fish
Mackerel emptied through the gills, its flesh mixed with rice, nuts and spices, and stuffed back into the skin. A slow Istanbul classic.
usta
/us·TA/The table
“Master.” How you address the cook at the grill, the oldest musician or any skilled tradesman. A mark of respect for the craft.
See ızgara
uşşak
/ush·SHAK/Music
A common makam with a warm, simple feel, found in many songs and türkü.
See makam
uzo
/U·zo/Rakı
Ouzo. Greece’s anise spirit, usually based on neutral spirit with some grape distillate. It clouds like rakı and tastes lighter.
See taverna
Ü
Üsküdar'a gider iken
/üs·kü·DAR·a gee·DER i·KEN/Music
The song every meyhane table knows. The same tune is claimed across the Balkans and the Middle East, and Eartha Kitt recorded it in 1953 as Uska Dara.
See fasıl
üstü kalsın
/üs·TÜ KAL·suhn/Toasts & sayings
“Keep the rest.” Keep the change. The simplest way to leave a tip.
See bahşiş
üzüm
/ü·ZÜM/Wine
Grape. The fruit behind both the wine and the rakı on the table.
V
Vasilaki
/va·see·LA·kee/Wine
A white grape of Bozcaada. Its name recalls the island’s Greek past.
See Bozcaada
veresiye
/ve·re·si·YE/The table
On credit. Old regulars might drink on a tab written in the meyhaneci’s notebook and settle at the end of the month.
vitrin
/vit·REEN/The table
The glass display of cold meze and fresh fish near the door. Many guests order standing in front of it before they sit down.
See meze tepsisi, ızgara
Y
yaprak sarma
/yap·RAK sar·MA/Meze & fish
Vine leaves rolled tight around rice, pine nuts, currants and herbs, cooked in olive oil and served cold.
See Narince
yarasın
/ya·ra·SUHN/Toasts & sayings
“May it suit you.” Said to someone enjoying a dish or a drink.
yâren
/ya·REN/The table
An old word for a close companion. Yârenlik is also the name of traditional men’s gatherings with food, music and talk in parts of Anatolia.
yarın ola hayrola
/ya·RUHN o·LA hay·ro·LA/Toasts & sayings
“Tomorrow will come, may it bring good.” Don’t worry about it tonight. A favourite late-night shrug.
See son kadeh
yaş üzüm
/YASH ü·züm/Rakı
Fresh grapes. Rakı made from fresh-grape suma rather than raisins is labelled yaş üzüm rakısı and is held to be smoother.
yetmişlik
/yet·mish·LEEK/Rakı
The 70 cl bottle. Shared by four or five, or by two who have nowhere to be.
yine bekleriz
/yi·NE bek·le·REEZ/Toasts & sayings
“We’ll wait for you again.” The meyhaneci’s farewell at the door.
See güle güle
yirmilik
/yeer·mee·LEEK/Rakı
The 20 cl bottle. For one person, or for a table that swears it will not stay long.
yolluk
/yol·LUK/The table
“Something for the road.” Said of one more drink before leaving: bir yolluk içelim. Also the food or provisions given to a departing guest.
See son kadeh
Z
zahmet etmeyin
/zah·MET et·ME·yin/Toasts & sayings
“Don’t trouble yourself.” Said as someone gets up to fetch, pour or pay for you. Not meant to stop them.
See nazlanmak
zargana
/zar·GA·na/Meze & fish
Garfish. Long and thin with green bones, usually fried.
See tava
zeybek
/zey·BEK/Music
A slow, proud Aegean dance in a long 9/8 rhythm. Danced alone, often by one guest while the table claps.
See aksak
zeytin
/zey·TEEN/Meze & fish
Olives, black or green. A small plate is often already on the table when you sit down.
See çerez
zeytinyağlı
/zey·tin·ya·LUH/Meze & fish
Anything cooked in olive oil and served cold: green beans, artichokes, leeks, celeriac. A whole family of meze.
zil
/ZEEL/Music
Finger cymbals, played by dancers and percussionists.
See çiftetelli
zil zurna sarhoş
/ZEEL zur·NA sar·HOSH/Toasts & sayings
“Drunk as cymbals and shawm.” Completely, noisily drunk.
ziyade olsun
/zi·ya·DE OL·sun/Toasts & sayings
“May it be plentiful.” Said by a guest after the meal, wishing the host’s table abundance. Allah ziyade etsin is the fuller form.
zom
/ZOM/Toasts & sayings
Slang for very drunk: zom olmak. Informal and slightly comic.
See zil zurna sarhoş, küfelik
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