Drinks in Turkey: 5 Traditional Turkish Drinks You Can’t Miss!

Curious about the best Turkish drinks? Let me introduce you to five you simply must try while you’re here.

Every culture has a drink it’s known for, whether it’s a local favorite like the Cafecito in Miami or a national staple like whiskey in Scotland.

Turkey is no different. And while Turkish coffee may be world-famous, it might surprise you to learn it’s not the most popular drink among locals!

When I first moved to Turkey in 2019, I wasn’t a fan of one of their most beloved beverages. But over time, I’ve grown to love it—it’s now one of my personal favorites! I keep trying new ones and keep being surprised.

Not sure where to start with Turkish drinks? Let’s dive into the five most popular ones across the country.

As you read, take a guess—which one do you think is the favorite among Turks?

1. Turkish Coffee

Typically drunk: year-round and anytime during the day

Turkish Coffee can be found in many different varieties, which I will compare in another post coming soon!

What sets Turkish Coffee apart is how it is made not the beans it uses.

It is an important part of Turkish culture. So much so they have a saying about it. 

“Bir kahvenin 40 yıl hatırı vardır.” A coffee remembers for 40 years.

It means that it doesn’t matter how insignificant your favors feel, there will be a day that you’ll receive kindness from the person you have helped. 

The grounds are special because they are so fine that they are like powder.

Turkish Coffee is so important that in 2013 UNESCO added it to the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list.

The first “coffee shop” called Kiva Han was reportedly opened in Constantinople (Istanbul) in the 1470s.

When you purchase it at a local restaurant, you can order it three ways with regard to sugar. Sade = without sugar Orta şekerli = medium sugar Tatlı = sweet

To make Turkish Coffee, the water, coffee grounds, and any sugar that is desired are brought to a boil in the Cezve. It boils until it froths but before it boils over and is then poured into a coffee cup called kahve fincanı.

Because the coffee grounds are boiled with water and poured directly into the coffee cup, you will have lots of grounds in your coffee. As tempting as it may be to drink immediately, let it settle.

After a few minutes, your coffee grounds will settle to the bottom of your cup and you will be able to enjoy the lovely taste of a strong cup of coffee.

Wanna drink it at home but haven’t made it to Turkey yet? Here are some of my favorite Turkish-style coffee cup sets.

2. Salep – best served warm

Typically drunk: During the winter anytime during the day

Second, on our list is Salep which is a flour made from tubers that come from Orchids.

This Turkish beverage dates back to the ancient Romans and was known by them as an aphrodisiac because the shape of the plant quite resembles male genitalia.

It was believed for a long time that it could restore virility and passion in men.

This flour is not only used to make this hot drink but also used in baking and tasty treats like ice cream and pudding.

Unfortunately with the rise of consumption, we have begun to see local extinctions of these beautiful plants in parts of Turkey.

Along with the extinction of so many orchids, it has become increasingly more difficult to find genuine Salep and has even become illegal to export it.

Thus, when you see Salep in the store, it is more likely than not to have artificial flavoring.

Real Salep is a milk-based drink with a thick consistency, almost like pudding, and is often sprinkled with cinnamon and nuts.

When you find it on the streets, however, it will be much more like a milky drink that is dusted with cinnamon.

It is also only seen on the streets during the winter months, though can be purchased at some coffee shops year-round.

So if you happen to find yourself wandering through Istanbul on a winter’s day, make sure you do so with a Salep in hand.

3. Rakı – national alcohol

Typically drunk: Year-round, anytime during the day along with fish or with mezes

Raki is to Turkey as Vodka is to Russia. (Who said that SAT prep would never come in handy).

It is an alcoholic drink made from twice-distilled grapes and anise, giving it a strong black licorice flavor.

So if you are one of those people who like that, this may be the drink for you!

While it isn’t my go-to, I have definitely grown used to the flavor after enough evenings eating fish and drinking Turkish raki. 

You can find this drink or something very similar in countries throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East.

This drink is served in tall shot glasses and rarely drunk neat. It is typically served neat and equal parts cold water is added to the Raki by the customer.

While it can be drunk with any meal or at any time like any other spirit, it is known to be paired with fish.

You will often hear of people doing a “Balık ve Rakı akşamı” where they will go to a nice fish restaurant and drink Raki with their delicious fish and a multitude of mezes.

Though you can also often find a Turkish beer at a fish restaurant they aren’t as popular on this occasion. 

It is believed that the Raki takes off the harsh flavor of some fish.

But be careful because it isn’t for lightweights.

If you haven’t thought about gifts yet, a small bottle of raki along with these other 20 ideas for great gifts.

Keep an eye out for a new post coming soon about Turkish wines which are quickly becoming quite popular as well.

4. Turkish Tea

Typically drunk: All day, every day

Turkish tea is drunk throughout the day, all day. Regardless of who you’re with or what you’re doing, çay often follows.

Every Turkish restaurant will offer it after your meal. It is quite popular in Turkey among the Turkish people. 

Pro tip: This is not “chai” like the spice latte type drink. Turkish çay is a black tea.

While drinking tea is definitely not unique to Turkey, Turkey is actually known to have the world’s highest per capita consumption of tea in the entire world.

Though to be fair, the UK is a close second.

Depending on where you go, you will find some that have Bergamont in with the black tea.

You can also find other herbal teas but simple black tea is definitely the most popular.

Also because of the high import fees, most tea is locally sourced.

It is typically brewed in a çaydanlık, a special teapot. There are two sections to the teapot. The hot water is boiled on the bottom and the loose leave tea is in a separate kettle on top.

It is purposefully made strong so that each person can make it as strong or weak as they like.

It is served in tulip-shaped glasses on a saucer with a cube or packet of sugar. Turks will consume anywhere from 4-15 of these a day.

Before your jaw drops to the floor it would be prudent to note that the cups are not the standard American large sizes. These tea glasses are typically between 4-6 oz.

When you order you can specify koyu = strong or literally “dark” OR açık = weak or literally “light”.

It is never served with lemon or milk like in other countries. They will think you are quite crazy if you ask for milk on the side.

ENJOY!

5. Ayran

Typically drunk: Anytime, year-round, especially with meals or to rehydrate during the summer

Finally, we have our fifth drink…Ayran. Ayran is a popular drink throughout Asia and Eastern Europe. While it can easily be made at home, it is also easily available in containers on the go.

So what is it? Ayran is a refreshing Turkish, yogurt-based drink. It is combined with water and a touch of salt to make a refreshing and rejuvenating drink.

Throughout Turkey, you will find this drink in its standard form, but you can also find it with Basil, Oregano, or Mint added for a slightly different flavor.

When I was visiting Turkey for the first time, I tried it with my doner. While I was not impressed the first time I drank it, I have grown to truly love it.

Arguably, I also haven’t eaten a ton of yogurt because of how much sugar there is in it in the States as well as the consistency kind of makes me gag.

In Turkey, however, it is quite different. Of course, you can find yogurt with sugar added but it is the exception instead of the rule here.

Many of the yogurts here are more akin to what we would think of as Greek yogurt.

I won’t go further into that because it is a hotly debated subject…suffice it to say, that yogurt here is different than in America.

The more I drank Ayran, the more I began to grow a taste for it.

And if the yogurt used contains probiotics, it is even a healthy addition to the meal. My favorite is this one. It comes in a glass bottle and the flavor is perfect.

It is often served with meals, especially when beef is present but is often drunk on its own as well.

Bonus: Turkish Sherbet

Typically drunk: Mostly during the summer after meals

This is a non-alcoholic beverage that is enjoyed on hot Turkish summer nights. 

You could of course spike it as it is a sweet, fruity drink and would lend itself to that well. This drink hails from the Ottoman days and played an important role in Ottoman cuisine. 

Sherbet is traditionally enjoyed during festive occasions and social gatherings and captures the essence of hospitality that is deeply ingrained in Turkish culture.

It is often homemade by boiling fresh fruit like cherries, plums, and grapes along with some cinnamon, lemon, cloves, and sugar.

After it has chilled completely it is enjoyed by all.

Final thoughts on Turkish Drinks

So what do you think? What is the most popular beverage among Turks?

If you guessed tea, you would be correct!

The most drunk drink in Turkey would be tea. Regardless if you’re just waking up or about to go to sleep, you will be offered a cup of tea.

Perhaps because they drink so much tea here, their bodies have become acclimated to the high caffeine levels and can drink it at all times of the day without adverse effects on their sleep.

I do have one other honorable mention if you have made it this far. Şalgam (shal-gam) which is a fermented turnip juice often eaten alongside fish and mezes.

You can also check out some of the Foods in Turkey that you should try!

Have you tried any of these 5 Turkish beverages?