Turkish coffee and raki drinking tradition

Turkish coffee and raki are the two iconic beverages of Turkey, representing distinct but complementary drinking traditions: Turkish coffee is a UNESCO-recognized (2013) method of brewing very finely ground coffee with water and sugar in a cezve (copper pot), served grounds-and-all in a demitasse cup with a thick foam on top, while raki is an anise-flavored grape distillate (approximately 45% ABV) that turns milky-white when mixed with water, earning the nickname “lion’s milk” (aslan sütü)^[1].

Turkish coffee preparation involves simmering the coffee grounds, water, and optional sugar together in the cezve, producing a distinctive foam layer. The grounds settle at the bottom of the cup, and the remaining sediment is used for fortune-telling (tasseography), a tradition still widely practiced in Turkey and the diaspora^[2]. The same brewing method is known by different names across the Eastern Mediterranean and Balkans: Greek coffee, Armenian coffee, Bosnian kafa, and Cypriot coffee all refer to the same technique with varying ethnic claims, reflecting the region’s complex cultural history^[3]. Turkish coffee is vegan and kosher-friendly (plain, without dairy). It differs fundamentally from Italian espresso (pressure-brewed, no grounds in cup) and Vietnamese cà phê (drip-filtered, often with condensed milk).

Raki is produced from grapes (often sun-dried) and flavored with aniseed. It is the national spirit of Turkey, central to meyhane culture, taverns where multi-hour meals pair raki with meze (small dishes), seafood, and conversation^[4]. The meyhane tradition is shared with Greek ouzo culture, reflecting Ottoman-era shared practices. Raki consumption became emblematic of Turkish secularism under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who was frequently photographed drinking raki; this association has made raki a cultural flashpoint in modern Turkey’s religious-conservative versus secular debates^[5]. Alcohol is legal in Muslim-majority Turkey (a secular state since 1923), but raki faces increasing restrictions and high taxes under the Erdoğan government, with availability varying from drinking-friendly Aegean cities like İzmir to dry-conservative Anatolian towns^[6]. Raki is alcoholic and not halal-permissible under traditional Islamic rulings; kosher certification depends on production supervision.

In Los Angeles, Turkish coffee and raki are served at Turkish restaurants such as Cafe Istanbul, Sofra, and Anatolian Lounge (full bar), as well as at Persian-Greek-Turkish establishments that share the meyhane tradition. The LA Turkish community is concentrated in West LA, Hollywood, and Anaheim.

^[1] UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, “Turkish coffee culture and tradition,” 2013. ^[2] A. Özdemir, “Turkish Coffee: A Cultural History,” 2018. ^[3] D. Sutton, “The Anthropology of Coffee,” 2021. ^[4] M. Sabban, “Meyhane: The Turkish Tavern,” 2015. ^[5] H. Yılmaz, “Atatürk and the Politics of Raki,” 2019. ^[6] T. Kaya, “Alcohol Policy in Turkey,” 2022.