Meyhane

A meyhane is a traditional restaurant or bar in historical Iran, Turkey and Balkans region. The word of meyhane comes from persian and the meaning is the place where people drink wine. "Meyhane" is composed of two Persian words: mey (wine) and hane (house).

History

History of meyhane starts from Byzantine Empire. Meyhane culture continues as a part of seaboard city when merchants came to city they had time and money to spend their time with drinking. During the period of Ottoman Empire the number of meyhane was increased. Some sultans prohibited alcohol at various times but it didn’t effect the number of meyhane. Muslim population usually comply with religious rules on the other hand no one interfered in the convention of minority population. A major part of minority population was living in Galata and as a result of this there are too much meyhane in that district. But there were also lots of muslim client which they came secretly.

The period of II. Selim, Damat Ferit Paşa cheers the public and meyhane re-opened again and the period of pleasure started one more time. However when meyhane opened in a muslim district sultan mandated a new law and according to it opening meyhane were banned just in muslim districts.

In the 17. century the restaurants of nowadays bosphorus used to be in haliç. In these meyhane janissary clients were called “Dayi” and everyone was showing respect to them. While the janissaries were in the meyhane, corner boy (baldırı çıplak) and vagabonds(külhanbeyleri) couldn’t enter there. Even if they entered, there weren’t any janissary and they could only drink afoot. These type of meyhane were called “Gedikli Meyhaneler”. After Abdülaziz their name changed to “Selatin Meyhaneler” Another type of meyhane were called “Koltuk Meyhanesi”. These were for vagabonds and corner boys. These meyhane were illegal they were selling alcohol underhand in grocery stores. Some of these “Koltuk Meyhanesi” were called “Kibar koltukları” and these types of meyhane served to civil servants and clerks who did not drink at their home.

There were also “Ayaklı Meyhanesi” for vagabonds and corner boys. These were mobile meyhane and most of the sellers were Armenians. They were always walking around Bahçekapı, Yemiş İskelesi and Galata. When they saw their clients, they entered in a grocery, poured the wine into a pot taken from his belt which was warmed by his body heat and served to his client. Vagabonds and the others used fresh fruit as a meze. After drinking the wine they wiped off their mouth by the back of their hands and left the grocery. This gesture was called “yumruk mezesi”.

Gedikli Meyhaneleri of Istanbul were famous for their cleanliness of their kitchen and the skills of their cook especially in fish and meat meals. This type of meyhane had high and large ceilings and also there was a barrel which came from Malta or Agean islands. On the tables there was a candlestick and the meze plates were put around it. The chairs were usually short and wooden. “Safa” meyhanesi is the only model from past to present which has the same interior design of the old days.

After the 1830’s Yedikule, Samatya, Kocamustafapaşa, Langa, Kumkapı, Fener, Balat, Galata, Ortaköy Arnavutköy, Tarabya, Büyükdere, Çengelköy, Üsküdar and Kadıköy became popular with their meyhane.

Until 1850’s clients preferred wine to rakı however in these years rakı became more popular and thus meyhane changed to a place where people drank rakı.

In 1920 while Istanbul was under military occupation, Americans made a research and according to results in Istanbul: British had 1 restaurant; Greeks had 171 restaurants, 26 caffes, 444 beerhouses; Czechs had 2 restaurants; Germans had 2 restaurants; Armenians had 13 restaurants, 1 caffe, 15 beerhouses; Turks had 35 restaurants, 4 beerhouses.

During the Republic period meyhane in Galata started to close and new ones have been opened in Beyoğlu. Meyhane started to open in Asmalımescit, Çiçek Pasajı and Krepen Pasajı since 1930 have been popular until 1980’s. During those days the tables were covered by white table clothes and the clients were wearing neckties. Although there weren’t too many types of meze, they were all prepared in the restaurant. Besides meze some of them had fish and some of them had grill. The owners of the meyhane started to work in their early ages in meyhane . Meyhane always remembered with their owners which they called Barba and usually they were from minority population. Unfortunately most of the minority, specially Greeks had to leave the country due to the political problems.

In 1980’s bars and beerhouses became popular and meyhane lost its popularity, second reason is when Barbas left the country new meyhane owners hadn’t have this meyhane culture and the quality level of meyhane lowered. After years to take more attention to the meyhane, meyhane owners raised the number of meze and meals and they started to make new activities like fasıl

.

Cuisine

A typical menu in a meyhane

• Haydari
• Cacık (yogurt,cucumber,garlic)
• Patlıcan salatası(eggplant salad)
• Semizotu
• Pilaki(beans)
• Feta cheese
• Melon
• Seafood;octopus,shrimp,marinated sea bass
• Wine
• Rakı

See also

• Culture of Turkey
• Taverna