In today’s world of continuous flux, unrepentant change, ravenous destruction, overwhelming uncertainty, and ever-increasing haste, the need for familiarity and anchoring is perhaps more urgent than ever. Might becoming a regular be the antidote to this malaise?

No matter where we go, we always find that special spot that feels like home. From French Bistrots and Spanish Bodegas to Italian Osterias & Trattorias, and of course, British and Irish Pubs—these places draw us in and turn us into regulars. 

Dive into the second part of the article here...

Meyhane is not the only place that creates its own regulars, moulding them into who they are as they give life to it in return. As socialization, enjoyment of life with friends, and sharing are universal human needs, many cultures have their version of a meyhane offering different kinds of food and drinks, in different environments, and built on different rituals but all fulfilling that fundamental need for a home away from home.

Turkish literature, especially poetry, arguably smells of aniseed more than anything else. Rakı permeates all sorts of literary work as a symbol of love, friendship, wistfulness, joyfulness, serenity, hope, nostalgia, and yearning – a whole array of human feelings. And meyhane emerges as an institution, a space where these sentiments and comportments are enacted – no wonder littérateurs, especially in Istanbul, have always had a special relationship, a sentimental bond with meyhanes.

Although dictionary definitions help us on our journey to understand social and cultural phenomena, they never do justice to the complexity of human affairs. That is also the case with the relationship between the meyhane as a social institution and the regular as a social type is special as being a regular cannot be reduced to the number of times or frequency with which one visits a meyhane. So, join us as we step into the world of regulars and witness an intricate, symbiotic, and solid relationship unfold before our eyes.