Istanbul
The beloved neighbourhood restaurant's ground-floor bar opens at 5pm for the after-work crowd. Standing room only by 6:30pm on weekdays. The meze spread and cold raki is the after-work format Istanbul invented.
Karakoy, Istanbul — $$
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Maslak, Istanbul — $$$
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Rooftop terrace bar with Blue Mosque views, less overrun than tourist spots because it requires finding first. After-work crowd from the civil service district fills the terrace from 5pm.
The neighbourhood's best weekday bar: excellent by-the-glass list, no music above conversation volume, and the kind of regulars who make room. Closes at 11pm, which keeps the crowd focused.
The cultural institution's after-hours bar fills Thursday and Friday evenings with the creative industry crowd. Good cocktails, live acoustic sessions some evenings, exceptional location.
Independent editorial — 3,600+ bars across 72 cities, rigorously tested.
Looking beyond Istanbul? See our guide to the best after-work bars worldwide, or compare after-work bars city by city.