Time to explore these cities and take some cultured sips across the globe for an entirely new drinking experience.
Let’s catch up over a drink. We hear this a lot. And there’s a good reason why friends and old flames say this so fondly. After all, sharing a drink is an age-old custom. It allows us to reunite with our fellow human beings, as well as to connect with the place we are visiting or the one we call home.
To me, a drink has always been a reflective representation of the city’s spirit. The liquid embodiment of culture, values, and soul—either sipped slowly or guzzled hastily, depending on the mood of the moment. It’s there, served in a humble cup or glass, not just to quench the thirst but bring everyone a sip closer to the well of history of a city while distilling an intimate story.
Take New Orleans and its Sazerac. It’s not just a cocktail; it’s a city in a glass, packed with layers of French, Creole, and Southern influences. You don’t simply drink a Sazerac; you take part in a ritual that ties you to the past, to the very streets where the tipple was born.
Then there’s Tokyo’s whisky highball. On the surface, it’s just whisky and soda. A closer inspection reveals the meticulousness of Japanese culture—everything in perfect balance. The drink is subtle like the quiet efficiency of a bullet train.
What can a foamy New York egg cream tell us about its inhabitants or the intricate refinement of a Parisian café au lait in relation to how the city lives up to its joie de vivre?
A Moroccan mint tea can teach us about patience, from brewing the leaves to sipping and how to savor the moment, while a lively caipirinha from Rio reminds us to embrace life with enthusiasm and celebration.
I have asked friends about a drink that represents the spirit of the city where they live. Here are some of their takes seen and sipped from their perspectives and artworks. Bottoms up!
“The city, like Abu Dhabi, an amalgamation of tradition and modernity, finds its essence in Karak chai. A warm, spiced tea symbolizing a welcoming hospitality and the richness in culture of the city.
Made with humble ingredients: strong black tea, fragrant spices, milk, and a touch of sweetness, Karak chai mirrors the diverse layers of Abu Dhabi’s vibrant community—locals, expats, and visitors alike. Whether enjoyed at a bustling corner chai shop or sipped during a quiet sunset by the Corniche, Karak chai is a timeless link that brings people together across all walks of life, ushering comfort like the warmth of an embrace.” – Shasha Hamsah
Art illustration (Karak Chai) by Shasha and Maya Hamsah – More about their works can be found by visiting the artist’s Instagram page. (For art commissions, feel free to reach out to the artist)
“The pineapple mojito has always been my go-to drink whenever I need to unwind. An irresistible blend of sweet pineapple, zesty lime, fresh mint, and a splash of rum that transports me to a place of comfort all the while ushering inner calm. Every sip, a cool sea breeze on a warm afternoon. Much like my hometown, Dumaguete City—a place that just knows how to take it easy.
Living by its slogan as the ‘City of Gentle People,’ Dumaguete’s unhurried rhythm manifests through a simple stroll along the city’s seaside boulevard or when the sedating sea mist kisses your cheeks during a golden sunset. Families gather at beachside cafes, including mine, on lazy afternoons. Like a pineapple mojito, Dumaguete is a blend of warmth, sweetness, and a zest suited to comfort the spirit.” – Gloryrose Dy Metilla
Art illustration (Pineapple Mojito) by Gloryrose Dy Metilla – More about her works can be found by visiting the artist’s Instagram page. (For art commissions, feel free to reach out to the artist)
“Anyone who has visited Istanbul will be familiar with ‘raki’ and ‘ayran’. These two local drinks are almost similar in color yet so different in taste, just like Istanbul itself, a single city straddling two continents. One part in Asia, the other in Europe.
The alcoholic raki with a lovely fragrance of star anise is paired and consumed best with meze, kebabs, and fish. Ayran, a yogurt melting in water with a dash of salt like a kefir, can go with everything except seafood. It’s everyone’s everyday drink, synonymous to a cola or fruit juice. These ancient Turkish drinks are cherished and enjoyed by the locals regardless of wealth or background. Whether it’s food at home or at a restaurant, whether they are eating meze or kebabs or even burgers, they may open a bottle of raki or ayran, depending on the occasion, and have meals that last for several hours filled with hearty conversations and conviviality.” – Erdem Bilgin
Art on canvas (Raki and Ayran) by Erdem Bilgin – More about his work can be found by visiting the artist’s Instagram page. (For art commissions, feel free to reach out to the artist)
“There is never an occasion or celebration where ‘tuba’ or coconut wine is not served at the table. It’s every Waraynon’s way of life, and the humble local spirit brings the community together in my hometown, in Leyte.
Tuba is made from the fermented sap of coconut trees. Tuba makers, known locally as managuetes, climb up to the top of the tree to prune the coconut’s inflorescence and draw out the sap, which is then collected in a wooden vat, usually a hollowed bamboo. A natural red dye extracted from mangroves called ‘barok’ is added to the concoction, giving the wine its signature reddish color. I started using tuba as a medium for my art in 2009 as a tribute to the community’s favorite drink, to promote the coconut wine-making industry, as well as to celebrate the kinship amongst the Waray people. When others see my work, they also get a glimpse of our local culture.” – Dante Enage
Art on canvas (Tuba) by Dante Enage – More about his works can be found by visiting the artist’s Instagram page. (For art commissions, feel free to reach out to the artist)
“Nice, an iridescent French city in Côte d’Azur, awash in golden light and bathed by the Mediterranean mist. It’s a beautiful, intoxicating city with impossible people, just like an imaginary drink called Blue Djiango. The drink that sparkles, like the reflection of the sun on the sea. Cette ligne parfaite, une note bleue bleue. The taste takes you towards the impossible and the unknown.” – David Djian
Art on canvas (Blue Djiango) by David Djian – More about his works can be found by visiting the artist’s Instagram page. (For art commissions, feel free to reach out to the artist)
“In a city like New Delhi, where temperatures can go up to 40 degrees in the summer, ‘ganne ka ras’ or sugarcane juice is the city’s lifeline. Sugarcane, a crop common in this part of India, is enjoyed by locals for its great nutritional value. The liquid juice (ras) is extracted from pressed sugarcane (ganna) and readily mixed with a splash of lime and mint leaves.
Ubiquitous and available on every street corner, this refreshing beverage is a thirst quencher and popular during the hot season. Not only does ganne ka ras hold a special place amongst everyone—laborers, students, corporate employees, and housewives—but it also connects people in enjoying the simple joys of life.” – Krishna Yadav
Art illustration (Ganne ka Ras) by Krishna Yadav – More about his works can be found by visiting the artist’s Instagram page. (For art commissions, feel free to reach out to the artist)
“One of Japan’s oldest Shinto shrines, which dates back to the third century, is found in the Kansai region in Kobe City, capital of Hyōgo Prefecture, where I live. Among many other ancient things in the country, sake, or rice wine, is linked to shrine rituals and spirituality.
Sake is a traditional Japanese alcohol made from fermented rice. Tokkuri (sake bottles) and ochoko (small sake cups) are vessels for drinking sake. You pour sake from the tokkuri into the ochoko. When you drink with someone, it is customary not to pour your own sake but serve each other. This is a unique way of communication that helps foster relationships, and through sake, one builds a closer connection to the divine.” – Yuu Harada
Art illustration (Sake) by Yuu Harada – More about her works can be found by visiting the artist’s Instagram page. (For art commissions, feel free to reach out to the artist)
A city’s local drink is more than just refreshment; it’s a passport to its essence. It invites us to experience and be absorbed not only its revelatory flavors but to understand the city’s psyche, its pace, its people, and our purpose altogether.
Past is dead, Future is uncertain; Present is all you have, so eat, drink and live merry.
– Albert Einstein
What drink reminds you of your favorite trip? Do you have a preferred drink in a city that you have visited, and what’s the name of the drink? Either you’re sipping the finest cocktails and discovering local flavors while exploring a new city, in what ways can a local drink represent the joie de vivre of a city? Love to know more about your cultural sip experiences around the world, and don’t forget to share your comments below. Cheers! 😉
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