These days, “after 5” in Ankara is looking more like “5 to 10.” A new law pushed through by Turkey’s religious prime minister — and part of what sparked protests in June — bans alcohol sales after 10 p.m. and prohibits the opening of any new bars within 100 meters of a mosque (which is just about everywhere).

So if your associates invite you out for a drink or a meal with raki, the anise-flavored national liquor that’s mixed with ice water, be punctual. And enjoy it. The nightlife area of Kizilay may never be the same.

You won’t find fashionable LGBT hot spots in the city (a local guide advises Istanbul and Bodrum are more likely to offer these venues). While there may be an LGBT scene here in the underground, it’s not likely to appear in a tourism flyer or be discussed openly.

However you mix and mingle when the workday is done, consider it an important part of the process. Few Turks will dive into business discussions without building a real relationship first, and for bidding on government business, the local agent can make or break the deal.

Turkey’s second-largest city, Ankara went from being a glorified village to a full-fledged city once the Turkish Republic’s founder, Kemal Ataturk, established the capital here in the 1920s. This does not mean it’s a city without a history, however. Hittite people were living in this area in the Bronze Age of 2000 B.C., and in 300 B.C. the Galatians made “Ancyra” their capital. Make time during daylight hours up until 7 p.m. to visit the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations.

The international business hotels are popular for power breakfasts or evening cocktails. The 22nd-floor lounge with a panoramic view at the JW Marriott is an especially good choice, though it’s far from the center in a newly built area. The Swissôtel is near the president’s mansion and has a popular restaurant and a lounge with entertainment. Most locals consider it the best hotel in town, so booking here will win prestige points.

Closer to the center is the long-established Ankara HiltonSA, with an excellent restaurant and its Lotus Bar for late meetings in a convenient location. Coffee shops have sprouted on nearly every block in town, going beyond the traditional tulip-shaped glasses of strong tea or thick Turkish coffee.

While many of Ankara’s main attractions are only open during the day, it’s possible to visit the Ankara Citadel at night, on a hill overlooking the city. Interesting shops line the road leading up to the gate, including the quirky Gramofon Café. It’s filled with gramophones, old radios and memorabilia like Elvis records.

The museum complex and restaurant CerModern is built on the site of an old train parts factory. It’s a popular gathering place for Ankara’s creative class. The arts are abundant, with the resident Presidential Symphony Orchestra, a ballet company, opera and a long list of arts festivals.

With my local hosts, I tried plenty of hot restaurants, like Mezzaluna (Italian) and Kitchenette (international), but my most memorable meals turned out to be traditional Turkish fare. Fish restaurants are a big draw, with seafood shipped in daily from two seas. The well-known Yosun Evi was moving when I was in town, but we picked out our own fish from a huge iced display at Rasgele and had a feast.

At the Adana Sofrasi kebab house near the Swissôtel, I was the only foreigner present in a packed crowd savoring grilled meat with judicious amounts of raki. Like the Turkish people themselves, the restaurant was exuberant and full of life. One of the world’s great cuisines and good company that’s in no hurry: That’s the winning combination when the sun goes down in Ankara.