Brunei
Brunei's coffee scene has undergone a significant transformation over the last decade, moving from a more traditional, instant-coffee-centric culture to one embracing modern cafe trends and specialty brews. You'll find a blend of local kopitiams (traditional coffee shops) and international-style cafes, especially in the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan.
Here's a breakdown of the different ways to order coffee and what's in them:
General Ordering & Common Terms:
Hot or Cold:
Hot Coffee (Kopi Panas): Standard hot coffee.
Iced Coffee (Kopi Ais / Ais Kopi): Coffee served over ice.
Sweetness: Bruneians generally prefer sweet beverages. You can usually specify:
Kurang Manis: Less sweet.
Tidak Manis / Kosong: No sugar (lit. "empty").
Sugar or sugar syrup is often provided on the side for customization.
Milk:
Susu: Milk. This can refer to evaporated milk, condensed milk, or fresh milk depending on the establishment. In traditional settings, condensed milk is very common.
Creamer: Some places might offer artificial creamer.
For Here or To Go:
Makan Sini: For here (lit. "eat here").
Tapau / Bungkus: Takeaway / to go.
Traditional / Kopitiam Style Coffee (Kopi/Nanyang Coffee):
These are often brewed using robusta beans, sometimes roasted with sugar and margarine, giving them a distinct dark, strong, and slightly caramelized flavor. They are typically made by pouring hot water through a cloth filter ("sock" method).
Kopi O: Black coffee with sugar.
Ingredients: Dark roasted coffee (often Robusta), hot water, sugar.
Kopi O Kosong: Black coffee without sugar. "Kosong" means "empty" or "zero" in Malay.
Ingredients: Dark roasted coffee, hot water.
Kopi O Peng: Iced black coffee with sugar. "Peng" means "ice" in Hokkien (common in Southeast Asian Chinese dialects).
Ingredients: Dark roasted coffee, ice, sugar.
Kopi: Coffee with condensed milk and sugar. This is the classic "local coffee."
Ingredients: Dark roasted coffee, hot water, condensed milk, sugar.
Kopi C: Coffee with evaporated milk and sugar. The "C" often refers to the "Carnation" brand of evaporated milk.
Ingredients: Dark roasted coffee, hot water, evaporated milk, sugar.
Kopi Peng: Iced coffee with condensed milk and sugar.
Ingredients: Dark roasted coffee, ice, condensed milk, sugar.
Kopi Gao: Extra strong coffee (with milk and sugar, or black). "Gao" means "thick" or "strong" in Hokkien.
Ingredients: More coffee concentrate, hot water/milk, sugar/condensed milk.
Kopi Poh: Weaker/more diluted coffee. "Poh" means "thin" or "weak" in Hokkien.
Ingredients: Less coffee concentrate, hot water/milk, sugar/condensed milk.
Instant Coffee:
Still widely consumed at home, offices, and in simpler eateries.
Instant Coffee (e.g., Nescafe 3-in-1, Nescafe Classic):
Ingredients: Instant coffee powder, hot water, often pre-mixed with sugar and powdered creamer/milk.
Modern Cafe Style Coffee (Espresso-Based & Brewed):
These are found in a growing number of stylish cafes, often run by local entrepreneurs, and international chains. They use espresso machines and often offer a wider range of beans.
Espresso:
Ingredients: Finely ground espresso beans, hot water.
Americano:
What it is: Espresso diluted with hot water. Can be hot or iced.
Ingredients: Espresso, hot water.
Latte (Café Latte):
What it is: Espresso with steamed milk and a thin layer of foam. Popular with various flavored syrups (vanilla, caramel, hazelnut, etc.).
Ingredients: Espresso, steamed milk.
Cappuccino:
What it is: Espresso with steamed milk and a thicker layer of foam.
Ingredients: Espresso, steamed milk, foamed milk.
Mocha:
What it is: A latte with chocolate syrup or powder.
Ingredients: Espresso, steamed milk, chocolate syrup/powder.
Flat White:
What it is: Espresso with microfoam (very finely textured steamed milk), less foam than a latte or cappuccino, often with a stronger coffee taste.
Ingredients: Espresso, steamed milk (microfoam).
Macchiato (Espresso Macchiato):
What it is: Espresso "stained" with a small dollop of foamed milk.
Ingredients: Espresso, a small amount of foamed milk.
Caramel Macchiato:
What it is: Steamed milk with vanilla syrup, topped with espresso and a caramel drizzle.
Ingredients: Steamed milk, vanilla syrup, espresso, caramel sauce.
Iced Latte/Cappuccino/Mocha:
What it is: Cold versions of the above, served over ice.
Ingredients: Espresso, cold milk, ice, syrups/chocolate (for mocha), often topped with whipped cream.
Frappe / Blended Iced Coffee:
What it is: Blended coffee drinks with ice, milk, and various flavorings, often topped with whipped cream.
Ingredients: Coffee (often strong brewed or espresso), milk, ice, sugar/syrup, and various flavorings (e.g., chocolate, caramel, vanilla), whipped cream (optional).
Cold Brew:
What it is: Coffee steeped in cold water for an extended period, resulting in a smooth, low-acid concentrate, often served over ice with milk or water.
Ingredients: Coarsely ground coffee, cold water.
Pour-Over / Drip Coffee:
What it is: Filtered coffee made by pouring hot water over ground coffee. Often found in specialty cafes for single-origin beans.
Ingredients: Ground coffee, hot water.
Places to Order Coffee in Brunei:
Kopitiams (Coffee Shops): Traditional local eateries, often serving the classic "Kopi" variations alongside local breakfast items like roti kahwin (toast with kaya and butter).
Modern Cafes / Specialty Coffee Shops: A burgeoning scene, especially in Bandar Seri Begawan, offering a range of espresso-based drinks, different brewing methods, and often a focus on ambiance and unique concepts.
Convenience Stores / Supermarkets: Bottled or canned iced coffees from various brands are widely available.
Brunei's coffee culture is a fascinating blend of its Southeast Asian heritage and the global specialty coffee movement, offering a diverse range of options for every coffee preference.
*The content in this document was generated using artificial intelligence, drawing from various online sources, and subsequently refined for accuracy and conciseness in 2025. Users are advised to consult multiple sources to corroborate information and should not rely solely on this document for comprehensive research.