Chad
Chad's coffee culture is influenced by its geographical location in Central Africa and its historical ties, particularly with France. While coffee is produced in Chad (mostly Excelsa and Robusta), the consumption patterns lean heavily towards instant coffee and traditional West African spiced brews, with a growing presence of more standard Western-style cafes in the capital, N'Djamena.
Here are the different ways to order a coffee in Chad and what's in them:
Traditional / Locally Influenced Coffee:
Café Touba (Café Too-BAH): While originating from Senegal, this spiced coffee is very popular across West and Central Africa, and you'll find it widely available in Chad, especially from street vendors or small, informal eateries.
Ingredients: Coffee beans (often Robusta), roasted and ground with Guinea pepper (Xylopia aethiopica, known as djar in Wolof) and sometimes cloves.
Preparation: Typically brewed using a filter method (like a pour-over) and often served from a large thermos. It's strong and very aromatic.
Taste: Distinctly spicy and peppery, with a bold coffee flavor. It's usually served black, but sugar is almost always added, and sometimes milk (often powdered milk).
Local Brewed Coffee / Café Filtre (Café Feel-truh): In homes and smaller, more traditional establishments, coffee is often prepared using simple, basic methods.
Ingredients: Ground coffee (can be local Excelsa or Robusta, or imported blends), hot water.
Preparation: This might involve pouring hot water over coffee grounds in a simple filter, or steeping grounds directly in a cup or pot, allowing them to settle.
Taste: Generally strong and straightforward. Usually served black, with sugar and milk (often powdered, evaporated, or condensed milk) available on the side.
Instant Coffee (Most Ubiquitous):
Nescafé (Nes-KAF-eh) / Café Instantané (Café Eens-tan-ta-nay): Instant coffee is extremely common and widely consumed throughout Chad, in homes, offices, and readily available in shops. For many, this is coffee.
Ingredients: Instant coffee granules, hot water.
Preparation: Simply dissolved in hot water.
Taste: Varies by brand. Usually consumed with a significant amount of sugar and often milk (powdered or evaporated milk are common choices due to convenience and shelf life).
Basic Espresso-Style Drinks (Limited to Modern Establishments in Cities):
In N'Djamena, the capital, and potentially a few other larger towns, you'll find more modern cafes, hotels, or restaurants that cater to expatriates, business travelers, and a local elite. These establishments will likely offer a basic range of espresso-based drinks, using imported machines and beans.
Espresso: A small, concentrated shot of coffee.
Café au Lait: French for "coffee with milk." This would be a simple coffee (likely espresso or strong brewed coffee) mixed with hot milk.
Café Américain (Café Ah-may-ree-kan): Espresso diluted with hot water.
Cappuccino: Espresso with steamed milk and foam.
Latte / Caffè Latte: Espresso with a larger amount of steamed milk and a thin layer of foam.
Cold Coffee Options:
Café Glacé (Café Glah-SAY) / Iced Coffee: A general term for iced coffee. This would likely be a simple cold coffee (brewed or instant) served over ice, often with sugar and milk.
Blended iced drinks: Blended drinks would generally be limited to higher-end hotels or international-style cafes in N'Djamena.
Customizations:
Avec sucre / Sans sucre: "With sugar / Without sugar." Sugar is almost universally preferred and often added in generous amounts.
Avec du lait / Sans lait: "With milk / Without milk." Milk often refers to powdered milk, evaporated milk, or condensed milk, which are more readily available than fresh liquid milk in many areas.
How to Order (Language Considerations):
French and Arabic are the official languages of Chad. Various indigenous languages are also spoken. Knowing French phrases will be essential for ordering coffee in most commercial establishments.
"Un café, s'il vous plaît." (Un kah-FEH, seel voo pleh.) - "A coffee, please." (This is a general request that could get you an instant coffee, a local brew, or an espresso depending on the venue).
"Un Nescafé, s'il vous plaît." (Un Nes-KAF-eh, seel voo pleh.) - "A Nescafé, please." (If you specifically want instant).
"Un café Touba, s'il vous plaît." (Un kah-FEH Too-BAH, seel voo pleh.) - "A Café Touba, please." (If you want the spiced version).
"Avec sucre / Sans sucre." (Ah-vek sookr / Sang sookr.) - "With sugar / Without sugar."
"Avec du lait." (Ah-vek dyoo leh.) - "With milk."
"Merci!" (Mer-SEE!) - "Thank you!"
The coffee experience in Chad is likely more functional and about social connection, often centered around strong, often sweetened, coffee, rather than a wide variety of specialty options, particularly outside of the capital.
*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.