Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan's coffee culture is rapidly evolving, blending historical influences with modern global trends. While tea, particularly black tea with milk, remains a deeply ingrained part of Kazakh hospitality and daily life, coffee consumption is significantly on the rise, especially among younger generations in urban centers like Almaty and Astana.
You'll find a strong presence of international espresso-based drinks, a notable regional specialty, and a growing "third wave" specialty coffee scene.
Here are the different ways to order a coffee in Kazakhstan and what's in them:
Espresso-Based Hot Drinks (Most Common in Cafes):
These are the dominant offerings in modern Kazakh cafes, reflecting global trends. Latte and cappuccino are particularly popular.
Espresso (Эспрессо): A concentrated shot of coffee, the fundamental building block for many other drinks.
Doppio (Доппио / Двойное эспрессо): A double shot of espresso.
Americano (Американо): Espresso diluted with hot water. A popular choice if you prefer a larger, less intense black coffee. It's often served with milk on the side.
Cappuccino (Капучино): Espresso with steamed milk and a significant layer of frothed milk foam. Consistently one of the most popular coffee drinks.
Latte (Латте / Кафе Латте): Espresso with a larger proportion of steamed milk and a thin layer of foam. Creamier and milder than a cappuccino, often served in a tall glass. This has recently overtaken cappuccino as the most popular coffee drink in Kazakh establishments.
Flat White (Флэт Уайт): Popular in specialty cafes. It's typically a double shot of espresso with velvety microfoam, resulting in a stronger coffee taste than a latte due to the higher coffee-to-milk ratio and specific milk texture.
Macchiato (Макиато): Espresso "marked" with a small amount of steamed milk or foam. Strong coffee flavor with just a touch of creaminess.
Mocha (Мокка): Espresso, chocolate syrup or powder, and steamed milk, often topped with whipped cream.
Lungo (Лунго): A "long" espresso shot made by passing more water through the coffee grounds.
Ristretto (Ристретто): A "short" espresso, an even more concentrated shot made with less water than a standard espresso.
Regional Specialty:
Raf Coffee (Раф-кофе): This unique coffee drink is very popular across the former Soviet Union countries, including Kazakhstan.
Ingredients: It's made by combining espresso with cream (often with a fat content up to 30%) and vanilla sugar (or syrup).
Preparation: All ingredients are steamed together to create a smooth, velvety, and creamy texture, rather than just frothing the milk separately.
Taste: Known for its sweet, creamy, and distinct vanilla flavor, which can sometimes mellow the coffee's intensity. Often sprinkled with ground cinnamon.
Traditional/Less Common Coffee Styles (in cafes):
While less common to order in modern cafes, their influence is still felt or they are prepared at home.
Turkish-style Coffee / Eastern Coffee (Турка / Восточный Кофе): Similar to Turkish or Bosnian coffee, though less prevalent in commercial cafes than espresso. Some traditional eateries might still offer it.
Ingredients: Very finely ground coffee, water, and optionally sugar.
Preparation: Brewed in a small pot called a džezva (джезва) or turka (турка).
Note: This is a slower, more ritualistic brew with sediment at the bottom.
Instant Coffee (Растворимый Кофе / Нескафе): Instant coffee is still hugely popular for home consumption and convenience, especially among older generations.
Cold Coffee Drinks:
Iced Coffee (Холодный Кофе / Ледяной Кофе): This is a general term for iced coffee. It can be a simple black coffee over ice, or more commonly, an espresso with cold milk and ice, often sweetened.
Cold Brew (Колд Брю): Gaining popularity in specialty coffee shops. Coffee steeped in cold water for an extended period (12-24 hours), resulting in a smoother, less acidic concentrate that is then diluted with water or milk and served over ice.
Frappé (Фраппе): While less ubiquitous than in Greece, instant coffee-based frappés can still be found.
Alternative Brewing Methods (Growing Niche):
The "third wave" coffee movement is emerging in Kazakhstan, with cafes focusing on quality beans and diverse brewing methods.
Pour-over (Пуровер / Фильтр-кофе): This includes methods like V60, Chemex, Kalita Wave. It involves pouring hot water slowly over ground coffee in a filter, yielding a clean, nuanced cup. It's the most popular "alternative" brewing method.
Aeropress (Аэропресс): A device that uses air pressure to brew coffee, known for its versatility in producing various styles from espresso-like shots to longer brews.
Chemex (Кемекс): A distinctive hourglass-shaped brewer that produces a clean, bright cup of coffee.
Unique Local Additions/Practices:
Tary Coffee: Some unique, traditionally inspired coffee drinks are appearing in niche cafes, such as a "Tary Cappuccino" which incorporates millet (tary), or lattes served with irimshik (a traditional soft, sweet Kazakh cheese), either mixed in or on the side. These are less common widely but represent an interesting local flavor.
Coffee with Milk (Кофе с молоком): Generally, many Kazakhs prefer their coffee with milk, reflecting their strong tea-with-milk tradition. Plant-based milks like oat (овсяное молоко), almond (миндальное молоко), and soy (соевое молоко) are becoming widely available in modern cafes.
Ordering Tips in Kazakhstan:
"Один кофе, пожалуйста" (Odin kofe, pozhaluysta): "One coffee, please." (This is a safe general order in Russian, widely understood).
"С молоком" (S molokom): "With milk."
"Без сахара" (Bez sakhara): "Without sugar."
"С сахаром" (S sakharom): "With sugar."
"Раф" (Raf): If you want a Raf coffee.
Café Culture: Coffee shops in Kazakhstan, especially in cities, are becoming social hubs and places for meetings, work, and leisure. The coffee boom is transforming it into a daily ritual for many.
*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.