Paraguay
Paraguay has a unique position in South America, being deeply rooted in yerba mate culture (especially tereré, the cold version, which is the national drink). Coffee has traditionally taken a backseat, and local coffee production is relatively small. However, there's a growing appreciation for coffee, especially specialty coffee, in urban centers like Asunción, with modern cafes slowly emerging.
Therefore, you'll find a mix of very traditional, simple coffee preparations and increasingly, more international espresso-based drinks.
Here are the different ways to order coffee in Paraguay and what's in them:
Traditional & Everyday Coffee:
Café Pasado / Café Filtrado: This is the most common way to make and consume coffee in homes and many local eateries. It refers to brewed or drip coffee, often made with basic equipment. You'll usually be offered sugar and milk (which might be instant or evaporated milk) to add to your liking.
Esencia de Café / Tintura: Similar to some other Latin American countries, in more traditional or rural settings, you might be given a concentrated coffee essence (esencia or tintura) which you then dilute with hot water or hot milk to your preferred strength. A coffee made with hot water and tintura might be called una tinta.
Café con Leche: "Coffee with milk." This is a popular breakfast drink, consisting of coffee (often brewed coffee, not necessarily espresso) mixed with a generous amount of hot milk. The ratio can vary, but it's typically milky.
Malteada (de Café): This is a more traditional, often very sweet, milky coffee drink. It's often described as a coffee milkshake or a sweetened coffee with whipped cream. It's less about the nuanced coffee flavor and more about a sweet, creamy treat. It's often paired with traditional pastries like chipa.
Espresso-Based Drinks (Increasingly Common in Modern Cafes):
In the capital, Asunción, and other larger cities, the growing specialty coffee scene means you'll find places with espresso machines offering familiar international options:
Expreso (Espresso) / Café Solo: A single shot of strong, concentrated espresso.
Doble Expreso: A double shot of espresso.
Americano: An espresso shot diluted with hot water, providing a larger volume of black coffee with less intensity than a straight espresso.
Cortado: An espresso "cut" with a small amount of steamed milk and a thin layer of foam. It's stronger than a café con leche.
Capuchino (Cappuccino): Espresso with steamed milk and a significant layer of foamed milk. Often dusted with cocoa powder or cinnamon.
Latte: Espresso with a larger amount of steamed milk and a thinner layer of foam, compared to a cappuccino.
Mocca (Mocha): Espresso combined with chocolate (syrup or powder) and steamed milk, often topped with whipped cream.
Café con Crema: An espresso topped with whipped cream.
Cold & Blended Drinks (Found in more modern/trendy cafes):
Cold coffee drinks are gaining popularity.
Café con Hielo (Iced Coffee): Hot coffee poured over ice, often with milk and/or sugar added.
Granizado de Café: A coffee slushie or blended iced coffee, often made with condensed milk for sweetness and creaminess.
Nevado: A blended coffee drink, often with whipped cream and other toppings.
Important Cultural Notes:
Yerba Mate's Dominance: Remember that tereré (cold yerba mate) and mate (hot yerba mate) are deeply ingrained in Paraguayan daily life and social rituals. Don't be surprised if these are more prominent than coffee in many casual settings.
Sweetness: Like many South American countries, Paraguayans generally prefer their coffee on the sweeter side. Sugar will almost always be provided, and some traditional preparations may be pre-sweetened. If you prefer no sugar, specify "sin azúcar."
Instant Coffee: Outside of dedicated specialty coffee shops, instant coffee is still widely consumed and available.
Emerging Scene: The specialty coffee scene in Paraguay is still relatively young but growing.
When in Paraguay, be open to trying both the traditional sweet and milky options, as well as the more modern espresso-based drinks that are becoming increasingly available.
*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.