Seychelles
Seychelles offers a delightful coffee experience, blending its unique, limited-production local coffee with strong international influences, especially from European café culture. While tea is also popular, coffee is a cherished daily ritual, often enjoyed in beachside cafes.
Here are the different ways to order coffee in Seychelles and what's in them:
Seychellois Coffee (Café Seychellois):
This is the island's own, rare homegrown coffee. It's primarily Arabica (Bourbon variety), often grown alongside cinnamon trees, which can impart a unique, subtle fragrance.
What's in it: Pure Arabica beans from Mahé Island, known for a smooth, distinctively bright and tropical flavor profile. It's typically prepared as a standard brewed coffee (filter, pour-over, or French press) to highlight its nuanced taste. Sugar and milk are offered on the side.
How it's made: Traditionally, it might have been prepared simply, possibly by boiling or percolating, but modern efforts focus on specialty brewing methods like pour-over or French press to showcase its quality.
How to order: You'll likely find this labeled as "Seychellois Coffee" or "Café Chamarel" (referencing the main growing region). It's a premium product, sometimes available at specific farms, select cafes, or for purchase at the Seychelles Trading Company (STC).
Standard Brewed Coffee (Café Filtré / Black Coffee):
This is a common and accessible option in many local eateries, guesthouses, and hotels.
What's in it: Ground coffee beans, which could be locally roasted Seychellois beans, or imported blends (e.g., from Brazil, Colombia, Ethiopia, or Tanzania). It's brewed by pouring hot water over the grounds through a filter, often using drip machines or French presses.
How it's served: Black, with sugar and milk (fresh or condensed) usually offered separately.
How to order: "Café noir" (black coffee - French), "Café filtre" (filter coffee - French), or simply "Black coffee." You can specify "avec du lait" (with milk) or "avec du sucre" (with sugar) in French or "avek dile" (with milk) or "avek disik" (with sugar) in Seychellois Creole.
Instant Coffee (Nescafé):
Extremely popular and widely available everywhere from homes to smaller shops and budget accommodations due to its convenience. "Nescafé" is often used as a generic term for any instant coffee brand.
What's in it: Soluble coffee granules dissolved in hot water. Almost always served with sugar and often with milk (powdered milk or fresh milk).
How to order: "Nescafé." You can specify "with milk" or "with sugar."
Espresso:
Widely available in modern cafes, hotels, and upscale restaurants, especially in tourist hubs and major towns like Victoria, Beau Vallon, and Grand Anse.
What's in it: A concentrated shot of dark-roasted coffee, made by forcing hot, pressurized water through finely ground coffee beans using an espresso machine. Local Seychellois Arabica can be used for espresso, offering a unique local flavor.
How to order: "Espresso" or "Un espresso" (French). You can ask for a "Double Espresso" or "Doppio."
Cappuccino:
A very popular espresso-based drink, readily available in most contemporary cafes.
What's in it: Equal parts espresso, steamed milk, and milk foam.
How to order: "Cappuccino" or "Un cappuccino" (French).
Café Latte (or "Latte"):
Another common Italian-style coffee drink found in modern cafes.
What's in it: Espresso with a larger proportion of steamed milk and a thin layer of foam, making it creamier than a cappuccino.
How to order: "Latte" or "Café Latte" (French).
Americano:
For those who prefer a longer black coffee from an espresso base.
What's in it: Espresso diluted with hot water.
How to order: "Americano" or "Un Americano" (French).
Mocha:
A coffee-chocolate combination, available in many modern cafes.
What's in it: Espresso, steamed milk, and chocolate (syrup or cocoa powder), often topped with whipped cream.
How to order: "Mocha" or "Un mocha" (French).
Iced Coffee / Iced Latte / Frappe:
What's in it: Varies. "Iced Coffee" might be chilled brewed coffee with ice. "Iced Latte" is espresso with cold milk and ice. "Iced Cappuccino" and "Iced Café Frappe" (blended coffee drinks, often with ice cream or syrup) are also common.
How to order: "Iced Coffee," "Iced Latte," "Iced Cappuccino," or "Café Frappe."
Key things to remember when ordering coffee in Seychelles:
Local Coffee: Definitely seek out and try "Café Seychellois" or "Café Chamarel" for a unique taste of the islands.
Sweetness: While specialty coffee is often enjoyed black, sugar is commonly offered alongside most coffee types. If you prefer less or no sugar, specify.
Language: Seychellois Creole, French, and English are all official languages. You can usually order in English or French in most establishments. "Kafe" is the word for coffee in Seychellois Creole.
Relaxed Pace: Embrace the leisurely island pace. Coffee is often enjoyed as part of a relaxed morning ritual or afternoon refreshment.
*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.