Turkey
Turkey is renowned for its iconic "Turkish coffee," a deeply ingrained cultural tradition that even has UNESCO recognition. However, beyond this traditional brew, Turkey, especially in its larger cities like Istanbul, has also embraced Western-style coffee shops and a growing specialty coffee scene.
Here are the different ways to order coffee in Turkey and what's in them:
Traditional Turkish Coffee (Türk Kahvesi):
This is the most authentic and culturally significant way to drink coffee in Turkey. It's a method of preparation rather than a type of bean.
Türk Kahvesi (Türk Kah-veh-see): "Turkish coffee." This is a strong, unfiltered coffee made by boiling very finely ground coffee.
Ingredients: Very finely ground coffee beans (powder-like consistency, often a mix of Arabica and Robusta for a full body), cold water, and optionally sugar. Some traditional or regional variations might include a tiny bit of cardamom, mastic gum (damla sakızı), or hazelnut (fındıklı).
Preparation: Made in a cezve (jez-VEH), a small, long-handled pot, typically made of copper. The coffee, water, and sugar (if desired) are combined in the cezve and heated slowly. Just as it begins to boil and a thick foam (köpük) rises to the top, it's removed from the heat. Some methods involve briefly returning it to the heat to generate more foam. It's poured directly into small, usually handle-less cups called fincan (fin-JAN), with the grounds settling at the bottom.
Taste: Intense, rich, and full-bodied, with a distinctive frothy top. It's meant to be sipped slowly, allowing the grounds to settle. It's traditionally served with a glass of cold water (to cleanse the palate before and during sips) and a piece of Turkish delight (lokum). The grounds are left at the bottom; you don't drink them. After finishing, it's common to turn the cup upside down onto the saucer and have your fortune read from the patterns left by the grounds.
Ordering Sweetness (crucial for Türk Kahvesi as sugar is added during brewing):
Sade (SAH-deh): Plain, no sugar (bitter).
Az şekerli (AZ sheh-ker-LEE): With a little sugar (slightly sweet).
Orta şekerli (OR-tah sheh-ker-LEE): Medium sugar (the most common and balanced option).
Çok şekerli (CHOK sheh-ker-LEE): Lots of sugar (very sweet).
Dibek Kahvesi (Dee-BEK Kah-veh-see): A variant of Turkish coffee, traditionally ground in a stone mortar (dibek).
Ingredients: This is often a mixture of coffee powder, carob, cocoa, terebinth, zahter, salep, and cream.
Taste: It's generally thicker, creamier, and has a milder, often sweeter taste than regular Türk Kahvesi, with distinct aromatic notes from the added ingredients.
Menengiç Kahvesi (Men-en-GICH Kah-veh-see): A caffeine-free alternative often found in traditional cafes, particularly in southeastern Turkey.
Ingredients: Made from the dried and roasted fruit of the terebinth tree (a type of wild pistachio). No actual coffee beans are used.
Preparation: Prepared similarly to Turkish coffee, often with milk.
Taste: Has a soft, nutty, and slightly fruity flavor.
Mırra (MIR-rah): A very dark, bitter coffee found especially in southeastern Turkey.
Ingredients: Heavily roasted coffee beans, often with added spices like cardamom or cloves. The beans are not as finely ground as Türk Kahvesi.
Preparation: Roasted to a very dark level, often brewed in a special pot, and typically served in small, handle-less cups (like fincan). It's sometimes roasted twice.
Taste: Extremely strong and bitter, often served in very small sips.
Standard Espresso-Based Drinks (Widely Available in Modern Cafes):
These are ubiquitous in cities and popular among younger generations.
Espresso (Espresso): A concentrated shot of coffee.
Double Espresso (Dabıl Espresso): Two shots of espresso.
Americano (Amerikano): Espresso diluted with hot water.
Cappuccino (Kapuçino): Espresso with equal parts steamed milk and a generous layer of foamed milk.
Latte / Caffè Latte (Latte / Kafe Latte): Espresso with a larger amount of steamed milk and a thin layer of foam.
Flat White (Flat Vayt): A double shot of espresso with velvety microfoam. Stronger coffee taste than a latte.
Macchiato (Makiato): An espresso "stained" with a tiny dollop of foamed milk.
Mocha (Moka): Espresso, chocolate (syrup or powder), steamed milk, and usually topped with whipped cream or foam.
Ristretto: A very short, highly concentrated espresso shot.
Cortado: Espresso "cut" with a small amount of warm milk.
Filter and Brewed Coffees (Growing Specialty Scene):
The "third-wave" coffee movement is strong in Turkish cities, with many cafes offering diverse brewing methods.
Filtre Kahve (Feel-tre Kah-veh): "Filter coffee" or "Drip coffee." Generally refers to batch-brewed coffee.
Pour-Over (e.g., V60, Chemex, Aeropress): Found in specialty coffee shops, highlighting nuanced flavors of single-origin beans.
French Press (French Press): Coffee steeped and pressed.
Cold Coffee Options:
Buzlu Kahve (Booz-loo Kah-veh) / Iced Coffee: General term for iced coffee. Can be an iced Americano or an iced latte.
Buzlu Latte (Booz-loo Latte): Espresso and cold milk served over ice.
Frappe (Frape): While the term is often used broadly for blended iced drinks, it also refers to the classic instant coffee-based foamy drink.
Ingredients: Instant coffee, sugar, water, whipped vigorously to create foam. Then, cold water and/or milk and ice are added.
Cold Brew: Coffee steeped in cold water for an extended period, resulting in a smooth, less acidic concentrate.
Other & Customizations:
Sütlü Kahve (SÜT-lü Kah-veh): "Coffee with milk." A general term if you want milk added to a filtre kahveor Americano.
Sütlü Nescafe: Instant coffee with milk. Instant coffee is very popular in homes and sometimes casual eateries.
Sade / Şekersiz (sheh-ker-SEEZ): Black / Unsweetened (for espresso-based or filter coffees).
Süt / Krema: Milk / Cream.
Şurup: Syrup (vanilla, caramel, etc.).
Soya sütü / Badem sütü / Yulaf sütü: Soy milk / Almond milk / Oat milk (plant-based milk options).
Kafeinsiz (Kah-feh-in-SEEZ): Decaffeinated.
How to Order (Basic Turkish Phrases):
Knowing a few basic Turkish phrases will greatly enhance your experience, especially when ordering Türk Kahvesi. English is often understood in major cities and tourist areas.
"Bir Türk kahvesi, lütfen." (Beer Türk kah-veh-see, loot-fen.) - "One Turkish coffee, please." (Then specify sweetness).
"Orta şekerli, lütfen." (Or-tah sheh-ker-LEE, loot-fen.) - "Medium sweet, please." (For Turkish coffee).
"Sade, lütfen." (Sah-deh, loot-fen.) - "Plain (no sugar), please." (For Turkish coffee).
"Bir espresso, lütfen." (Beer espresso, loot-fen.) - "One espresso, please."
"Bir latte, lütfen." (Beer latte, loot-fen.) - "One latte, please."
"Bir filtre kahve, lütfen." (Beer feel-tre kah-veh, loot-fen.) - "One filter coffee, please."
"Sütlü." (Süt-lü.) - "With milk." (For filter/espresso drinks).
"Şekersiz." (Sheh-ker-seez.) - "Without sugar." (For filter/espresso drinks).
"Teşekkür ederim!" (Teh-shek-kyoor eh-deh-reem!) - "Thank you!"
*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.