Turkish coffee

Lore & Background

Coffee drinking spread in the Islamic world in the 16th century, from the Hijaz to Cairo, then to Syria and Istanbul. The coffee tree was first cultivated commercially in Yemen, having been introduced from Ethiopia. From 1538 to 1636 the Ottoman Empire controlled Yemen's coffee port Mocha. Coffee was in use in Istanbul by 1539; the first coffeehouse in Istanbul opened in 1554 (some say 1551) by two Arab merchants, Hakem of Aleppo and Shems of Damascus. Coffeehouses soon spread across Istanbul and Anatolia.

Ignatius d'Ohsson described the Turkish method of brewing coffee in 1789, closely resembling the present-day version, including the production of foam. Jean de Thévenot noted Turks were preparing it at least a century earlier, drinking it black; some added cloves, cardamom, or sugar, though older connoisseurs disdained sugaring. There are inconsistent claims about the origin of the method: some assert it originated in Yemen or Damascus, but a 1762 Danish expedition recorded that 'northern and eastern Arabs' prepared bean coffee 'in the same way as with the Turks.' Yemenis may have been the first to drink coffee as a hot beverage, and the earliest social users were likely Sufi mystics needing to stay awake for nocturnal vigils.

Under Sultan Murad IV, those found keeping a coffeehouse were punished. The ban was not on caffeine's effects but on the freedom of coffeehouse talk, which rulers considered subversive. The English word coffee derives from Turkish kahve, which came from Arabic qahwah, possibly meaning 'wine.'

Reader's Guide

Turkish coffee represents a distinctive method of coffee preparation that has persisted for centuries across multiple regions. Its significance lies in its unique brewing technique: very finely ground coffee is boiled in a cezve with water and optional sugar, then served unfiltered, leaving grounds in the cup. The drink's name varies locally—Egyptian, Syrian, or Greek coffee—but the core method remains generic in Middle Eastern cities. Connoisseurs emphasize the art of roasting, cooling in a wooden box (walnut being best), grinding to a fine powder (75–125 microns), and brewing in a forged copper cezve to maximize foam. The ritual includes serving in thin-rimmed porcelain cups with a glass of water, and often involves storytelling or fortune-telling. Historically, coffee's spread from Yemen through Ottoman trade routes and the establishment of coffeehouses in Istanbul by 1554 shaped social and political life, leading to periodic government suppression. The legacy of Turkish coffee endures as a cultural touchstone, with its preparation and paraphernalia acting on the imagination and having a psychological effect, even when modern shortcuts are taken.

Did You Know?

• Turkish coffee is sometimes flavored with cardamom, mastic, salep, or ambergris.
• The coffee grounds are left in the coffee when served; much remains in suspension and is drunk.
• The first coffeehouse in Istanbul was opened in 1554 (some say 1551) by two Arab merchants, Hakem of Aleppo and Shems of Damascus.
• Under Sultan Murad IV, those found keeping a coffeehouse were punished, as rulers feared coffeehouse talk was subversive.