If you travel to the Middle East and you’re not a coffee drinker, you will be soon enough. Coffee in Arabic speaking countries is as much part of everyday culture as it is a culinary tradition.

Get over your ideas of your coffee maker because in the Middle East it’s prepared quite differently. Generally, Arabic coffee means coffee that is prepared the Turkish way and there are many varieties. As a result, when it comes to the variations of ahwa (قهوة), it’s important to know what you’re options are. 


Turkish coffee

Most common in the Levant region, Turkish coffee is brewed without a filter. The coffee beans are ground so fine, it resembles the texture of cocoa powder. Sugar and cardamom are then added to the coffee and brewed in a special pot called a cezve or ibrik. Notice that sugar is actually added before the coffee is made, and not after. This is a very important distinction of Turkish coffee. After it’s brewed, the coffee is served in small cups. You don’t serve it immediately though. You are set them aside for a few minutes while the grounds settle at the bottom.


Saudi coffee

It is ritually prepared from beginning to end in front of the guests who will drink it. Saudi coffee, or al–qahwa in Arabic, is made with either lightly roasted or heavily roasted coffee beans and spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, or cloves. It is brewed in a special pot known as the dallah and poured into fenjan (very small cups without handles). Sometimes candied fruits or dates accompany the brew.


How to order your Arabic coffee

Whether you’re ordering Arabic coffee in a café or being offered coffee as a quest in someone’s home, whoever is taking your order or offering it to you will surely ask you how much sugar, if any, you prefer in yours. This is important because, as we mentioned before, sugar is actually added during the cooking or brewing process. So here are some handy expressions (especially if you want to learn to speak Arabic):

قهوة سوداءqahwat sawdablack/no sugar
قهوة على الريحةqahwat arihalightly sweetened
قهوة مزبوطةqahwat mazbootmedium amount of sugar
قهوة زيادةqahwat ahwaziyadavery sweet


There are a wide variety of other regionally-based Arabic coffees which vary depending on how the beans are roasted, which spices they use, etc. However, all are pretty much brewed in the same Turkish style.
By the way, you will never see cream or milk added to Arabic coffee. Rather, Arabic coffee is often served with a thick, foamy head on top.  This is so traditional in some regions that if there is no foam guests will consider it rude.


Finally, remember to sip Arabic coffee slowly or end up with a mouthful of “mud” from grounds at the bottom of your cup.


In conclusion

If you would like to order coffee in the Middle East, why not learn Arabic language skills starting today? Download the Arabic learning app from Kaleela! After all, studies have shown that Arabic learning apps are the best way to learn Arabic and Arabic dialects. Kaleela app let’s you learn the Arabic language on your own, at your own pace, whenever and wherever you want. Visit our website and find out how you can download our Arabic learning app to your iOS or Android mobile device and start to learn to speak Arabic today. Or visit our website kaleela.com.

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