How to Order Coffee in Turkey

Turkey's relationship with coffee goes back to the 16th century, when coffehouses in Istanbul became the first public gathering spaces dedicated to the drink in the Western world. The tradition that emerged from that history is one of the most distinctive coffee cultures in the world.

What Turkish coffee is

Turkish coffee is very finely ground coffee (finer than espresso) prepared in a small long-handled pot called a cezve or ibrik. The coffee, water, and sugar if desired are combined and heated slowly until the coffee foams. It is poured into a small cup and allowed to settle before drinking. The grounds remain in the cup and settle to the bottom.

How to order it

Specify your preferred sweetness when ordering: sade means unsweetened, az sekerli means lightly sweet, orta means medium sweet, cok sekerli means very sweet. The sweetness is added during preparation and cannot be adjusted after the fact, which is why you specify it upfront.

How to drink it

Turkish coffee is served with a glass of water and often with a small sweet, typically lokum (Turkish delight). Drink the water first. Sip the coffee slowly and stop before you reach the last third of the cup, where the grounds have settled. Do not stir.

The fortune-telling tradition

When you finish your Turkish coffee, you can turn the cup upside down on the saucer, let it cool, and have your fortune told from the patterns the grounds make on the inside of the cup. This practice is widely maintained and is part of the social ritual of Turkish coffee culture.

Modern Istanbul specialty cafes

Istanbul now has an excellent specialty coffee scene alongside its traditional coffee culture. The two exist comfortably side by side. Istanbul's coffee map has both.

Related reading: coffee culture around the world, espresso guide.

Istanbul specialty cafes count toward Pulled Coffee challenges.