Coffee vs Tea (Kahve vs Çay)
While tea is the default drink in Turkey, Turkish coffee (Türk kahvesi) has special significance. It's strong, thick, and served in small cups. The preparation and serving have ritualistic elements.
Usage contextdining
Do
- Drink water before coffee to cleanse palate
- Sip slowly - coffee is thick and strong
- Leave the grounds at bottom (don't drink them)
- Ask 'Az şekerli' (little sugar), 'Orta' (medium), or 'Sade' (no sugar) when ordering
- Wait for coffee to settle before drinking
- Try lokum (Turkish delight) served alongside
Don't
- Don't stir coffee after it's served
- Don't drink the grounds at bottom
- Don't expect large American-style coffee
- Don't add milk to Turkish coffee
- Don't gulp it down quickly
- Don't order Turkish coffee everywhere - most places serve Nescafe