Coffee brings people together. People around the world follow a similar morning ritual: wake up, drink coffee. Where the ritual diverts though, is in the preparation of the coffee, the levels of sweetness, and sometimes its ingredients.
LEBANON: AHWEH, KAWHA, KAHVA
When visiting Lebanon in the summers we would visit family and friends homes for a cup of Lebanese ahweh. I always loved how it would be served with petit four (small cake) – side note, did you know that French is very common in Lebanon?
ARMENIA: SOORJ
The Armenian word for coffee is “soorj” and the way it is made is similar across most Balkan and Mediterranean countries. It is no exaggeration for me to say I had a few cups of soorj a day when I spent some time in Armenia. Even though I grew up drinking Armenian soorj, when I went to Armenia for the first time the taste and smoothness of this coffee just hit differently.
HAWAII: KONA COFFEE
Growing up in Oahu I am familiar with freshly ground Kona coffee. Found on the Big Island, these are high-quality coffee beans in Hawaii.
GREECE: FRAPPÉ
During a trip to Greece I was introduce to the Greek frappe. Don’t mistake it to a frappuccino, this refreshing summer drink is made with instant coffee, water, sugar, and milk. Vigorously shaken to create a nice foamy top and poured over ice.
KOREA: DALGONA COFFEE
Dalgona AKA Whipped coffee. You might know this for the TikTok trend, but dalgona coffee is a common street food that first appeared in Korea in the 1960’s.
THAILAND: THAI COFFEE
If you’re familiar with Vietnamese coffee, Thai coffee is very similar. Traditionally, Thai coffee is roasted dark and served with sweetened condensed milk.
ITALY: ESPRESSO
Of all the kinds of coffee in the world, you’re probably most familiar with espresso, an Italian tradition. Made in machines that pressurize steam through finely ground coffee beans creating a very strong coffee with froth on top.
CUBA: CAFÉ CUBANO
Some whip instant coffee, others whip milk, but the Cubans whip their sugar. This is a strong coffee or espresso, topped with the whipped sugar. The sugar rises to the top of the cup, forming a thick and foamy layer that makes this really stand out.
SPAIN: CAFE BOMBON
Bombon means “confection,” and is traditionally espresso mixed with sweetened condensed milk.
AUSTRALIA: FLAT WHITE
You can thank Australia for the addition of the flat white to the Starbucks menu. It’s similar to a latte, but a little more bold, as it is mixed with a small amount of steamed milk, and a thin layer of microfoam. Giving it a stronger coffee taste than your average latte.
GERMANY: PHARISÄER
Fans of sweet coffees that resemble a dessert more than a breakfast item will appreciate PHARISÄER, German coffee. This drink consists of about two ounces of rum, dark roast coffee beans, whipped cream, sugar for taste, and more whipped cream on top.
IRELAND: IRISH COFFEE
Yes, Irish coffee really is Irish. A popular mix that has its’ origins in Ireland from 1943. More of a special dessert than anything else, but Irish coffee is a nice mix of hot coffee, Irish whiskey, brown sugar, and whipped cream.
FRANCE: CAFÉ AU LAIT
The preferred way of drinking coffee in France is simple: it’s coffee with milk, which is what café au lait means. It’s not just a latte or a cup of coffee with cold milk, though. Café au lait is brewed coffee mixed with steamed milk, and there usually isn’t any foam on top.
Comment below how many of these coffees you’ve actually tried in these places. I am curious to know!
This is such an amazing post especially since I love coffee so much. Really enjoy trying out local food and beverages whenever we travel.
Sounds like pretty much everyone around the world loves their coffee! I grew up in Washington state and of course they love their coffee in Seattle. Now I live in Kauai and enjoy visiting the coffee farm when I can!
Wow! I didn’t realize how many different coffees their were. I love this article I feel like I want to go to every place you named to try the coffee. I think my favorite would be the Greece Frappe. Maybe on day I will find out!
I love Kona and Italian coffee. Great information about different coffee around the world. BTW, what do you think about Vietnam coffee?
I loved learning about how we enjoy coffee in different parts of the world. I stay away from coffee now, but loved it a lot before. Thanks for sharing!
I use to be addicted to coffee until recently. I loved and enjoyed reading your post. Thanks for sharing!!
Café Cubano sounds interesting! I’ve heard of whipped milk and coffee but whipped sugar is new to me. Being a coffee lover, I totally enjoyed reading this post. Loved it!
I enjoyed reading your post. In our region we called it “café”. And you could not imagine how I’m addicted to it
It is so fascinating how different coffee can be served all over the world! This was so enjoyable to read! I like the Greek way…sounds like something I could make without failing! LOL 😉