Turkish Coffee
Finely ground coffee simmered in a cezve with optional sugar — unfiltered, served with grounds in the cup.
Turkish coffee is a method of preparing unfiltered coffee by combining very finely ground coffee (powder-fine, finer than espresso) with cold water and optional sugar in a small long-handled pot called a cezve (also ibrik in Arabic), then heating slowly until the mixture foams and rises. It is served in small cups (fincan), grounds and all, and the drinker waits for the grounds to settle before drinking. The liquid above the grounds is consumed while the dense sludge remains.
Quick facts
- Type
- Coffee Drink
- Coffee base
- Very finely ground coffee (powder-fine, 2 tsp per small cup)
- Milk
- None — served black with grounds
- Ratio
- Approximately 7–10 g coffee per 60–80 ml water
- Traditional region
- Turkey / Middle East / Balkans
Preparation and the Foam
Turkish coffee is brewed in a cezve (a small copper or brass pot with a long handle) placed over low heat. Cold water and coffee are combined first — sugar, if desired, is added at the start, not after brewing. The mixture is stirred before heat is applied, then heated slowly without stirring until the coffee begins to foam and rise. Before it boils over, the cezve is removed from heat, the foam is divided among cups, and the cezve is returned to heat one or two more times to build volume. The foam (köpük) is considered a mark of quality — a well-made Turkish coffee has visible foam. The coffee is then poured slowly so the foam stays on top.
Grounds and the Fincan
Turkish coffee is served in a fincan — a small porcelain cup of 50–80 ml, similar to an espresso demitasse but typically without a handle. The cup is served on a small saucer alongside a glass of cold water, which is drunk first to cleanse the palate. The drinker waits 2–3 minutes for the grounds to settle before drinking. The grounds are not filtered out; the cup is consumed until the grounds layer begins. Tasseography — reading coffee fortune in the settled grounds pattern — is a traditional cultural practice. The cup is inverted on the saucer and the dried pattern is interpreted.
Cultural Spread and Regional Variants
Turkish coffee preparation spread across the Ottoman Empire and persists in cultures from Turkey to Greece (where it is called ellinikos kafes), Bosnia (bosanska kafa), and throughout the Arab world (qahwa). Regional variations include cardamom addition (common in Gulf countries and Israel), varying sweetness conventions, and local cezve designs. Greek coffee uses the same preparation method as Turkish coffee; the name distinction reflects historical and political context post-1974. Bosnian coffee has a distinct ritual: the cezve is brought to the table with the fincan, and the drinker pours their own cup.
Sources & further reading (2)
- encyclopedia — accessed 2026-05-06
- official — accessed 2026-05-06
Frequently asked questions
Do you drink the grounds in Turkish coffee?
No — the grounds are left at the bottom of the cup. The drinker waits 2–3 minutes for the powder-fine grounds to settle, then drinks the clear liquid above. The last sip (approaching the grounds layer) is left in the cup. Disturbing the grounds or attempting to filter them is considered incorrect preparation. The grounds are left for tasseography (fortune-reading) if desired.
What is the difference between Turkish coffee and espresso?
Turkish coffee is unfiltered (grounds remain in the cup), brewed by simmering at atmospheric pressure, unsweetened or sweetened before brewing, and served in a 60–80 ml cup. Espresso is filtered (paper or metal basket), brewed under 9 bar of pressure, served unsweetened in 25–30 ml, and the grounds are discarded. Both are small, concentrated coffee drinks, but the extraction method, equipment, and flavour profile are entirely different.
What grind size is needed for Turkish coffee?
Turkish coffee requires an extremely fine grind — finer than espresso, close to powder. A standard blade grinder cannot achieve this consistently; a Turkish coffee grinder or a burr grinder at its finest setting is required. Pre-ground Turkish coffee (available in specialty stores) is ground to the correct fineness. Using espresso-grind coffee in a cezve will not produce proper Turkish coffee — the particles remain too coarse to settle correctly.