The story of coffee begins in Abyssinia. According to the Kâtip Çelebi, the Sufi mystic Sheikh Shazili from the city of Mocha, Yemen was the first person to boil and drink coffee beans, which was consumed as food up until then, in the 15th century. That’s why Sheikh Shazili is regarded as the father of all those who prepare and serve coffee.
The habit of drinking coffee begins during the reign of Suleiman the Great after coffee reaches the Ottoman lands. Soon it becomes an essential part of the royal kitchen. The head coffee - maker is responsible for cooking and presenting the coffee at the palace. In the Ottoman era, there were several kinds of coffee houses for neighborhood residents, shopkeepers, janissary, fire brigades, poets, semawis, and public storytellers. Ottoman historians used to define coffee - houses as mekteb - i irfan (schools of knowledge) and mecma - ı irfan (societies of knowledge) because here people would gain knowledge unavailable in schools and madrasahs. Coffee - houses have provided inspiration for many poets, authors, painters and composers.
The first coffee - house in Istanbul was opened in Tahtakale in the 1500s; today, coffee lovers come here to buy roasted and ground coffee, and raw beans. You don’t need a specific address - the aroma of the freshly ground coffee beans will guide you around the district.
Meanwhile, in recent years, more modern coffee - houses (in terms of decoration and presentation) that represent different coffee cultures and use various brewing/distilling techniques with industrial machines have started to pop up around Istanbul – especially in Karaköy, Topağaçı and Moda.
Filtered coffee, one - shot coffees, cold brews, coffee with milk, coffee with spray cream, chocolate coffee in disposable or transparent, plastic cups – the list goes on and on. But Turkish coffee is still the king of them all. Certain establishments continue to serve traditional Turkish coffee such as Kahve Dünyası (which can be found in almost all districts of Istanbul), Gönül Kahvesi on Bağdat Street, and Fazıl Bey’in Türk Kahvesi in Kadıköy. Here you can find raw or roasted coffee beans, ready - to - brew ground coffees, Turkish delight, almond candy, and chocolate.
There are many examples of coffee - houses that invite people to drink Turkish coffee, famous for its invading aroma, especially along İstiklâl and Bağdat Streets. Üsküdar, Taksim, Çemberlitaş, Bebek, Ortaköy, Beşiktaş and Eyüp are only a few of the districts where you can find the most delicious Turkish coffee. On the Anatolian side, there are many cafés and coffee - houses frequented by intellectuals. One example is Çikolata Kahve in Çengelköy. They serve Turkish coffee with chocolate, Turkish delight and a glass of cold water, and have a sign on the wall that says “No coffee reading!” The young owner who prepares the traditional beverage says, “Cooking Turkish coffee requires patience and meticulousness. ” Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi in Kadıköy and Tarihî Çınaraltı Çay Bahçesi in Çengelköy are other alternatives for an authentic Turkish coffee experience.
On the European side, Çorlulu Ali Pasha Madrasah in Çemberlitaş is a fine legacy of the graceful Ottoman Empire and is known for its coffee - house where coffee is still cooked on charcoal fire.
Whether cooked on charcoal fire, hot sand or low heat, Turkish coffee needs to be cooked with patience and meticulousness. When it starts to boil on the edges, it’s taken off the heat. The taste of the foamy coffee fills one’s heart. It’s the most important element of Turkish culture. It’s the main actor in all events whether it’s a bairam, a festivity or a wedding. When asking for a girl’s hand in marriage, the two families first sit together and drink Turkish coffee. The presentation of Turkish coffee is as ceremonious as cooking and drinking it. The cold glass of water is served before the coffee so as to clear the tongue for the upcoming coffee taste and the sweet conversation, they say. It’s cooked mildly sweetened, sugarless, very sweet, strong, cilveli (a local type), flavored with mastic gum, and cardamom… Morning coffee wakes you up; the one drunk when tired rests the body. That’s why Turkish coffee is very special – even if we keep saying “The heart seeks a friend; coffee is just an excuse!”
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