World-famous Turkish coffee (Türk kahvesi) is made by pulverizing medium-roast beans in a mortar and pestle, or grinding them very fine in a coffee mill.  We recommend our espresso Intermezzo. 

The coffee powder is put into a special pot called a cezve with sugar and cold water, then heated to frothing three times. (When the froth reaches the cezve's narrow neck, it's a sign to remove the pot from the heat and let the froth recede.

After the third froth-up, the froth is poured off into the cup, the liquid still in the cezve is brought to the froth-point once again and then poured into the Turkish coffee cup (fincan), which is smaller than a demi-tasse.

Wait at least a minute for the grounds to settle before you pick up the tiny cup and sip. Enjoy the rich, thick flavor, but stop sipping when you taste the grounds coming through. Leave the “mud” in the bottom of the cup.

(Fortune-tellers turn the cup over on the saucer, remove the cup, and read your future in the sloppy grounds.)

Order Türk kahvesi one of four ways:

Sade - plain, no sugar (fairly bitter)

Az sekerli - with a little sugar (takes off the bitter edge)

Orta sekerli - with medium sugar (sweetish)

Çok sekerli - with lots of sugar (quite sweet)

American-style coffee, called Fransiz kahvesi (French coffee) or Amerikan kahvesi (American coffee), is served in some hotels, restaurants and pastry-shops. It's often dark roast of poor quality, and is rarely good, even in the better hotels. You may want to add milk and make it sütlü kahve (coffee-with-milk).