Coffee Cultures Around the World

First dates, professional networking chats, catching up with friends and family, study sessions, long hours in the office, starting off your mornings fresh, and relaxing alone time. There's no question that coffee happens to be the perfect beverage for just about any occasion. Whether it serves as a social lubricant, mental stimulant, or guilty pleasure, coffee has become a pillar of the food & restaurant world.

As I've had a chance to travel more over the past couple years, I've noticed how different cultures have significantly different takes on coffee. Looking back, the unique coffee drinks and café cultures have become one of the first memories that my mind races to when reminiscing on vacations.

Ginseng cappuccino in Italy:

When I was in Italy, I knew that I had to explore the coffee drinks from one of the birthplaces of espresso. I first opted for cappuccinos when I went to my first café it Italy. While I had to add a bit of sugar to my cappuccino, I was deeply impressed with how rich and full the milk tasted. The serving size was also significantly smaller than in the US, leaving me refreshed but not rushing to the bathroom to, well, you know what.

I started to get bored of order the standard cappuccinos, so one day, I decided to look deeper into the menus at a café. I just randomly ordered the drink with the funniest sounding name on the menu: ginseng cappuccino. Turns out this on-a-whim order was easily one of the highlights of the trip. If you've been keeping up with my past posts, you'll know by now that I'm a sucker for sweet drinks. This ginseng cappuccino didn't need any extra sugar. It was sweet, earthy, mild, and revitalizing. Turns out that "ginseng" is a root that originates from China known for its vast health benefits, such as increased energy, cognitive function, and circulation. I'm not sure exactly how this Chinese root made its way into a cup of fine Italian coffee, but I love seeing the cultural interchange.

Cafes in Italy are typically small. Baristas bring out your drinks instantly, and the coffee shops typically have very limited seating. I stood in most of the cafes by the barista, quickly sipped on my cappuccino for a few minutes, and went on with my busy day. I can't recall seeing anyone who stayed in a coffee shop for hours together to work or read a book. Perhaps this is a result of the pedestrian-centric culture and vast public transit options that keep Italians healthy, fit, and on their feet throughout the day rather than cooped up cozy in a coffee shop. Oh, and apparently you're not supposed to order coffee after noon in Italy. I didn't care about the funny looks that people were giving me as a dirty American ordering a delectable ginseng cappuccino around the clock. No regrets!

Café con leche - Spain:

This drink is popular across Latin America, but I first strolled upon it when traveling in Spain. It's the closest thing to a "latte", which means that the drink contains roughly equal parts of coffee and steamed milk. Compared to the Italian blend, I felt like Spain's café con leche was stronger with more woody essences. At some cafes, the café con leche came with thick, rich chocolate at the bottom of the drink. I felt like the chocolate was a surprisingly good pairing to embolden and sweeten the stronger Spanish coffee blend. Chocolate turned out to be a common theme across cafes and dessert shops in Spain. In Madrid, churros were served with hot liquid chocolate.

The one thing that stood out the most about cafes in Spain was how laid back they were. Every single coffee shop I went to didn't ask for a payment until I went up after I had finished my drink and asked them, "Where's the check?" Waiters don't collect payments right when you place your orders. They leisurely bring your order, go back to their register, and relax. In contrast to Italy, people stayed in Spanish cafes for quite a bit.

Cafes in Spain also often featured waffles, crepes, and other small sweets. I got in the habit of ordering fresh, tiny waffles with a thick hazelnut spread, which accentuated the chocolate hints in my coffee.

 

Café Cubano - Miami:

Café Cubano, or Cuban coffee, is popular in Cuba and Miami. When I ordered my first Cuban coffee, I chugged that small shot glass like it was water. Turns out it was far from it. Dark, bold, and robust are understatements. That tiny cup of coffee had an insanely high amount of caffeine and an equally high amount of sugar to balance the strong blend. There's also a splash of milk to help the drink go down. I went from being sleepy and sluggish in the mid-afternoon to having my eyes wide open, nerves jolting, blood rushing through my body, and fingers shaking. Cuban coffees are no joke, especially for someone like me who's used to a lighter roast.

Needless to say, Miami cafes are the epitome of relaxation. Is it the palm trees, amazing weather, influencer-level fashion, constantly happy mood, or endless partying? Or a mix of everything? I'm not quite sure. It doesn't matter if you go to a Cuban coffee shop or just a typical coffee shop; they all feel quite soothing and pleasant in Miami.

Madras filter coffee - India:

When I visited my family's hometown in Chennai, Tamil Nadu (southeastern part of India), I knew I had to try some of the iconic Madras filter coffee. They call it "filter coffee" because it uses a simple percolation filter to concentrate the coffee, mixing it with steamed milk after filtering.

It's typically served in a small metal/silver cup with coffee filled to the brim, along with a "vatta", which is a small saucer. Coffee is served with a lot of aeration, as the baristas pour coffee from great heights to produce a thick layer of fizz on top of your drink. The coffee has strong traces of chicory and tends to be a darker blend. Typically, customers pour the coffee from the cup to the vatta (saucer) and can drink out of the vatta. I liked that most filter coffees come with sugar and twice as much steamed milk as the concentrated coffee decoction, making for a sweet drink rather than a bold shot of caffeine. Oftentimes, coffee stalls have biscuits and other small snacks that pair well with a cup of coffee. Since the coffee serving sizes are so small, Indians can enjoy a few cups across the day amid their busy work schedules.

Kopi - Singapore:

Similar to filter coffee in India, kopi (coffee) in Singapore tends to be on the sweeter side. However, this is not because of sugar; Singaporeans use condensed milk in their coffees to bring a creamy, delectable dessert flavor to their coffee. The flavor most closely resembled Thai tea or Vietnamese coffee. Unlike Vietnamese coffee, Singaporean kopi is a slightly lighter roast. My guess is because Singapore and its neighboring countries are not known for having as much livestock or agriculture around; perhaps condensed milk came from the need to preserve the milk that was brought through trade routes. Kopi in Singapore is traditionally paired with toast, coconut jam (kaya), butter, and eggs for a breakfast combination.

The next time you travel, take a minute to pay closer attention to the nuances in cafe culture and diverse coffee drinks. It can be quite telling of a region's culture and society. In my case, it can be the perfect shot of nostalgia to savor the bold memories of traveling. The best refill.