Turkish coffee and espresso are both strong, bold and beloved, but they are completely different drinks. Here is the difference, and where to find real Turkish coffee in Sydney.
Sydney takes its coffee seriously. And at Cappadocia Cafe in Darlinghurst, we serve two distinct coffee traditions side by side, the Turkish way and the espresso way. Here's what makes them different, and how to choose.
Proper Turkish coffee Sydney wide is rarer than you would think. Most places grinding for espresso cannot go fine enough for a cezve, so what arrives is a long black with a story attached. If you have typed turkish coffee near me and been disappointed, the test is simple: real Turkish coffee comes unfiltered, in a small cup, with the grounds left in to settle.
A Turkish cafe Sydney locals actually use will run both traditions side by side rather than treating the cezve as a novelty, and will serve the coffee with a small sweet, usually Turkish delight, because that is how it is done. We do both, from 6am on weekdays.
Turkish Coffee, $5.50
Turkish coffee is one of the oldest coffee preparation methods in the world, dating back to 16th century Istanbul. Finely ground coffee is simmered in a small copper pot called a cezve with water (and optional sugar) until it foams. It's poured, grounds and all, into a small cup and allowed to settle before drinking.
The result is an intensely rich, thick coffee with a velvety texture and complex flavour. It's not filtered, so the grounds settle at the bottom. You sip slowly from the top. It's traditionally served with a small sweet, a piece of Turkish delight or chocolate.
Our Espresso Menu
For espresso-based drinks, we serve a full specialty coffee menu with quality beans:
- Flat White, Sm $4.50 / Lg $5.50
- Latte, Sm $4.50 / Lg $5.50
- Cappuccino, Sm $4.50 / Lg $5.50
- Long Black, Sm $4.50 / Lg $5.50
- Macchiato, Sm $4.50 / Lg $5.50
- Espresso, $4.00
- Piccolo, $4.50
- Chai Latte, Sm $4.50 / Lg $5.50
- Spanish Latte, Sm $5.50 / Lg $6.50
- Matcha Latte, Sm $5.50 / Lg $6.50
- Pistachio Coffee Latte, Sm $5.50 / Lg $6.50
- Hot Chocolate, Sm $5.50 / Lg $6.50
Our Tea Selection
Turkish Tea (çay) is as central to Turkish culture as coffee. We serve it in the traditional tulip-shaped glass, Sm $6.00 / Lg $10.00. We also have English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Peppermint, Green Tea, Lemon Grass and Chamomile at Sm $6.00 / Lg $7.00.
Which Should You Order?
If you're curious about Turkish culture or want something truly unique, order the Turkish coffee. If you need your regular morning hit in a familiar format, our flat white and latte are excellent. Many of our regulars order both, Turkish coffee after their meal as a digestif.
Brewing It At Home
The question we get most often at the counter is which coffee we use. It is our own: Bravo Turkish, ground to a powder so it brews properly in a cezve, sold by the bag through our online store Cappa Coffee. Bravo Greek is the lighter blonde roast for an ibrik, and the sampler pack covers four roasts if you are not sure yet. All of it ships across Australia, and you already know what it tastes like before you buy.
Brewing Turkish Coffee at Home
We sell the same Turkish coffee we brew here through our online store, Cappa Coffee, along with the machines that make it without the guesswork.
Visit us at 82-84 Stanley St, Darlinghurst. Open from 6am Monday to Friday, 7am weekends. Or take the beans home.
Or order online for delivery:
