Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
cardamom) in a specially designed copper
pot (an
ibrik
), and boiled several times until
the froth on top is just right. It's then poured
carefully into a tiny handleless cup and
served with a glass of cold water. The
drinker waits a minute or two for the coffee
grounds to settle, then savors it in small
sips. The bitter sludge of grounds left at the
bottom of the cup may be poured into a
saucer for a fortune-teller to read.
Traditional Turkish coffee houses, how-
ever, are an endangered species these
days, as modern Turks have turned to
drinking flavored teas and (sad to say)
instant coffee. Most of the remaining
kah-
vehanes
are out in residential neighbor-
hoods, where locals can indulge after a
day at work. If you're lucky enough to
know a regular at one of these, be a good
friend, because it's your best entry into
this unique culture.
Les Arts Turcs
(
&
90/
212/527 68 59;
www.bazaarturkey.com)
runs half-day Turkish coffee- and tea-tasting
tours that offer insight into the
kahvehane.
If you're not lucky enough to have a
local “in,” you can still taste authentic
Turkish coffee at the famous
Pierre Loti
Cafe
(Gümü@suyu Balmumcu Sok. 1;
&
90/
212/581 26 96
). The waiters even wear
19th-century costumes at this cozy his-
toric cafe on a hilltop above the Eyup
Sultan Cemetery, near the landmark Eyup
Mosque. Its dazzling view of the Bosporus
and the Istanbul skyline makes it a must-
see experience, well worth the arduous
climb. If you're wandering around the
Grand Bazaar—which can be an exhaust-
ing and disorienting experience—try the
good, traditional coffee at
Fez Café
(Halıcılar Cad. 62;
&
90/212/527-3684
) or
Café Ist
(Tarakçılar Caddesi;
&
90/212/527-
9353
). Traditional coffee is a specialty at
Fazil Bey's Turkish Coffee House,
one
of the oldest stores in the Kadiköy bazaar,
on the Asian side of Istanbul. Even though
the decor is spruced up and modern (it has
recently been turned into a chain), Fazil
Bey's takes pride in serving Turkish coffee
the old-fashioned way, right down to that
telltale muddy residue in every cup.
(
Atatürk International, Istanbul
(1.4km/
3
⁄
4
miles).
L
$$$
Çiragan Palace Hotel Kemp-
inski Istanbul,
Çiragan Cad. 84 (
&
800/
426-3135
in the U.S., or 90/212/258-3377
in Istanbul; www.ciraganpalace.com). $$
Mavi Ev (Blue House),
Dalbastı Sok. 14
(
&
90/212/638-9010;
www.bluehouse.
com.tr).
Coffee
430
The
Qahwas
of Cairo
Hookah Up
Cairo, Egypt
The big attraction in Egyptian
qawhas
(cof-
fee shops) is not the coffee and various teas
served but the
sheesha
or hookah pipe.
Serving as traditional neighborhood hang-
outs, the sidewalk tables of
qahwas
are
male bastions where Egyptian men can
escape their crowded households, discuss
politics and religion (in Egypt, the two are
interchangeable), play chess or dominos,
and puff away on water pipes. Female
customers are liable to attract unnerving
attention, though less so if they're with a
man (better yet, an Egyptian). The coffee
served is invariably strong, sludgy, Turkish-
style coffee (sometimes flavored with tama-
rind), served at ridiculously low prices.
Unless you're hanging around with
Cairo natives, you'll probably be more
comfortable visiting certain coffeehouses
that are known to welcome outsiders.
Close to Islamic Cairo's bustling Khan al-
Khalili market,
Al Fishawi's
has been
