Turkish Coffee from 1549 to the Present
Kahveci 1549
The story of coffee beginning in Istanbul
When coffee arrived in Istanbul from Yemen in the mid-16th century, the city was already one of the world's most vibrant trading centers.
In this city, where spices, silk, and precious goods met, a new beverage quickly captured everyone's attention.
Initially, coffee in Istanbul was prepared in the palace kitchens and grand mansions.
Soon, coffee roasting facilities opened throughout the city, and coffee became an indispensable part of daily life in Istanbul.
Kahveci 1549 draws inspiration from this centuries-old coffee culture.
Coffee in the Ottoman Empire
More than just a drink
In the Ottoman Empire, coffee wasn't just drunk.Coffee was prepared, served, and shared.
The process of preparing a cup of coffee was a ritual in itself.
This ritual consisted of the following stages:
1. Selecting green coffee beans from Yemen
2. Roasting the coffee
3. Finely grinding in hand mills
4. Slowly brewing in a cezve (coffee pot)
5. Serving to the guest with an elegant presentation
This process was carried out with great care both in the palace and in the mansions.
From Green Beans to Coffee
Coffee Preparation in the Ottoman EmpireDuring the Ottoman period, coffee beans mostly came from Yemen.
The tahmishanes (coffee roasting houses) in Istanbul were where these beans were roasted and ground. The roasted coffee was then ground in fine hand mills. Thanks to the very fine grind, which is characteristic of Turkish coffee, the coffee grounds remain in the cup, and an intense aroma emerges. Coffee was usually brewed in a copper cezve (coffee pot). The coffee, which was slowly cooked over a low heat, was considered ready when it formed foam.
How Was Coffee Served?
The Ottoman Coffee Ritual
In the Ottoman Empire, serving coffee was a ceremony in itself.
Coffee was usually served in the following order:
Dessert or confectionery
Turkish coffee
Sherbet
Incense or rose water
Some traditional equipment used in coffee presentation included:
Cup and saucer – a metal container to hold the hot cup
Tray – a serving plate on which the coffee was carried
Sitil – a container to carry the coffee pot
Güğüm or ibrik – a container to keep the coffee hot
Gülabdan – for sprinkling rose water
Buhurdan – for spreading fragrance
This elegant presentation was a demonstration of the value placed on the guest.
What was served with coffee?In Ottoman coffee tradition, coffee was often served with various treats.
Turkish delight (Lokum)
Turkish delight, which is synonymous with Turkish coffee today, became widespread, especially in the 18th and 19th centuries, alongside coffee.
Sugar and confectionery
Small pieces of sugar or sweets were served alongside the coffee.
Sherbet
These were refreshing drinks consumed after coffee.
The most well-known sherbets in Ottoman cuisine were:
Tamarind
Rose
Sour Cherry
Cranberry
Sirkencübin
Aromas
One of the most elegant aspects of coffee service was the aromas.
Sometimes incense was burned in the room, and sometimes rose water was sprinkled on the guest.
From Palaces to Coffeehouses
Coffee was initially prepared in palaces and mansions.
However, coffeehouses soon opened in Istanbul.
These coffeehouses became not only places to drink coffee, but also social spaces where people gathered and chatted.
Thus, coffee spread from the palace to the daily life of Istanbul.
Kahveci 1549
Coffee Culture from Past to Present
Kahveci 1549 draws inspiration from this culture of Turkish coffee, which has developed over centuries.
For us, coffee is more than just a beverage:
it's the beginning of a conversation,
a tradition of hospitality,
a cultural heritage.
Every cup of coffee carries a small piece of this tradition that has lasted for centuries.
The Memory of a Cup of Coffee
There's a saying often repeated in Turkish culture: "A cup of coffee has a memory that lasts forty years."
This saying actually illustrates how important a cultural bond coffee forges. Drinking coffee is not just a habit; it's about coming together, chatting, and sharing.
Kahveci 1549 aims to keep this tradition alive.
THE EVOLUTION OF TURKISH COFFEE, ITS PREPARATION AND SERVING
Coffee Roasting Pan
It is a tool used for roasting coffee beans; it comes in iron and copper forms. Auxiliary tools, such as roasting ladles, are also used to stir during roasting.
The roasting pan represents the point where coffee “transforms into aroma.” Museum-referenced texts indicate that after roasting in the roasting pan, a cooler, usually made of wood, is used to aerate and cool the beans; grinding initially takes place in a mortar. The raw bean is first roasted, then cooled, and finally ground. The same bean tells a completely different story with different roastings.
Cooling Tray / Cooler (for Cooling)
A ceramic/wooden container used to cool roasted kernels; sometimes carved, inlaid with mother-of-pearl/ivory, and with a groove on one side to facilitate easy emptying of the kernels. The roasted kernels are transferred to the cooler to cool.
The cooler is the tool that "finishs" the roasting process: it stops the roasting from progressing by rapidly aerating and cooling the beans. One side of the cooler has a narrowing groove that facilitates the easy emptying of the beans into the mill/mortar.
Mortar and pestle
A mortar and pestle is a stone/wooden tool used to grind roasted coffee beans; a pestle, in various forms such as wood, marble, or bronze, is a tool used to grind roasted beans. These are the basic steps in the traditional grinding process.
The identity of Turkish coffee is defined by its goal of "fine grinding." In traditional accounts, the beans are roasted, cooled, then pounded in a mortar and pestle or ground in a mill. Brand histories and museum-referenced texts clearly describe the variety of materials used for mortars and pestles (wood, marble, stone, bronze). On one hand, there is the force and rhythm (mortar and pestle), and on the other, the controlled grinding (pestle and pestle). It is the tool used in the process of grinding roasted coffee into its final form. 
Hand Mill
It is one of the tools used in traditional grinding; examples with brass casings and wooden details exist. There are types where the mechanical parts are made of iron, and hand/ground mills are available.
The hand grinder is the tool that transformed coffee into a craft "in the home." Historical accounts indicate that in the 19th century, Turkish coffee was mostly sold as raw beans; it was roasted at home in pans and ground in hand grinders before being consumed. This practice reflects the daily routine before roasted and ground coffee became standard.
Coffee pot
The cezve is the basic tool used to brew ground coffee. It can be found in different forms such as brass, copper, silver, and gold. The mastery of "slow-cooked foam" in Turkish coffee is evident in the cezve.
In Turkish coffee, the cezve (coffee pot) is not just a vessel, but a tool of rhythm. A good cup often begins with "slowness": cold water, finely ground coffee, and (optionally) sugar come together in the cezve; the mixture is slowly heated to create the desired foam. The UNESCO definition emphasizes that the coffee is finely ground; slowly brewed in the cezve with cold water and sugar; and the desired foam is achieved. The cezve: patience, measure, and attention.
Style
It is the name of a portable basin-shaped device with a central hollow containing ash/embers, on which a coffee pot sits, and which can be carried by hand thanks to its chain-like structure. It is said to have been made from materials such as copper, brass, and silver, and enriched with ornamentation.
The sitil is like a "mobile stove" for palace and mansion presentations: its purpose is to keep the coffee hot while maintaining ceremonial order. Examples of coffee served with a pot on a sitil are mentioned in sources that illustrate that coffee service was a team effort, with the tray and pot being carried by different hands. The sitil is also where materials and craftsmanship become a "display": it is described as being decorated with techniques such as carving, openwork, engraving, and relief.
Shroud
A coffee tablecloth is a cloth, approximately one meter in diameter, used in coffee service, and can be made from fabrics such as satin or velvet with gold/silver fringes. It is said to have been carried in palaces and mansions, either draped over the front of the tray or carried on the shoulder by an attendant.
The shroud is the piece that transforms the coffee presentation into a "visual language." Academic sources state that the shroud was adorned with pearls and precious/semi-precious stones; and that it had different uses in palace and mansion coffee ceremonies (hanging from the tray / carrying on the shoulder). It is one of the main symbols of ceremonial coffee service: the silently arranged group, the harmonious colors/materials, and the "ceremony" that begins with the lifting of the shroud. 
Envelope
It is a metal container into which a cup or mug sits; it is used to prevent burns and is part of a coffee cup set. Examples are said to be made from copper, gold, and silver.
The envelope is a practical problem that Turkish coffee solves through "form": carrying the warmth of the handleless cup in one's hand. Craftsmanship grows around this function; academic narratives detail the increasing variety of envelopes, the emergence of expensive examples, and their transformation into a status symbol. The envelope: ergonomics, aesthetics, and ritual. It is also linked to the gift-giving aspect; because the "value" of the coffee set is often revealed through the envelope.
Coffee Pot
To transport large quantities of brewed coffee without letting it cool, containers such as jugs and kettles are used; these are placed in a footed basin called a sitil, which has a fire in the center. The coffee kettle sits in the sitil.
The kettle makes the idea of "coffee for the crowd" possible. In palace/mansion hospitality, coffee is not limited to the cup; it circulates within a system: tray, saucer, pot…
Cup Set
Different types of cups were used around the palace, including Chinese and European porcelain, Yıldız porcelain, Tophane work, and Kütahya ceramics; over time, the size and use of the cups changed; the transition to handled cups and the use of saucers bear the marks of different periods.
The cup is the language of "measure and tempo" in Turkish coffee: it is drunk more slowly in a smaller cup, prolonging the conversation. As coffee serving became more ceremonial in the Ottoman Empire, the utensils diversified; cups also carried a language of material, ornamentation, and status. Academic sources state that from the 16th century onwards, Chinese porcelain, Iznik and Kütahya examples came to the fore; in the 17th century, cups with saucers became prominent; and European porcelains were also preferred. What a beautiful gift a cup is, because the most lasting memory is often the cup itself.
