The tradition of coffee is something that I grew up with. In Naples, my hometown, coffee is not just a drink you have during the day to boost your energy but a true ritual. There are many traditions linked to the consumption of coffee in Naples, from how it is prepared (there is a saying that you should not wash the mocha with soap so that the coffee will taste better every time you make it) to the so called “caffè sospeso” (when a person decides to pay for two coffees, one for himself/herself and one for someone that might not be able to afford it and can so request it in the bars of the city). So, as you can see, coffee in Naples is a serious business!
After years of being used to the ritual of coffee in Naples I thought impossible to find someone else that worshipped coffee as much as we do, but, oh boy I was wrong! Living in Nicosia these past few months has taught me that also Cypriots have a deep-rooted cult of the coffee. In fact, it is an inherent ritual of the Cypriot culture to have regular coffee breaks throughout the day. This tradition con be traced back to the Ottoman domination of the island and it has flourished throughout the centuries with the appearance of numerous “kafeneios” where still today you can taste the original Cypriot coffee.
The Cypriot version of coffee is very different from most types you can find around Europe. It is very strong, and therefore served with a glass of cold still water, and brewed in a small, long-handled pot called “mbrikia”. It can be ordered single (monos) or double (diplos) and either with no sugar (sketos), sweet with 1 teaspoon of sugar (metrios) or very sweet with 2 teaspoons of sugar (glykos). Another popular version of coffee you can find in most cafés in Cyprus is the frappé, a cold instant coffee with ice and whipped milk cream. As for the regular coffee, also for the frappé you can decide the quantity of sugar and that of milk, so you can have it with no milk (mavro), with some milk (me ligo gala), with half milk and half water (miso-miso) and only milk (olo gala).
In Nicosia, everywhere you turn you can find a nice and cosy kafeneio where to taste a good coffee. If you want to try the traditional coffee, then you should definitely check out Kala Kathoumena and 7 Kleidia right in the heart of the city. If you are not sure that the Cypriot coffee is really your cup of tea (sorry I couldn’t resist the pun), you can still enjoy a good coffee in the small backyard of Brew Lab or make yourself comfortable in the charming Pieto.
Coffee, whether it is in Naples or Nicosia, is more than a drink, it is a lifestyle. It is the perfect excuse to see a friend and spend hours talking about anything or even a way to meet new people. It is beautiful to see that in a world where big companies are “erasing” small shops and bars, there are still places where tradition has a central role in society and is devotedly preserved.
