Coffee is more than just a beverage; it’s a ritual, an art form, and a deeply ingrained part of cultures across the world. Each country has its own unique relationship with coffee, influenced by history, geography, and tradition. From the fast-paced espresso shots of Italy to the ceremonious brews of Ethiopia, coffee serves as both a reflection of a culture’s identity and a shared experience that brings people together. Join us as we explore some of the most iconic coffee traditions and brewing methods from around the globe, and take a brief look at how these influences shape the diverse coffee scene in Los Angeles today
Italy is synonymous with espresso. Known for its rich, dark flavor and robust aroma, espresso is an integral part of Italian daily life. The Italian coffee experience is deeply ritualistic, often involving a visit to the local bar (café), where patrons gather for a quick shot at the counter.
In Italy, coffee isn’t a leisurely activity; it’s a quick, focused break. The espresso is served fast and consumed even faster. Most Italians will simply say “un caffè,” referring to the standard espresso shot. This concentrated coffee is brewed under high pressure to create a small, intensely flavored drink with a signature crema on top—a thin layer of golden foam that signifies a well-made espresso.
Traditionally, Italians enjoy their espresso at specific times of the day. Mornings might start with a caffè latte or cappuccino, where milk balances out the intensity of the espresso, but after noon, it’s strictly espresso. The cultural aversion to milk after lunch or dinner stems from the belief that it interferes with digestion.
Italy’s espresso culture is built on consistency and simplicity. Espresso machines, like the iconic Rocket models that we use at RR Coffee Bar, are designed to produce a perfect shot every time, with precise temperature and pressure control. Italians prefer their espresso straightforward, rarely venturing into flavored or sugary concoctions. It’s all about the purity of the coffee itself, with a focus on high-quality beans and perfect technique.
Moving east, we find ourselves in the heart of the Middle East, where Turkish coffee has been brewed for over five centuries. Turkish coffee is a true testament to the art of slow, deliberate preparation, offering an experience that’s as much about the method as it is about the flavor.
Unlike espresso, which is brewed in seconds, Turkish coffee takes time. It begins with finely ground coffee beans, much finer than what you’d use for other methods. The grounds are combined with water and sometimes sugar, then slowly heated in a long-handled pot called a cezve. As the mixture heats, it forms a frothy foam on top, which is carefully managed throughout the brewing process to ensure the right consistency and flavor.
The coffee is served unfiltered, so it comes with a thick layer of grounds settled at the bottom of the cup. Drinking Turkish coffee is an unhurried experience, often accompanied by conversation and the tradition of fortune-telling, where the grounds left in the cup are interpreted to predict the drinker’s future.
Turkish coffee is more than a drink; it’s an integral part of social gatherings, hospitality, and tradition. In fact, the art of Turkish coffee was recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The method has remained largely unchanged for centuries, preserving the connection between modern-day drinkers and their ancestors.
To understand the deep connection between coffee and culture, you need to visit Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee itself. Here, coffee isn’t just a beverage—it’s a sacred part of life, celebrated through elaborate and lengthy ceremonies that honor the drink’s origins.
In Ethiopia, coffee is often prepared and enjoyed during a ceremonial process that can last hours. The ritual starts with the roasting of green coffee beans over an open flame, filling the air with their rich, smoky aroma. The roasted beans are then ground, traditionally using a mortar and pestle, before being brewed in a jebena, a special clay coffee pot.
The coffee is poured into small cups and served three times during the ceremony, each round symbolizing a step closer to spiritual enlightenment. This is not a quick or casual affair. Instead, it’s a deeply social and community-oriented experience, where neighbors and family members gather to connect over coffee.
Ethiopian coffee is known for its distinctive flavor, often floral and fruity, with a bright acidity that sets it apart from the more robust and bitter profiles found in other regions. This can be attributed to the country’s diverse climate and coffee-growing regions, which produce a wide variety of beans, each with its own unique taste.
While espresso, Turkish coffee, and the Ethiopian coffee ceremony are perhaps the most iconic, there are countless other coffee traditions across the world, each with its own brewing methods and rituals. Let’s take a brief look at a few more:
The French press, also known as a cafetière, is a simple and popular brewing method. Coarsely ground coffee is steeped in hot water, and after a few minutes, a metal plunger is used to separate the grounds from the liquid. The result is a full-bodied, robust coffee that retains the natural oils of the beans. This method is widely used not just in France but across Europe and in coffee shops around the world.
Japan has developed a unique coffee culture that emphasizes precision and care, particularly through the pour-over method. Using tools like the Hario V60, Japanese baristas carefully pour hot water over a bed of coffee grounds, controlling the flow and saturation to extract maximum flavor. This method produces a clean, nuanced cup of coffee, where subtle flavors can be fully appreciated.
In Mexico, Café de Olla is a traditional method of brewing coffee that incorporates cinnamon and piloncillo (unrefined cane sugar). It’s typically prepared in a clay pot, which imparts a distinct earthy flavor to the coffee. This drink is often enjoyed in rural areas and during the holiday season, offering a warm and spicy twist on the traditional cup of coffee.
Los Angeles is one of the most diverse cities in the world, and its coffee scene reflects that diversity. Here, you’ll find an eclectic mix of coffee traditions from around the globe, each brought to life by local roasters, specialty coffee shops, and immigrant communities. From the Italian espresso bars of Downtown LA to the third-wave coffee shops serving meticulously brewed pour-overs, Los Angeles offers something for every kind of coffee enthusiast.
In recent years, Los Angeles has become a hub for the third-wave coffee movement, which emphasizes high-quality, ethically sourced beans, often roasted locally. Shops like Intelligentsia, Blue Bottle, and Verve Coffee Roasters lead the way, offering meticulously brewed pour-overs, espressos, and cold brews.
In many LA cafés, you’ll find a level of transparency about the origin of the beans, as well as a focus on sustainability—an important trend that aligns with the growing interest in fair trade and organic coffee. The use of single-origin beans is common, and baristas take great care in crafting each cup, much like their counterparts in Japan or Ethiopia.
Los Angeles’ coffee culture is as diverse as its population, with cafés offering blends of global traditions. You might find a café that serves a traditional Italian espresso alongside a Japanese-style pour-over, or a place where you can enjoy Mexican Café de Olla in the morning and an Ethiopian Buna in the afternoon. The city’s multicultural makeup means that no matter what kind of coffee experience you’re after, you’ll find it here.
From the fast-paced espresso culture of Italy to the ancient coffee rituals of Ethiopia, the world of coffee is rich with diverse traditions and brewing methods. Each culture offers a unique perspective on how coffee should be enjoyed, whether it’s as a quick shot at the bar or a slow, ceremonial process shared with friends and family. These global influences continue to shape coffee culture in Los Angeles, where the city’s diverse population and thriving specialty coffee scene provide a melting pot of flavors, techniques, and experiences.
At RR Coffee Bar, we aim to bring the best of these global traditions to our customers, whether through a meticulously crafted espresso, a thoughtful pour-over, or a sustainably sourced brew. Coffee is a universal language, and by exploring its many cultures, we connect with a world of rich flavors, deep traditions, and shared experiences.
