The Arabic coffee ceremony is a UNESCO-recognized cultural practice that has united communities across the Arab world for centuries. It's more than making coffee — it's a choreographed ritual of hospitality, respect, and human connection.
The ceremony begins with roasting green coffee beans over a fire, grinding them with a mihbash (mortar and pestle) whose rhythmic sound announces to neighbors that guests are welcome. The coffee is brewed in a dallah with cardamom and sometimes saffron, then poured into small finjan cups. The host serves standing, pouring with the left hand, offering cups with the right. Each cup is filled only one-third full. The guest accepts with the right hand. Three cups is customary — more would be excessive, fewer would be impolite.
The finjan used in the ceremony is small (60-80ml), handleless, and typically plain white or lightly adorned. Our Classic 80ml cups are purpose-built for this ceremony — the exact size and style used across the Arabian Peninsula.
Shop Our CupsYes. In 2015, UNESCO inscribed 'Arabic coffee, a symbol of generosity' on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, recognizing the coffee ceremony traditions of UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar.
The full ceremony — from roasting to serving — can take 30-45 minutes. It's meant to be unhurried, a deliberate pause in the day to connect with guests.