14 Underrated Coffee Drinks From Around The World

If you're a coffee lover, chances are you already have your go-to order. Maybe it's a straight-up black coffee, a foamy cappuccino, or something with an extra shot of espresso to kick-start your day. You probably also have favorites when it comes to coffee bean brands for all your brewing needs as well as specific roasts that you rely on when making coffee at home. But while routine is comforting, there's a whole world of coffee out there that goes beyond what you can grab from your local Starbucks or from the shelves of a grocery store.

Coffee is beloved around the world, and many cultures have created unique ways to enjoy it. Some incorporate interesting ingredients to give coffee an extra boost of flavor, while others use unconventional methods to source, brew, and serve it. Then there are coffee cocktails that add a boozy twist to the caffeine-laced drink. If you're ready to step outside your comfort zone, check out these 14 underrated coffee drinks from around the world that are worth trying. You never know — you may just find a new favorite way to enjoy your morning brew, afternoon pick-me-up, or after-dinner drink.

If you love espresso martinis, the carajillo will be right up your alley. This coffee cocktail features black coffee with a slug of Licor 34, a sweet liqueur. It's wildly popular in Mexico where it's a staple at restaurants and bars across the country. It's also sold in cans and bottles as ready-to-drink cocktails and is featured in many products, including chocolates, cakes, and even a carajillo-flavored cereal. The coffee and liqueur are typically shaken with ice and served cold. You can also find hot versions that are sometimes served in sugar-rimmed glasses and topped with whipped cream.

The Licor 43 is what sets the carajillo apart from your run-of-the-mill espresso martini. In our opinion, it's one of the most underrated liquors you can splash in your coffee. This golden-hued liqueur features 43 natural ingredients including Mediterranean orange, lemon, coriander, and vanilla. The taste is sweet with citrusy, floral notes. Poured into hot coffee, it gives off beautiful botanical aromas, while the chilled, shaken version is silky and slightly frothy. ​​With its smooth texture and layered flavors, it's easy to see why the carajillo has earned a devoted following in Mexico and beyond.

Vietnam has a rich coffee culture that spans over 165 years. The first coffee plant was brought to the country by the French in the 1850s, and it was soon discovered that the Central Highlands provided the perfect environment for coffee plants to thrive. It wasn't long before arabica and robusta plantations began popping up across the region. By the 1990s, Vietnam became the world's second largest coffee exporter, a title it still holds today. With that in mind, it's not surprising that Vietnam has numerous takes on coffee drinks. One of the most unique is cà phê trứng, also known as egg coffee.

Cà phê trứng is a rich and creamy drink featuring coffee topped with custardy whipped eggs. Yet, despite its decadence, the drink was actually borne out of necessity. The year was 1946, and milk was in short supply in Hanoi thanks to the First Indochina War. A bartender named Nguyen Van Giang was working at the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hotel and decided to whip up some eggs to use as a substitute in coffee. Today, the eggs are often whipped with sweetened condensed milk to create a dessert-like drink.

Kopi luwak is proof that great coffee can come from unexpected places. This rare and expensive brew originates in Indonesia, where coffee cherries are eaten by Asian civet cats (aka luwak), partially digested, and then collected from their ... let's just say, "leftovers." While it might sound off-putting, the fermentation process inside the civet's digestive tract is said to reduce bitterness and create an incredibly smooth cup. Plus, the beans are thoroughly cleaned before processing. Fans say the coffee is delicate, is less bitter than other brews, and has citrusy, earthy notes.

While kopi luwak may be highly coveted, it's also controversial. Ideally, the coffee beans should be sourced from the droppings of wild civet cats that have access to a wide range of foods. Unfortunately, the high price tag of the coffee (up to hundreds of dollars a pound) has led to the creation of many civet farms where the animals are caged and fed only coffee cherries. In addition, there are plenty of fake kopi luwak products on the market. If you want to try it, we suggest looking for reputable companies that source their kopi luwak humanely.

Visit Kenya's coastal cities and towns like Mombasa or Lamu, and you'll likely come across people gathered on benches sipping kahawa chungu from ceramic cups and chatting, watching the sunset, and playing backgammon. Kahawa chungu translates to "bitter coffee" in Swahili, and for many people, it's part of their daily routine. It's a way to relax and revive after a long day of work and catch up with friends. The bitter, aromatic coffee is often enjoyed along with snacks like mitai (small donuts) and kaimati (fried, sweet dumplings). 

Kahawa chungu is typically made from Kenyan coffee beans that are ground and then slowly simmered in a brass pot over charcoal. Spices such as cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cardamom, and sometimes nutmeg are also added to the mix. The result is a stiff cup of coffee that gives off the intoxicating aroma of warming spices. It's a stimulating drink that many say is also an aphrodisiac. For those who prefer their coffee a tad lighter and sweeter, kahawa tamu is a less concentrated brew that includes sugar. 

Can't decide between coffee or tea? With yuenyueng (also called yuanyang), you can have both. The drink consists coffee and milk tea (tea simmered in sweetened condensed milk). It's very popular in Hong Kong, where it's often sold at coffee and tea shops called cha chaan teng. The drink's name is the same as the Cantonese word for mandarin ducks, which are often spotted in pairs. It's also sometimes called "lovebird's tea," and it refers to the harmony between the two different elements of the drink.

There are several theories about how yuenyueng was created. Some believe that dock workers in the early 1800s created the drink by mixing two stimulating beverages together to create an extra-energizing drink that would help fuel them throughout their shifts. Others say it was created at a cha chaan teng called Lan Fong Yuen in the 1950s. The standard preparation is three parts coffee to seven parts milk tea, but many people play around with the ratios according to taste. Ideally, yuenyueng should be smooth and sweet with a big, bold kick of caffeine. It's great hot but also works well as a refreshing drink over ice.

Iced coffee gets a citrusy sweet twist with the mazagran. The origin story goes that the drink was created in the mid-19th century after the French invaded Algeria. Supposedly, French soldiers who were occupying the Mazagran fort in Mostaganem combined coffee with cold water and sugar in an effort to beat the heat. The soldiers brought the drink back to France, where it was called "mazagran-style coffee." It eventually evolved to include lemon and sometimes alcohol like rum or cognac. Today, the mazagran is popular in its birthplace of Algeria as well as in Spain, Portugal, and France.

A mazagran typically includes a base of strong coffee or espresso sweetened with sugar and spiked with a splash or two of lemon juice. The concoction is poured over ice and often garnished with a lemon peel and sometimes a sprig of mint. Some people prefer to shake the sweet, citrusy coffee in a cocktail shaker with ice. Alcohol can be added, but it's not a necessary component to the drink. In many places, mazagran coffee is served in a special glass that's tall with a footed base and made from porcelain or glass.

Is it a dessert? Is it a coffee? The affogato is the perfect blend of both. The name means "drowned" in Italian, which makes sense considering it consists of gelato or ice cream drenched with a shot of hot espresso. The exact origins of the affogato are a bit of a mystery. Some say it may have been created by a Franciscan friar named Angelico in the Piedmont region of Italy in the 1600s around the same time he also created Frangelico, a hazelnut liqueur. Others believe it's more likely that the affogato was born around the 1950s when industrialization made it easier to produce ice cream.

Affogato typically includes a scoop or two of vanilla gelato or ice cream in a small bowl or cup with a shot of espresso poured over top. However, don't be afraid to switch things up if you're making it at home. You can try different ice cream flavors that go well with coffee like chocolate, salted caramel, or coffee ice cream. If you don't have an espresso machine (check out the best ones according to reviews), you can use a French press or a coffee maker to brew some rich, strong coffee. You can also slip in a shot of your favorite liqueur.

If there was one thing the pandemic was good for, it was the proliferation of fun recipes and food trends that flooded social media feeds. One beverage that went viral amid the lockdowns was dalgona coffee. It all started when Korean actor Jung Il-woo posted a video of himself trying the drink at a cafe in Macau and likened it to a caramel-esque burnt sugar candy from his youth known as dalgona in Korea. It wasn't long before slews of people were posting pics and videos of their own whipped dalgona coffee creations.

All you need is three ingredients for a fluffy dalgona coffee: equal parts instant coffee, sugar, and hot water. Combine all three in a bowl, then whisk by hand or use an electric mixer or stand mixer until you have a thick foam similar in texture to meringue. Many people scoop the foam onto a glass of milk. You might wonder if other types of coffee will work here, but many say instant coffee is the key to the dalgona coffee's unique character. The dehydrated coffee granules allow the mixture to foam up into a fluffy mass, and the dark roast gives the drink its rich, toffee-like flavor.

If you happen to be in Northern Germany close to the North Frisia region, there's a good chance you'll come across pharisäer kaffee at cafes and bars. This boozy coffee has an interesting origin story that you don't often see with alcoholic beverages — it was created after a baptism ceremony. The baptism took place in 1872 on the peninsula of Nordstrand, and local lore has it that the pastor was very strict about having no alcohol. To get around this, the celebrants at the reception slipped schnapps into their coffee and covered it with whipped cream to mask the smell. When the pastor found out, he called them pharisees (hypocrites), hence the name of the drink.

A traditional pharisäer kaffee consists of coffee with a healthy splash of dark rum. The bold coffee pairs beautifully with the sweetness of the rum and the creamy texture of the whipped topping. In Germany, it's commonly served in a handled glass or mug, and it makes for the perfect warming treat on chilly days along the North Sea coast. Some variations include sugar for extra sweetness and a sprinkle of cocoa or cinnamon to add extra flavor.

Café touba is a drink that's steeped in history. It comes from the Senegal city of Touba, which was founded by Sufi spiritual leader Amadou Bamba. In 1895, the French exiled Bamba to Gabon in an effort to suppress his influence and teachings of passive resistance against colonial powers. However, Bamba returned to Senegal in 1902, and one of the things he brought back with him was a recipe for a strong, spiced coffee. The coffee was an instant hit at nightly prayer gatherings, and it would eventually take on the name of Bamba's spiritual base.

The main ingredients in café touba are black coffee, cloves, and selim peppers, also known as djar in Senegal. Selim peppers are the seeds of an evergreen tree, and they have a spicy, peppery flavor with woody, floral notes. Some say they also taste like anise. The dried peppers are ground with the coffee beans and cloves, then the powder is brewed into aromatic coffee that has a slight tongue-numbing quality. Many Senegalese believe the selim peppers in the coffee have medicinal properties including the ability to alleviate stomachs and toothaches.

When you think of all the things you can add to coffee to amp up its texture and flavor, cheese is probably the last thing on your mind. However, in Scandinavia, cheese in coffee is an absolute treat. It's called kaffeost, and it features cubes of dried cheese that soften in hot coffee. The cheese doesn't melt, but instead it takes on a springy texture and absorbs the rich flavors of the coffee. The cheese also imparts a buttery quality to the coffee. Kaffoest is popular among the Sami people of the Lapland region, which spans Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Russia.

The cheese used for kaffeost is called juustoleipä, leipäjuusto, or simply bread cheese. It can be made with cow, goat, or reindeer milk. It has a firm, squeaky character similar to cheese curds or halloumi. The diced cheese is placed in a mug, and hot coffee is poured on top. The traditional way to serve it is in a rustic wooden mug called a kuksa or guksi with a spoon to scoop up the cheese. It may sound like an odd combo, but many people say the cheese adds a rich and creamy touch to the bitter flavors of the coffee.

If you were old enough to drink coffee in the 2010s, you may remember when nitro cold brew started making waves at specialty coffee shops. There is some dispute over who actually pioneered this unique coffee, although many sources point to Mike McKim of Cuvee Coffee in Texas. McKim has stated that he got the idea of adding nitrogen to coffee from seeing coffee poured out of a beer tap and later drinking nitro beer. After much experimentation, he figured out how to infuse nitrogen into cold brew coffee and debuted his creation at Slow Food Austin in 2012.

It's easy to see why nitro cold brew coffee was an immediate hit. The nitrogen bubbles create a smooth, creamy texture, and the process of pouring the coffee from a pressurized tap causes it to cascade into the glass like a rich, frothy Guinness. The coffee was so popular that Starbucks started serving it at branches in 2016 and still does today. Several companies also sell cans of the velvety brew. Alternatively, you can make your own creamy nitro coffee at home by filling a professional whipped cream dispenser with cold brew coffee.

No list of international coffee drinks would be complete without a mention of cà phê sữa đá. This is arguably the most popular coffee drink in Vietnam because it's not only cool and refreshing but also rich and sweet. The name translates to iced milk coffee, but it's so much more than just a latte on ice. It starts with a slow-drip brewing process using a "phin" filter, which allows the strong, dark-roasted coffee to develop bold, almost chocolatey flavors. That rich coffee is combined with sweetened condensed milk and served over ice.

It's pretty easy to make Vietnamese coffee at home provided you have a phin. You may be able to find one at a Vietnamese grocery store or order one on Amazon. To start your cà phê sữa đá, simply pour some sweetened condensed milk into a glass, then set the base plate and chamber of the phin over the glass. Add your coffee grounds to the chamber, pour hot water in, and wait a few minutes for it to absorb into the grounds. Then you use the press to tamp it down and wait for all that luscious coffee to infuse into the sweetened condensed milk. Give the mixture a stir, add ice, and you have a deliciously cool and creamy drink.

The words "white coffee" might bring to mind something like a latte or flat white, which is simply an espresso topped with steamed milk, but that's not actually what white coffee is. This style of coffee comes from Yemen, and the name refers to the color of the coffee beans, which get their light color from the roasting process. The beans are roasted at lower temperatures than dark roasts and for less time. This gives them a mild flavor that is less smoky and caramelized and more soft and nutty. The beans can be ground and brewed just like you would with regular coffee.

White coffee is trending right now for a number of reasons. For one, the beans contain more caffeine than dark roasted beans. As coffee beans roast, caffeine burns off, so less roasting time at lower temperatures means much of the caffeine stays in the beans. In addition, the white coffee beans retain more good stuff like antioxidants. Moreover, white coffee beans are less acidic than their longer-roasted counterparts. The only downside is that the beans can be quite hard, so you might struggle to grind them yourself at home, even if you have a quality grinder. You might want to consider buying white coffee beans already ground.