North Macedonia has a well-developed
coffee culture, and
Turkish coffee is by far the most popular coffee beverage. With over 5,000 establishments, the traditional
Balkancoffeehouse and
bar—the
kafeana—is one of the most common places to go out and have a drink. However, because of the negative
stereotypes surrounding the kafana, many younger people prefer to frequent the more Western-styled
cafés which are also seen as being classier.
From the days of the
Ottoman Empire through to the present, coffee has played an important role in the lifestyle and culture of the region. The serving and
consumption of coffee has had a profound effect on
betrothal and gender customs, political and social interaction, prayer, and hospitality customs. Although many of the rituals are not prevalent in today's society, coffee has remained an integral part of Macedonian culture.
Other coffee beverages such as
lattes,
cafe mochas and
cappuccinos are becoming increasingly popular with the opening of more upmarket cafés. Professionals and businesspeople have contributed to the popularity of
instant coffee (especially
frappé).
^
abFriedman, Victor; Palmer, Veselka (1995), "La cuisine macédonien", in Aufray, Michel; Perret, Michel (eds.),
Cuisines d'Orient et d'ailleurs(PDF), Paris: INALCO/Grenoble: Glénant, pp. 76–79, archived from
the original(PDF) on 2017-10-14, retrieved 2014-03-25