Where to Drink Coffee in Uzungöl: A Specialty Coffee Guide

Uzungöl is best known for its lake, its spruce-forested slopes and its cool mountain air — yet it has quietly become a place where you can also drink carefully made coffee. This guide gathers what visitors ask us most often: what separates a genuine specialty café from a merely scenic one, which origins and brewing methods to try, and how to enjoy the view in comfort whatever the weather decides to do.

What makes a good coffee stop in Uzungöl?

A coffee break here usually follows a walk along the lakeside, but the landscape alone does not determine the quality of the cup. The fundamentals are the same as in any third-wave coffee bar: a known origin, a grind setting and water-to-coffee ratio suited to the bean, a recipe that is followed rather than guessed, clean equipment and a drink prepared to order.

A useful sign is how the menu speaks to you. In a genuine specialty setting you are not limited to choosing between "strong" and "mild". If you can ask for something bright and fruity, chocolate-led and low in acidity, or balanced and sweet — and the barista can translate that into a bean and a method — you are in the right place. It is also wiser to judge the current bean information and the cup in front of you than to rely on scoring claims that come without documentation.

Six origins, six characters

At Ethiopia Coffee — by Ethiopian Brew Co.®, the pour-over menu is built around six single origins, each available as a hot or iced V60. The name above the door does not mean every cup is Ethiopian; it marks where our story began, while the selection itself spans three continents:

• Ethiopia Sidamo — floral and citrus-led, an expressive classic
• Colombia Nariño — balanced, rounded and quietly sweet
• Kenya — bright fruit with lively acidity
• Costa Rica West Valley — clean, sweet fruit notes
• Guatemala Huehuetenango — cocoa and caramel with a touch of citrus
• Brazil Santos — calm and low in acidity, with chocolate and nut notes

These differences only emerge when grind, water temperature and brewing time are adjusted for each bean. A single fixed recipe cannot reveal every origin equally well, which is why each one is dialled in on its own terms.

Choosing a brewing method

V60 produces a lively, expressive cup that puts the origin's character front and centre. Chemex, with its thicker filter, gives a cleaner, gentler result. Cold brew steeps slowly in cold water for a rounded, low-bitterness profile that suits a warm afternoon by the water, and Turkish coffee is prepared with the same attention as everything else on the bar.

On the espresso side, the choices run from espresso and Americano to flat white, cortado, latte, cappuccino, mocha and Spanish latte. Here the craft lies in shot balance, milk temperature and microfoam: a flat white or cortado keeps more coffee intensity, while a latte or Spanish latte offers a softer structure. Whole, lactose-free and plant-based milks are all available.

Latte art, incidentally, is a pleasant detail rather than the point. Its real value is what it signals — properly textured milk. Consistency of taste and texture matters more than repeating the same pattern on every cup.

A view that works in every weather

Plenty of places in Uzungöl stand close to the water, yet table height, passing traffic and nearby buildings change what you actually see. A narrow glimpse of the lake is not the same as watching the shoreline and the mountains in a single frame.

Ethiopia Coffee sits beside the lake with its main seating on the upper floor, above street-level movement. From tables by the glass, the lake — around a kilometre long — its shoreline and the surrounding spruce-covered ridges stay within one view. When conditions turn, as they often do here, retractable glass panels close to form a heated or cooled indoor space, and an adjustable roof adds a further layer of flexibility; in mild weather they open towards the water and the mountain air.

The scene also changes with the hour: softer light and calmer water in the morning, clearer detail along the shore in the afternoon, and in the evening the lights around the lake against the silhouette of the mountains. The measure of a good seat is that the view stays open for the whole of your visit, not just for one photograph.

Comfort for families and groups

One scenic table is rarely enough for a larger family. Seating that can be rearranged lets a group stay together within the same viewing area, while high chairs and climate-controlled indoor seating turn an attractive view into a genuinely comfortable visit. The whole space is shisha-free and alcohol-free, so it suits families as naturally as it suits coffee enthusiasts.

Nobody at the table has to order the same thing, either. One person's V60 can sit happily beside a Spanish latte, a hot chocolate, a dessert or a pizza; the coffee focus stays clear without being imposed on anyone.

Ordering without the jargon

You do not need specialist vocabulary. Describe the cup you want rather than memorising product names — bright and fruity, balanced and sweet, or calm and chocolate-led — then decide whether you would like it hot or iced, black or milk-based, clear or full-bodied. Service is offered in Turkish, English and Arabic, and our digital coffee guide, Buna, walks you through the origins and methods at your own pace. From there, The Ethiopia Coffee Team can narrow the choice to a single recommendation.

Planning your visit

You will find us in the centre of Uzungöl, a short step from the flat lakeside path that loops the lake. In the summer season (1 July–15 September) we're open daily 09:00–02:00; outside this period, please confirm current hours on WhatsApp. The current menu is published on our website, and the Our Café page explains the setting and our approach in more detail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Ethiopia Coffee serve only Ethiopian coffee?

No. The name reflects where the story began, not the whole menu. Six single origins are served as hot or iced V60: Ethiopia Sidamo, Colombia Nariño, Kenya, Costa Rica West Valley, Guatemala Huehuetenango and Brazil Santos.

Which brewing methods are available?

Hot and iced V60, Chemex, cold brew and Turkish coffee, alongside a full espresso menu from flat white and cortado to latte, cappuccino, mocha and Spanish latte, with whole, lactose-free and plant-based milk options.

Is the café suitable for families?

Yes. The space is family-friendly, shisha-free and alcohol-free, with flexible seating for groups, high chairs, climate-controlled indoor areas and service in Turkish, English and Arabic.

What are the opening hours?

In the summer season (1 July–15 September) we're open daily 09:00–02:00; outside this period, please confirm current hours on WhatsApp.