Qahwa, or Gahwa

Saudi Coffee

Preparation info
  • Makes

    1

    litre
    • Difficulty

      Easy

Appears in
The Red Sea Cookbook: Over 100 family recipes and stories from Saudi Arabia

By Madeeha Qureshi

Published 2026

  • About

In the Saudi dialect of Arabic, a Q is pronounced as a G. Every region and family has their preferred method for making coffee. This one is from the Hijaz Region, the coastal area on the mighty Red Sea. It’s also my favourite – it’s lighter, less acidic, fruitier and nuttier than other versions.

This coffee is best served with sweets, date cookies or fresh dates – or Qashd al-Tamr.