10 Famous Specialty Coffee Drinks Explained

Ever wondered how to make a proper mocha or what goes into a traditional Turkish coffee? Whether you're a barista or just curious, this guide breaks down 10 iconic coffee drinks with exact measurements, ingredients, and methods used around the world—from New York-style mochas to Russian-style hot mocha-chocolate blends.

There are at least 10 globally recognized specialty-style coffee drinks, each with specific ingredients like chocolate syrup, whipped cream, spices, or unique brewing methods such as layering hot and cold elements or using three-time boiled water. This guide details every original formula.

What Is Mocha Coffee?

Mocha coffee delivers a rich, bold flavor reminiscent of classic New York café style, served in a small cup. It combines dark roasted coffee with chocolate for a sweet, intense experience. The recipe calls for 20ml of chocolate syrup and a strong dark roast, stirred together before topping with a tablespoon of cream and shaved chocolate. A cinnamon stick is often added for extra aroma.

What’s in a Mocha Mint Coffee?

This American favorite blends chocolate and mint in a layered drink. It’s served with cold whipped cream floating over hot coffee—without mixing—so you taste both temperatures in one sip. To make it, combine 20g of chocolate, a shot of dark roast coffee, a teaspoon of white mint, and top with cream and chocolate shavings. Finish with a mint leaf.

How Is a Cappuccino Traditionally Made?

A cappuccino, named for its resemblance to a monk’s hood, is a layered coffee with steamed milk and foam. The FrontStreet reference guide doesn’t include this drink, but traditionally it’s prepared by pouring heated dark roast coffee into a small cup with two teaspoons of sugar, then adding a tablespoon of cream. Lemon or orange juice and a cinnamon stick replace the spoon for stirring.

What’s Coconut Cream Coffee?

This fragrant coffee features strong coconut aroma thanks to coconut essence. The method includes adding two drops of coconut flavoring to dark roast coffee, along with 60ml of boiled milk, and topping with a spoon of cream and toasted coconut flakes.

What Is a Vienna-Style Mixed Coffee?

A simple yet classic Viennese-style drink mixes equal parts coffee and milk—often with added cream. Prepare it by brewing slightly dark roast coffee, heating milk to just before boiling, and adding cream just before the foam dissipates. Pour the milk and cream mixture directly onto the coffee.

What Makes Neapolitan Coffee Unique?

This very strong, bitter, hot coffee is traditionally consumed quickly and often paired with a lemon slice. It’s made by pouring a strong dark roast into a handled cup and serving it black, meant to be drunk quickly while holding the cup by its handle—even the bitterness is part of the experience.

How Do You Make Hot Mocha Java?

This thick, spiced Russian coffee includes chocolate, cocoa, egg yolk, and a touch of milk. All ingredients are heated together and stirred vigorously. The recipe uses dark roast coffee, melted chocolate, cocoa powder, an egg yolk, a small amount of milk, sugar, and is topped with cream and shaved chocolate.

What Is Indian Salted Coffee?

Indian-style coffee often comes in paired handled cups and includes a pinch of salt to enhance the milk’s sweetness. It’s made by heating milk, adding dark roast coffee and 10g of brown sugar just before boiling, then stirring in a pinch of salt. The salt is said to lift the natural sweetness of the milk.

How Is Traditional Turkish Coffee Prepared?

Turkish coffee is unfiltered and traditionally read for fortune-telling based on the coffee grounds left in the cup. It’s made by mixing finely ground dark roast coffee with spices like cinnamon, boiling the mixture three times in water, allowing it to settle, and serving the clear liquid with optional orange juice and honey.

What Is Frozen Cream Block Coffee?

This layered American iced coffee uses frozen coffee ice cubes instead of regular ice to prevent dilution. It’s made by adding coffee ice cubes to a glass, pouring in sweetened boiled milk, then slowly pouring cold brewed coffee on top to create distinct layers. Topped with milk foam and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between mocha and mocha mint coffee?

Mocha is a chocolate and coffee mix with cream and cinnamon, while mocha mint layers hot coffee over cold whipped cream without stirring, adding white mint and a mint leaf for contrast in temperature and flavor.

Do you stir a cappuccino in the traditional recipe?

No, the traditional version described here replaces the spoon with a cinnamon stick and does not require stirring. Modern cappuccinos are usually stirred, but this specific method leaves the layers separate.

Why is salt added to Indian coffee?

A small amount of salt is added to enhance the natural sweetness of the milk, balancing the strong coffee flavor and improving the overall taste profile.

How is Turkish coffee different from regular coffee?

Turkish coffee is unfiltered, finely ground, boiled multiple times with spices, and served with the grounds settled at the bottom. It’s often used for fortune reading based on the residue patterns.

What’s the purpose of coffee ice cubes in frozen cream block coffee?

Coffee ice cubes prevent the drink from being diluted as they melt, maintaining a stronger coffee flavor in the layered iced coffee.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Classic Coffee Drinks

For making classic coffee drinks like mocha, cappuccino, or Turkish coffee, try FrontStreet’s Brazil Queen Manor Yellow Bourbon for its sweet, creamy peanut and caramel notes; the Colombia Huila for its smooth body and chocolate complexity; or the PWN Golden Mandheling for its full-bodied, syrupy richness. These beans highlight the flavor layers in milk-based and spice-infused coffee drinks. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.