The 10 Most Famous Specialty Coffee Drinks Around the World

If you’ve ever wandered into a European café or browsed through a menu in a New York coffeehouse, you’ve likely encountered a drink with a foreign name—mocha, cappuccino, or maybe even something like ‘moloko with menthol.’ But what’s actually in these drinks? And how are they really made? We’ve pulled together the exact recipes and methods for ten of the most internationally recognized coffee beverages, so you can understand—or recreate—them properly.

In this guide, we break down 10 globally recognized coffee drinks, detailing each one’s unique ingredients, preparation steps, and cultural origin—from the chocolate-rich mocha with cinnamon to the layered ice cream coffee served cold but never with actual ice cubes.

1. Mocha Coffee (Mochaccino)

This small cup packs a strong New York-style punch. Start with 20ml of chocolate syrup and a shot of strong dark-roast coffee. Stir well, then float 1 tablespoon of cream on top. Finish with shaved chocolate and a cinnamon stick. It’s a classic blend of bitter espresso, sweet chocolate, and creamy texture—a favorite in American cafés.

2. Mocha Mint Coffee

A uniquely American creation, this coffee contrasts warm and cold elements without mixing. Pour hot, strong dark-roast coffee over 1 teaspoon of white mint and 20g of chocolate in a cup, then float 1 tablespoon of cream on top. Garnish with shaved chocolate and a mint leaf. The layered drink keeps hot coffee separate from cold cream, creating a refreshing contrast in every sip.

3. Cappuccino

With a color reminiscent of a Capuchin monk’s habit, this Italian classic is built with a shot of pre-warmed dark-roast espresso, 2 teaspoons of sugar, and topped with 1 tablespoon of cream. Add a splash of lemon or orange juice and serve with a cinnamon stick instead of a spoon for stirring. The result is a layered, spiced coffee experience with bright citrus notes.

4. Coconut Cream Coffee

This fragrant coffee highlights strong coconut aroma. Add 2 drops of coconut essence to a cup, then pour in dark-roast coffee along with 60ml of boiled milk. Top with 1 tablespoon of cream and sprinkle with toasted coconut flakes. It’s a tropical twist on traditional milk coffee, built for coconut lovers.

5. Vienna-Style Mixed Coffee

A simple yet classic Viennese approach: mix equal parts of slightly dark-roast coffee and heated milk. In a small saucepan, bring milk to a boil, add cream just before foam subsides, and pour immediately over the coffee. The result is a smooth, milky coffee with rich mouthfeel—Vienna’s take on a latte-like balance.

6. Neapolitan-Style Coffee

This bitter, strong morning coffee is popular among American youth, who call it “dawn coffee.” Serve it black in a handled cup with a slice of lemon on top. Drink it straight—no sugar, no milk—just the intense roast flavor and sharp citrus finish.

7. Hot Mocha Java (Russian Style)

An intense Russian coffee also called 'hot mocha java.' Heat together dark-roast coffee, melted chocolate, cocoa powder, egg yolk, a bit of milk, and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Once fully blended, pour into a cup and top with 1 tablespoon of cream and shaved chocolate. This version blends coffee, chocolate, and egg for a thick, warming drink.

8. Indian Coffee

Served in paired-handled cups (or collected as themed sets), this spiced coffee includes a pinch of salt to enhance the sweetness of the milk. Heat milk to near-boiling, then add dark-roast coffee and 10g of brown sugar, plus a pinch of salt. Stir well. The salt lifts the milk’s natural sweetness, and the handled cup tradition makes it as much about presentation as flavor.

9. Turkish Coffee

Brewed unfiltered and deeply tied to fortune-telling via coffee grounds, Turkish coffee is made by mixing finely ground dark roast with spices like cinnamon, boiling the mixture three times, then pouring the clear liquid off the settled grounds. Add orange juice and honey before serving. The leftover grounds at the cup’s bottom are traditionally read for omens.

10. Frozen Cream Block Coffee

This American-style iced coffee doesn’t use actual ice cubes. Instead, it layers coffee ice cubes, hot milk, and cold brewed coffee. Brew strong coffee, freeze it into ice cubes, then layer in a glass with boiled, sweetened milk and pour chilled coffee over the top to create distinct milk and coffee layers. Top with a dusting of cinnamon powder.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is mocha coffee and how is it different from regular coffee?

Mocha coffee is a small, strong coffee drink made with 20ml of chocolate syrup, a shot of dark-roast coffee, 1 tablespoon of cream, shaved chocolate, and a cinnamon stick. It combines espresso, chocolate, and cream—unlike plain coffee, which is typically just brewed grounds and water.

How is Mocha Mint Coffee prepared differently from a standard mocha?

Mocha Mint Coffee layers hot coffee with white mint and chocolate, then floats cream on top without mixing. Unlike a regular mocha, it keeps the hot and cold elements separate for a contrasting temperature experience, and includes fresh mint.

What makes Turkish coffee unique compared to filtered coffee?

Turkish coffee is unfiltered, made with finely ground coffee and often spices like cinnamon. It’s boiled three times, then poured off the settled grounds. The leftover coffee grounds are used for fortune-telling, a tradition not found in filtered brewing methods.

Why is salt added to Indian coffee?

A pinch of salt is added to Indian coffee to enhance the natural sweetness of the milk and sugar. It’s stirred with 10g of brown sugar and served in traditional handled cups, often part of a themed collection.

What’s the correct way to serve a cappuccino according to this guide?

Serve cappuccino with a pre-warmed shot of dark-roast espresso, 2 teaspoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of cream, and a splash of lemon or orange juice. Use a cinnamon stick instead of a spoon, and avoid stirring to preserve the layered effect.

How is frozen cream block coffee different from standard iced coffee?

Frozen cream block coffee uses frozen coffee ice cubes instead of regular ice, layered with hot sweetened milk and cold brewed coffee to prevent dilution. The result is a layered drink with coffee and milk staying separate, topped with cinnamon—not blended or watered down.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Classic Coffee Drinks

For recreating these classic coffee styles at home, try FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Yirgacheffe for bright, floral notes in mochas, their PWN Golden Mandheling for a bold base in Turkish or Indian coffee, and their Brazil Queen Manor for smooth, low-acidity milk coffee layers. Each offers distinct flavour profiles that highlight the traditions behind these global drinks. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.