Coffee Superstitions from Around the World
Coffee is a daily ritual for millions, but in many cultures, it’s also surrounded by mystery, folklore, and superstition. Beyond its comforting aroma and rich flavor, coffee has long been viewed as more than just a drink. In many parts of the world, it plays a symbolic role in revealing fortunes, protecting against misfortune, and bringing people together in moments filled with intention. From predicting the future to drawing in luck (or warning of bad energy), coffee has become entwined with beliefs as rich and layered as its many brews.
After you finish your cup of strong Turkish coffee, the remaining grounds at the bottom of the cup are often used for fortune-telling, a practice known as tasseography. The drinker flips the cup upside down onto a saucer and waits for the grounds to slide and settle into patterns. A skilled reader then interprets the shapes and lines, offering insight into love prospects, career developments, unexpected visitors, or hidden emotions. Some see it as a fun ritual while others treat it as deeply spiritual, a window into unseen truths.
In Romania, spilling coffee is often met with a grin rather than a groan. Local superstition says that if you accidentally knock over your cup, it means you’ll soon receive unexpected money. Whether it’s a small windfall or something larger, many Romanians choose to see spilled coffee as a good omen rather than an inconvenience.
In Greece, coffee comes with a quiet rule. Stirring it counterclockwise is said to bring bad luck or negative energy into your day. Some older generations still follow this advice out of habit, believing it disturbs the harmony of the ritual. Others may not take it seriously, but they still stir clockwise just in case.
There’s a lighter kind of magic in Sweden, where bubbles in your coffee are thought to tell your fortune. If bubbles form on the surface of your cup and float toward you, it means good luck, happy news, or even extra money is headed your way. But if those bubbles drift to the other side of the cup, you might brace yourself for a small disappointment or delay.
In some Middle Eastern cultures, especially among older generations, offering coffee without sugar carries a hidden message. A bitter cup served to a guest can be a quiet sign of unresolved tension or even disrespect, while a sweetened one represents goodwill, harmony, and welcome. In these settings, the way coffee is served often speaks louder than words.
In Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee, the traditional coffee ceremony is both spiritual and social. Coffee is brewed over a fire, often with incense burning alongside, and served in three rounds. Each round has meaning, the third called baraka, is believed to bring blessings. Declining a cup, especially the final one, is sometimes considered disrespectful or even unlucky.
In Italy, there’s an unspoken superstition around cappuccino. Many Italians believe it should only be consumed in the morning, never after a meal or late in the day. While not a “curse” exactly, drinking a cappuccino in the afternoon can earn a few raised eyebrows… it’s thought to disturb digestion and violate tradition, and to some that break in ritual is bad luck in itself.
In Brazil, some people believe that dreaming of coffee means important visitors are on the way or that you'll receive a long-awaited message. Coffee in dreams is also associated with trust, meaning you might soon confide in someone or be trusted with a secret.
These beliefs and stories passed down through generations show how deeply woven coffee is into cultural identity. What begins as a simple brew often becomes a meaningful ritual. From a grandmother quietly reading your grounds in Istanbul, to a friend laughing at a floating bubble in Stockholm, coffee brings with it not just warmth but wonder.
Whether you take these superstitions to heart or just enjoy them as beautiful bits of tradition, they’re a reminder that coffee is more than a drink. It’s a portal into people’s hopes, habits, rituals, and shared moments. It’s both grounding and mysterious, something that connects us to the past while fueling our future.
Something to sip on…
- Zoé & The Greenhaus Team
