Omani coffee etiquette: the three-cup rule

Omani kahwa is light, cardamom-scented and served in small handle-less cups. When you visit a family home — or our office — expect the following:

1. Dates first. A sweet bite before the bitter coffee.
2. Receive with the right hand. The host pours a small amount; drink it and hold the cup out for more.
3. Three cups is polite. Accepting fewer can seem hurried; more is welcome.
4. Shake to stop. A gentle side-to-side shake of the empty cup tells the host you have had enough — no words needed.
5. Halwa often follows: a sticky, saffron-and-rosewater sweet eaten with a small spoon.

Join our Traditional Dinner with an Omani Family to experience the ritual in a real majlis.