Iraqi Tea (Chai)
About
Iraqi tea is strong, sweet, and aromatic - brewed with loose black tea leaves and cardamom, served in small glasses with lots of sugar. It's the drink of hospitality, friendship, and daily life. No meal, gathering, or visit is complete without several cups of chai.
Key Ingredients
Black tea leaves, cardamom pods, sugar, sometimes a pinch of saffron or rose water
Cultural Significance
Tea drinking is deeply ingrained in Iraqi culture and social life. Offering tea to guests is a sacred duty of hospitality. Iraqi tea houses (chai khana) serve as community centers where men gather to socialize, play backgammon, and discuss life.
Where to Find
Every cafe, restaurant, and home in Iraq serves tea. The best experience is at traditional tea houses along the Tigris River in Baghdad, where tea is served with backgammon boards and water pipes.
Recommended Places
- •Tea houses (chai khana) throughout Iraq
- •Riverside cafes in Baghdad
- •Traditional coffeehouses
Fun Facts
Iraqis drink tea throughout the day - after waking up, after every meal, during work breaks, and before bed. The tea is traditionally brewed in a special double-layered pot called a çaydanlık. The cardamom gives Iraqi tea its distinctive aromatic flavor that sets it apart from tea in other Arab countries.
