Coffee Classics: Ethiopian Buna (Ethiopia)

Recipes

Dec 10

Some coffees are quick comforts. Ethiopian Buna is not one of them. It is slow, deliberate, and deeply social, a shared ritual that turns simple beans and water into an hour of conversation, warmth, and quiet ceremony. In the highlands and cities of Ethiopia, Buna is not just a drink. It is a way to welcome guests, to mark transitions in the day, and to honour the land that first gave the world Arabica coffee.

The ceremony begins with green coffee beans. They are rinsed, then roasted in a pan over open flame while everyone in the room watches and waits. The fragrance builds in waves, first grassy and raw, then nutty, then intensely aromatic as the beans darken and crackle. The host often carries the pan around the room so everyone can breathe in the smoke, a simple gesture that marks the beginning of the gathering. Only when the beans are roasted to a deep, glossy brown are they ground by hand and added to the waiting pot.

Buna is brewed in a jebena, a round clay vessel with a long neck and elegant spout. Water and fresh grounds are simmered together until the surface lifts and trembles, and the coffee grows thick and opaque. The first cups, known as Abol, are strong and concentrated. The second round, Tona, is gentler and easier, and the third, Baraka, is considered a blessing. Small cups without handles are passed from hand to hand, often with popcorn or toasted grains on the side. The ceremony is unhurried. People talk, laugh softly, pause, listen. The coffee arrives in three movements, and the room reshapes itself around each one.

In a world of quick espresso shots and ready iced coffees, Ethiopian Buna feels like an anchor to another pace of life. It reminds you that coffee was once a firelit ritual long before it became a take-away habit. Here, every step matters. The roasting, the grinding, the simmering, the shared silence between sips. To drink Buna is to step back toward the origin of coffee itself and to taste, in one small cup, the depth of a culture that has been brewing for centuries.

Smoke rising.
Clay resting on coals.
A blessing poured three times.

Ingredients

Fresh green Ethiopian coffee beans
Water

Optional, to serve alongside:

Lightly salted popcorn
Toasted barley or other grains

Equipment Needed

Jebena (traditional Ethiopian coffee pot)
Small handleless cups
Roasting pan
Mortar and pestle or hand grinder
Heat source or open flame
Small tray or board for serving

Method

Rinse the green coffee beans and pat them dry.
Place the beans in a dry pan and roast over medium heat, stirring constantly until they darken and become aromatic.
Allow the beans to cool slightly, then grind them by hand to a medium-fine texture.
Fill the jebena with water and set it over gentle heat.
Once the water is warm, add the ground coffee directly into the jebena.
Bring the mixture to a simmer until the surface begins to rise and foam.
Remove from heat and allow the grounds to settle at the bottom.
Pour slowly into small cups, keeping the stream steady so the grounds stay behind.
Add more water to the jebena and repeat the brewing process for the second and third rounds.

Notes

The first brew, Abol, is usually the strongest and most intense. The second and third rounds become progressively lighter yet still flavourful.
Use high quality Ethiopian beans if you cannot access green beans and a traditional ceremony. Medium to dark roasts with natural processing will echo the fruity, complex character of Ethiopian coffee.
If you do not have a jebena, you can mimic the style with a small pot and careful pouring, though the shape and clay body of the traditional vessel add their own quiet charm.
The ceremony is about community as much as flavour. Take your time, invite people to sit, and treat the three rounds as a shared pause rather than a quick drink.