PESHAWAR: In cities like London, tea is an art of high society; in Rome, espresso punctuates the day; in Istanbul, çay fuels conversation. But in Peshawar, the bustling heart of Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, a unique hot beverage, kahwa, defines the rhythm of daily life.
More than a drink, kahwa is a social lubricant, a seal of a deal, and the first gesture of hospitality, a tradition carried along the Silk Road from East Asia centuries ago. It has survived the rise and fall of empires, remaining central to the city’s culture and commerce.
The historic Qissa Khwani Bazaar, or “Street of Storytellers,” is where kahwa culture thrives. Here, merchants, storytellers, and travelers once gathered, and where Fazal Karim, a local Kahwa shop owner, traces the practice back generations.
“Caravans used to come from Afghanistan back in the day… the city gates would be closed at night. To wait for them to open in the morning, people would tell stories… and during these stories, kahwa would also be served,” he told Pakistan TV Digital. “It became inseparable from the bazaar itself.”
Even today, travelers seek the experience. Karim recalls visits from foreign diplomats: “Tourists come all the time to try a cup of our Kahwa. They really like the taste.”
Many kahwa houses, some dating back 170 years, continue to operate in the same locations. Jamdad Khan, another long-standing shop owner, reflects: “This shop in Qissa Khwani Bazaar is one of the oldest; the bazaar has changed, but the shop has stayed the same.”
Stepping inside a traditional Kahwakhana is a journey through time. The air is heavy with the aroma of cardamom and wood smoke, rising from massive copper samovars that constantly bubble with boiling water.
Kahwa is served in green teapots called chainaks and sipped from delicate bone china cups. Rituals of service, pouring boiling Kahwa into successive cups to rinse them before the first sip, preserve the centuries-old tradition.
In the narrow bazaar alleys, young boys navigate the crowd carrying trays of kahwa, a testament to how deeply the drink permeates commerce and daily life. Tourists like Yashal are struck by the ambience:
“It genuinely feels like a second home… so many people have been here before us, in buildings that are 200–300 years old.”
The recipe is simple, green tea, cardamom, and sugar, yet its significance is profound. Fazal Karim notes its health benefits: “Kahwa is very good for digestion after a meal. It also reduces weight.”
While Pakistan imports much of its Kahwa, local vendors praise Vietnamese Kahwa for its flavor, underscoring the city’s pursuit of quality in every cup.
Whether for taste, wellness, or connection to history, Kahwa remains the soul of Peshawar, a tradition flowing hot and strong through the city’s streets. A reminder that even as empires rise and fall, the simple pleasure of a cup of tea endures.
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