Quick answer: Good coffee food pairings either match or contrast the coffee’s flavor. Dark roasts go well with chocolate, brownies and rich meats; bright, fruity coffees suit berries, fruit tarts and lighter pastries; and nutty, earthy coffees like Sumatran pair with savory dishes. Start by matching like with like, such as a chocolatey coffee with a chocolate dessert.
Coffee can be paired with food much like wine: with desserts, breakfast and even savory dishes. The trick is to know what your coffee tastes like first, then pick foods that share or balance those flavors.
In this guide 4 sections
How do you pair coffee with food?
When trying to pair food and coffee, it is essential to understand that coffee has different characteristics and aroma. While some have the sharp citrus taste of lemon; in contrast, others taste like cherry. This is why you must take time to understand the key characteristics of your coffee before pairing with any type of food.
Here are a few things to consider when pairing coffee and food.
- Find the flavor: Before you start, it is vital to identify your coffee of choice’s dominant flavor, which depends on the origin and roast. Brew a cup and taste it black first. Once you know its flavor, it will be easier to pair with the food you love, which could be sweet, sour, bitter, or salty. Sometimes the flavors are more pronounced while other times, they may be subtle.
- Pair like with like: It is also vital to start by pairing the same food and coffee flavor together. Then try the combination out. Once you become comfortable with the flavors, you may consider matching complementary flavors.
- Pay attention to your coffee acidity: Bright, acidic coffees can cut through rich or fatty foods, while low-acid, dark roasts sit well with sweet, heavy desserts.
- Know your coffee complexity: Some coffee has intense flavors such as dark chocolate, while others have complex flavors. For instance, Bolivia coffee has a citrus taste, while Sumatran coffee is earthy and full-bodied. Our guide to coffee beans from around the world covers more origin flavors. Knowing their complexity helps you create a balance.
What foods go well with coffee?
Coffee and Sweet Foods
It is impossible to create a sweet pairing of coffee and any food without mentioning chocolates. Rich desserts such as chocolate cake and brownies go well with dark roasted coffee while lighter milk chocolate can go with any coffee.
- Brownies: Full-bodied coffees blend well with dark chocolate brownies.
- Chocolate cakes: Dark roasted coffee can be paired with chocolate cake, while white chocolate mousse cake is delicious with Arabica coffees.
- Chocolate-Dipped Fruit: African coffees can be paired well with this type of chocolate fruit.
- Dark Chocolate: Dark chocolate is paired with Indonesian, Brazilian and dark roasted coffees
- Milk chocolates: Milk Chocolates can be paired with all types of coffee
- White chocolates: These types of chocolate pairs well with Colombian, and Yemeni coffees.
In addition, fresh fruits such as berries pair well with bright, fruity coffees. Other fruits that pair with coffee include the following.
- Stonefruits: Fruits like peaches, plums, and apricots can also blend well with Haitian coffees.
- Tarts: Fruit tarts blend excellently well with dark-roasted Costa Rican coffees.
Baked foods can also be paired excellently well with coffee. Whether you choose to bake them yourself or buy some from a grocery store, here are some baked foods that blend with coffee.
- Biscotti: One of the best foods to enjoy with coffee is biscotti which comes in different flavors and have a variety of taste.
- Caramel Flan: Its sweet caramel flavor works well with Colombian coffee
- Cinnamon Buns: Cinnamon Buns can be paired with Guatemalan coffee
- Coffee Bread: Coffee Bread can be paired with any coffee
- Croissants: Croissant can be paired with full-flavored coffee
- Doughnuts: Doughnuts can be paired with different varieties of coffee, especially the smooth, sweet Costa Rican coffee.
- Muffins: Like doughnuts, most muffins work with most coffees.
- Shortbread: The buttery taste of shortbread can be paired with delicious Costa Rican or Brazilian coffees.
Coffee and Savoury Foods
Coffee also blends excellently well with savory foods. Especially the Central American coffees and the Colombian coffees. Coffee’s bitterness and acidity can balance salty and fatty flavors. Savory foods that can be paired with coffee include the following:
- Meat: Beef, Pork, and Lamb can all pair well with dark roasted coffee. In addition, roasted chicken can be paired with fruitier tones, while the sausage is excellent for medium roast coffee.
- Cheese: Coffee can bring out the creamy taste of many cheeses.
- Spirits: After dinner, coffee is often served alongside brandy or grappa. More ideas in our article on coffee after dinner.
- Peanut Chicken: Peanut Chicken can be paired with a Sumatra cup, which complements the taste and brings out its nutty components.
- Pizza: A bold coffee can stand up to the cheese and tomato in pizza.
- Pineapple Ham: Its sweet-and-salty, fruity flavor suits a bright African coffee such as a Kenyan or Ethiopian.
What breakfast foods go best with coffee?
Breakfast is when most of us drink coffee anyway. Some pairings to try:
- Crepes: Bold Pacific Island Coffee can be paired with chocolate crepes or pair savory crepes.
- Eggs or Sausage: Costa Rican Coffee can be paired with American style breakfast
- Omelets: Indonesia coffee can be paired with omelets
- Oatmeal: Oatmeals should be paired with light roast Kona or Nicaraguan coffee
- Pancakes: Pancakes pair well with Kona and Nicaraguan coffee due to their flavors
- Quiche: A full-bodied Pacific Island coffee suits the savory, eggy richness of quiche.
- Wheat Toast: Colombian, Guatemalan, and Brazilian coffees can be blended simply with wheat toast.
Want coffee in the food itself? See our ideas for cooking with coffee.
Frequently asked questions
What food goes best with coffee?
Chocolate is the classic match, especially with darker roasts. Baked goods such as biscotti, croissants and shortbread are easy, reliable pairings with almost any coffee.
Should coffee and food flavors match or contrast?
Both work. Beginners usually find matching easier, such as a chocolatey coffee with a chocolate dessert. Once you are comfortable, try contrasts, such as a bright, acidic coffee with a rich, buttery pastry.
Does coffee go with savory food?
Yes. Dark roasts can go with grilled or roasted meats, and nutty, earthy coffees work with savory dishes such as peanut chicken. Coffee is also used as an ingredient in rubs and sauces.
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Hi. I’m from New Orleans and would be very interested to hear your thoughts about goods that blend well with our dark roast chicory coffees. Can you advise or comment?