Bela Kava Explained: White Coffee in Slovenia and Beyond

Bela Kava is a popular Slovenian coffee drink similar to a caffè latte, made with espresso and a large amount of steamed milk, resulting in a mild and creamy taste. Locals order it, baristas prepare it, and yet there is no concrete description of the drink.

If you’re visiting Slovenia for the first time, Bela Kava is one of the easiest and safest coffee choices. It’s widely available, mild in flavor, and similar to drinks you may already know, like a latte.

In this article, we explain what Bela Kava is, how it came to be, and what the difference is between this drink and other espresso-milk beverages.

What is Bela Kava in Slovenia

When you order Bela Kava (which translates to “white coffee”), you will most likely receive what is commonly known as a latte, a milk-based and creamy beverage.

This drink consists of coffee and hot, frothed milk, typically prepared with a ratio of one part espresso to approximately 3-3.5 parts steamed and foamed milk.

In modern and specialty cafes, like those found in our city guides, Bela Kava is prepared with latte art, when in most other places, Bela Kava will be almost indistinguishable from classic Italian-style cafe latte.

There is no tradition for when or how to order Bela Kava. However, in most cafes it is also available to order with ice.

Note that the overall volume of Bela Kava can be anything between 250ml and 330ml, so if you are looking for a large coffee drink without much coffee flavor, this is a good choice.

Most commonly, Bela Kava is found made with dark roast blends, which make it slightly bitter and more potent with caffeine. We gathered a list of cafes in Ljubljana and Maribor that we recommend visiting for Bela Kava, made with medium roasts and therefore less caffeine.

Another important thing to remember when ordering Bela Kava is that in some cafes it is done with a double shot espresso, which makes it more flavourful but also slightly more caffeinated. We recommend asking how many espresso shots go into your drink when ordering to avoid confusion and overcaffeination.

“Best Bela Kava is the one that is made with high-quality milk and coffee. I personally would recommend one that has 3.6% fat content and medium roasted American coffee from, let’s say, Brazil, Honduras, or Nicaragua. Bela Kava must be silky, smooth, sweet, and full-bodied with hints of nutty and caramel flavors. Bitterness and watery body are the worst two traits that can happen to any coffee-milk beverage, especially to Bela Kava,” says Lev Volodarsky, professional coffee sommelier and barista trainer.

How to order Bela Kava in Slovenia?

Ask these 3 questions:

1. What kind of coffee do you use? – What you want to hear is the country of origin and, ideally, the fermentation method. This will give you a better idea of what coffee will taste like.

To learn more nuances of coffee tasting, visit one of our regular coffee tastings!

1. What kind of milk is available? – gives you a choice, some coffees like natural Costa Rica varieties shine with oat milk.
2. How many shots are used for Bela Kava? – This way, you will not get overcaffeinated and will get a general idea of how potent the drink will be.

Bela Kava vs Caffe Latte

Unlike in Italy, coffee with milk in Slovenia is enjoyed throughout the day without any weird looks. This includes Bela Kava, whereas in Italy, coffee with milk and a local alternative called caffe latte is not ordered by locals after 11:00.

Another difference between a caffe latte and Bela Kava is in texture.

Traditionally, a caffe latte has a foam of higher volume, and the drink itself has well-defined layers.

Bela Kava is most commonly seen as a homogenous drink that you don’t need to mix, and the texture of foam is elastic and even shimmers. This kind of foam is more likely to be perceived as sweet due to tiny bubbles that constitute its structure.

Finding a caffe latte in Italy that is made with single-origin medium-roasted coffee is hard. Finding this kind of Bela Kava is easy, granted you are in Ljubljana or Maribor.

To sum up:

• Bela Kava is the Slovenian term for a milk-based coffee drink
• Caffè latte is the Italian equivalent, but ordering rules differ
• Bela Kava is usually more uniform in texture
• Latte may have more visible foam layers

In practice, the drinks are very similar, but cultural context matters.

Debunking the Myth of “Strong” Bela Kava

Now that we’ve clarified the meanings, let’s address a common question:

How strong is Bela Kava?

As mentioned before, it all comes down to the kind of coffee that was used to make the drink. In Slovenia, most coffee-serving businesses choose 100% arabica Brazil-based blends of medium-dark or dark roast profiles. It is important to note that blends with robusta are also used in Slovenia, but are less popular.

Is your Bela Kava made with a blend that consists of robusta? The caffeine kick will be more apparent in comparison to a full Arabica blend.

We recommend asking your barista about the type of coffee used and whether there are options for beans. Brazil-Colombia blends, or pure Brazil single-origin coffees, are among the preferred choices.

Thanks to a large amount of milk, caffeine intake will go almost unnoticed. However, we do suggest you drink at least a small glass of water after your coffee to maintain hydration.

Health Considerations: Milk and Comfort

Bela Kava is often associated with certain benefits:

• Milk can reduce acidity and make coffee easier on the stomach.

However, this benefit is subtle and should be seen as a bonus rather than a main reason to choose this drink.

For many coffee lovers, the real advantage is simple:

It’s a comfortable, mild coffee option that’s easy to enjoy. And there is a lot of it!

Bela Kava: FAQ

1. How does Bela Kava taste? – It is creamy, milky, and slightly nutty, with cocoa notes, especially when prepared with specialty coffee beans.
2. How much does Bela Kava cost? – In Ljubljana, the price varies depending on the coffee shop. Specialty grade Bela Kava can cost anything from way beyond 3 euros.
3. What kind of alternative milk is commonly used for Bela Kava? – Rice and oat milk products are popular in Slovenia. Swapping cow’s milk with an alternative will likely cost extra.
4. Where to try the best Bela Kava? – We recommend trying Bela Kava in any of the cafes listed in our guides.
5. Do I add sugar to Bela Kava? – We strongly recommend trying any coffee beverage without adding anything first.
6. How do I make Bela Kava at home?
   1. Make an espresso, preferably using medium roast single-origin coffee.
   2. Froth and heat the milk of your choosing to 55-70 degrees Celsius; the foam must be smooth and glistening.
   3. Confidently pour frothed hot milk into the espresso.
   4. Take a picture and tag @specialtykava.si on Instagram.
   5. Enjoy!

Want to become a true barista, but finding a job behind the bar is not how you would like to approach the idea? You are welcome to join our Home Barista course!

Final words

When it comes to Bela Kava in Slovenia, the key aspect is that in most places it is a sister-drink to (caffé) latte. Heavy with milk and mildly coffee flavoured, a great drink to have on a leisure stroll across Tivoli Park in Ljubljana or to enjoy while reading a book in a bank of the Ljubljanica river.

So feel free to order Bela Kava while visiting Slovenia – just sit back, enjoy the creamy texture, and explore the local coffee culture without confusion.