Arabic coffee, known in Arabic as qahwa (Arabic: قهوة), is a version of the brewed coffee of Coffea arabica beans. Most Arab countries throughout the Middle East have developed distinct methods for brewing and preparing coffee. Cardamom is an often-added spice, but it can alternatively be served plain or with sugar.

Arabic coffee is bitter and usually served without sugar. It is typically brewed in a dallah or cezve, and served in a small cup decorated with a pattern, known as a finjān. Culturally, Arabic coffee is served during family gatherings or when receiving guests, with its preparation reflecting local customs.

There are several different styles of brewing Arabic coffee, depending on regional traditions and personal preference. Unlike Turkish coffee, it is less standardized, with many variations in spices, brewing techniques, coffee pots, roast levels, and grind sizes.

Arabic coffee originated in Greater Yemen, beginning in the port city of Mokha in Yemen and eventually travelling to Mecca in Hejaz, Egypt, the Levant, and then, in the mid-16th century, to Turkey and from there to Europe where coffee eventually became popular as well. Arabic coffee is an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Arab states confirmed by UNESCO. Every year on March 3, Yemenis celebrate the "Yemeni Coffee Day," a national festival to encourage coffee cultivation.

The word "coffee" entered the English language in 1582 via the Dutch koffie, borrowed from the Ottoman Turkish kahve, in turn borrowed from the Arabic قَهْوَة (qahwa, “coffee, a brew”). The word qahwah may have originally referred to the drink's reputation as an appetite suppressant from the word qahiya (Arabic: قَهِيَ, romanized: qahiya, lit. 'to lack hunger'). The name qahwah is not used for the berry or plant (the products of the region), which are known in Arabic as bunn. Semitic had a root qhh "dark color", which became a natural designation for the beverage. According to this analysis, the feminine form qahwah (also meaning "dark in color, dull(ing), dry, sour") also had the meaning of wine, which was also often dark in color.

The earliest credible evidence of coffee drinking appears in the middle of the 15th century (but believed to be much earlier) from Yemen as coffee was in use in Yemen's Sufi monasteries. Sufis used it to keep themselves alert during their nighttime devotions. A translation of Al-Jaziri's manuscript traces the spread of coffee from Arabia Felix (the present day Yemen) northward to Mecca and Medina, and then to the larger cities of Cairo, Damascus, Baghdad, and Constantinople. In 1511, it was forbidden for its stimulating effect by conservative, orthodox imams at a theological court in Mecca. However, these bans were to be overturned in 1524 by an order of the Ottoman Turkish Sultan Suleiman I, with Grand Mufti Mehmet Ebussuud el-İmadi issuing a fatwa allowing the consumption of coffee. In Cairo, Egypt, a similar ban was instituted in 1532, and the coffeehouses and warehouses containing coffee beans were sacked.

Arabic coffee is made from lightly to heavily roasted Arabica beans (165 to 210 °C (329 to 410 °F)) mixed with cardamom, and sometimes flavored with cloves or saffron. It is a traditional beverage in Arab culture and is usually prepared at home or for special occasions. The beans are roasted, ground, brewed, and served in front of guests.

The coffee is boiled but not filtered, producing a strong, concentrated drink. It is generally unsweetened (qahwah saada), though sugar may be added during preparation or serving. To balance the bitterness, it is often accompanied by dates, dried or candied fruit, nuts, or other sweets.