CoffeeMolka is a classic hidden gem. I’ve lived more than 20 years in Chișinău and I only discovered it last year. It is a coffee place set up like a museum dedicated to City and Country History. The host greeted us and invited us in. He is a Russian-language speaker. He gave us a history lesson about Chișinău but also an intro into coffee history.

The must-try at CoffeeMolka is the Bessarabian-style coffee. It is served in a small glass similar to how Turkish coffee is being served and instead of sugar they serve pumpkin marmalade. This is how coffee started in Moldova after being brought from Odessa in the 1800s. Moldova was never a coffee-drinking country. Coffee was always a little bit exotic and expensive. This is why many people have never heard of the history of Moldovan coffee. Mr. Stukalov, the host-barista-storyteller will gladly tell you all about it, provided you either know a little bit of Russian or you come over with a friend that can translate parts of it. Enjoy!