What is a Frappe? A Guide to the Iced Coffee Drink in Singapore

A frappe is a cold, frothy coffee drink made by shaking or blending instant coffee, sugar and cold water until a thick foam forms, then pouring it over ice. It comes from Greece, where it is a café staple, and the name is also used loosely elsewhere for blended iced drinks.

Where the frappe comes from

The Greek frappe is widely credited to a Nescafe representative in Thessaloniki in 1957, who mixed instant coffee with cold water in a shaker because he had no hot water. It spread across Greece and became a standard order in cafés there.

How a traditional frappe is made

1. Put one to two teaspoons of instant coffee, sugar to taste and a little cold water in a shaker or blender.
2. Shake or blend until a thick foam forms.
3. Pour over ice and top up with cold water or milk.

Variations add evaporated milk, whipped cream or flavoured syrups. Order it "sketos" (no sugar), "metrios" (medium sweet) or "glykos" (sweet) in a Greek café.

Frappe versus Frappuccino and other blended drinks

In Singapore the word "frappe" is often used for any blended, icy drink, so check what you are getting:

• Greek frappe: instant coffee foam over ice. Light, strong and not very sweet unless you add sugar.
• Frappuccino: a trademarked Starbucks blended drink, usually sweeter, with ice, milk and syrups, often topped with cream. Starbucks also sells non-coffee versions.
• Other cafe frappes: many cafes and fast-food chains use "frappe" for their own blended coffee or tea drinks. Menus change often, so look at the current menu rather than relying on older lists.
• Local iced coffee: kopi peng, a kopitiam iced coffee with condensed milk, is a different drink and is closer to what many people in Singapore order.

Making one at home

An instant coffee, a handheld milk frother or a jar with a lid is all you need. Shake hard for 20 to 30 seconds for good foam. Use fine instant coffee powder and cold, not hot, water. For a dairy-free version, swap in oat or soy milk.

Where to find one in Singapore

Most chain cafes sell some form of blended or iced coffee drink, and Greek restaurants may serve a traditional frappe. Menus and flavours rotate, so check the current menu of the outlet before you go. If you want the classic frothy instant-coffee drink, ask whether the venue makes it that way, since many will serve a blended ice drink instead.