Drinkware
Drinkware and Arabic coffee glasses in Saudi Arabia — in Saudi Arabia, a drink is never just a drink. The finjan of Arabic coffee, the tea glass passed to a guest, the elegant mug on your desk — each one carries the culture of welcome. At RIS you will find premium drinkware chosen for that culture: Arabic coffee glasses (finjan) in sets of six, refined tea glasses and teapots, eye-design mugs and rich green cup sets, all made to turn serving into a small ceremony. Carry them to the table on our serving trays, beside plates from our dinnerware collection.
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Arabic Coffee Glasses: The Finjan
The finjan is the heart of Saudi hospitality — a small, handle-less cup that holds just a few sips of golden Arabic coffee. Its size is the point: the host pours a little, the guest drinks, and the cup is refilled again and again until the guest shakes it gently to say, enough, thank you. Traditional finjan come in sets of six, ready for the majlis tray. Look for fine, smooth rims and glass that shows the coffee's colour — qahwa should glow amber through the cup.
Tea Glasses and Teapots
After coffee comes tea. Saudi tea glasses — the slim istikan style — are made to show the deep red of the tea and to sit in the hand through long evening conversations. A beautiful teapot completes the service, keeping mint or sage tea hot while it travels the room on a tray. Together, coffee glasses for the welcome and tea glasses for the evening give your hosting its full, refined rhythm.
Mugs and Cup Sets With Character
For everyday luxury, mugs and cup sets carry the personality. Our eye-design mugs bring the classic protective-eye motif — bold, graphic and full of character — to morning coffee and desk tea. Green cup sets add a deep, sophisticated colour that pairs with brass, marble and walnut. These are the pieces guests ask about, and the pieces that make a thoughtful, easy gift.
How to Serve Arabic Coffee Properly
Tradition has a beautiful order. The dallah is held in the left hand and the finjan in the right; coffee is poured standing, in a thin stream, filling the finjan only a third to a half. Serve the eldest or most honoured guest first, and always serve with the right hand. Dates come alongside on a small plate. The ritual takes seconds — and it is exactly what makes a Saudi welcome unforgettable.
Care for Glass Drinkware
Fine glass asks for simple care. Wash by hand in warm water for painted and decorated pieces, or use a gentle dishwasher cycle with space between glasses so they never knock. Avoid sudden temperature changes — never pour boiling water into a cold glass — and dry with a soft cloth so the glass stays clear and sparkling.
Delivery Across Saudi Arabia
RIS delivers drinkware across Saudi Arabia, with free delivery in main cities on orders of 2,500 SAR or more. Glasses and cups are packed piece by piece with protection, and you can see the designs in person at our Jeddah showroom.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a finjan?
A finjan is the small, handle-less cup used for Arabic coffee in Saudi Arabia. It holds only a few sips at a time, so the host keeps refilling it as a sign of generosity. The guest shakes the cup gently from side to side to signal they have had enough.
How many Arabic coffee glasses come in a set?
Traditional finjan sets come in sixes — six small cups arranged around the dallah on one tray. Six covers a typical majlis gathering without crowding the tray, and it is also the classic gift size for weddings, housewarmings and Ramadan visits.
What is the difference between a finjan and a tea glass?
A finjan is small and handle-less, made for Arabic coffee drunk in a few sips; a tea glass, or istikan, is taller and slimmer and holds more. Finjan glass stays thin so the coffee's amber colour glows through, while the istikan shows off the deep red of the tea.
How full should a finjan be poured?
Fill a finjan only one-third to one-half full — never to the brim. The small pour is the etiquette of Arabic coffee: it keeps the coffee hot, and the repeated refills are themselves the gesture of welcome. The host pours standing, in a thin stream, with the dallah in the left hand.
What does the eye design on mugs mean?
The eye design is a classic regional motif long believed to protect against envy and bring good luck. On mugs and cups it has also become a bold, graphic design statement — a piece of heritage your guests recognise the moment it reaches the table.
Are these glasses dishwasher safe?
Plain glass drinkware tolerates a gentle dishwasher cycle, but painted and decorated pieces should be washed by hand in warm water. Dishwasher heat and detergent dull decoration over time. If you do machine wash, leave space between pieces so they cannot knock together and chip.
Can I pour boiling tea into a cold glass?
No — pouring boiling tea straight into a cold glass can crack it through thermal shock. Warm the glass first with a little hot water, or let the tea rest a moment off the boil before pouring. The same care keeps thin finjan and tea glasses sparkling for years.
Is a finjan set a good gift?
Yes — a finjan set is one of the most loved Saudi home gifts, because it is cultural, beautiful and used at every gathering. Sets of six suit weddings, housewarmings, Ramadan and hostess gifts, and they pair naturally with a dallah and a box of dates.
What teapot suits Saudi tea service?
Choose a teapot that pours cleanly without dripping and keeps tea hot through a long sitting. Serve it on a tray with slim istikan glasses and a small bowl of sugar, so the finjan handle the welcome and the teapot carries the evening.
How do I keep glasses clear and free of water spots?
Dry glasses straight after washing with a soft, lint-free cloth — most water spots come from air-drying. Store them upright in a closed cabinet away from cooking steam so they stay dust-free. Treated this way, clear glass keeps the sparkle that makes a set table look finished.
Which drinkware do I need for full Saudi hosting?
You need three groups: a dallah with a set of six finjan for Arabic coffee, a teapot with istikan tea glasses for after, and mugs or cup sets for everyday drinks. Together they cover the welcome, the long evening and every ordinary hour in between.
Can mugs be used for Arabic coffee?
You can, but a mug changes the ritual: it holds too much coffee and cools slowly, so the refill ceremony disappears. For guests, the small finjan is the respectful choice; keep mugs for personal morning coffee, desk tea and relaxed family use.
Do you deliver drinkware outside Riyadh and Jeddah?
Yes, RIS delivers drinkware to all regions of Saudi Arabia, and every glass and cup is packed piece by piece with protection for the journey. Delivery is free in main cities on orders of 2,500 SAR or more. You can also see the designs in person at our Jeddah showroom.
How do you know when a guest has finished their Arabic coffee?
The guest shakes the finjan gently from side to side — that small movement means "enough, thank you." Until then, the host keeps refilling the cup one-third to one-half each time. It is the quiet signal that lets Saudi coffee service flow without a word being said.
