DOM D.O.M. almaty kazakhstan russia cafe specialty coffee sprudge

Almaty, the largest city in Kazakhstan (and its former capital), is said to be the ancestral home of apples. Today the city is less about the fruit and much more about its many gardens and iconic fountains, as well as its status as the economic powerhouse of Central Asia. Almatyโ€™s locationโ€”in the foothills of the ancient Mount Imeon range (also called Trans-Ili Alatau)โ€”means the city is mostly either beastly hot or practically frozen. Of course, in suchย extremes, coffee is most essential for cooling and heating its citizensโ€”call it relief and comfort, if you will.

D.O.M. (which comes from the Russian translation and means โ€œhomeโ€)ย officially opened in April of this year. But it has been in the works for the past five years in a country that, for the most part, had never heard of specialty coffee and eagerly celebrated itsย first Starbucks opening in 2015.

DOM D.O.M. almaty kazakhstan russia cafe specialty coffee sprudge

Over that handful of yearsย Mantas Sapoka, owner of D.O.M. and a native Lithuanian, was getting established in Kazakhstan after relocating there with his wife, a native of the country. D.O.M. is the result of his well-timed reunion with an old Lithuanian friend:ย Mindaugas Ryลกkus, former owner of StrangeLove,ย a cafe/restaurant in Vilnius.

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“I met Mantas in Vilnius five years ago.ย He came to the cafe where I worked and we started to talk about coffeeโ€”he was super interested and excited about my coffee stories,โ€ says Ryลกkus, who never sits still and, enviably, just keeps traveling the world learning aboutย coffee. โ€œHe helped me to find a new job as barista trainer and salesman, and it was a big step in my career, so [in return]ย I trained and educated him about coffee,โ€ Ryลกkus continues. โ€œAs soon as he finished up the course he moved to Kazakhstan, [and eventually] becameย La Marzoccoโ€™sย official dealer there.”

DOM D.O.M. almaty kazakhstan russia cafe specialty coffee sprudge

So last year when Sapoka invited Ryลกkus to visitย and helpย build his coffee business in Almaty, Ryลกkus left StrangeLove behind with a wink and a waveย to go and assist.

โ€œThe coffee market for specialty products is quite difficult here, because customers are used to drinking dark-roasted commercial blends of Arabica and Robusta,โ€ says Sapoka. โ€œPeople expect coffee to be very bitter and dark, and most of them prefer to have it with milk. People didnโ€™t know any of the coffees we bring from European suppliers likeย Nordic Approach, Cafe Imports, etc.โ€ Winning Almaty over to specialty coffee was going to be a challenge.

DOM D.O.M. almaty kazakhstan russia cafe specialty coffee sprudge

Starting with the right machines was important, of course. โ€œWe roast our imports on our shiny Probatone 5, we pull espresso shots on a La Marzocco Strada EE, and we also have the first brew bar in Almaty,โ€ declaresย Sapoka. โ€œAt D.O.M. you can now choose from several brewing methodsโ€”AeroPress, V60, Chemex, siphon, French press andย even cold drip. And lately we have expanded into alcohol-coffee cocktail classics like Irish coffee, and espresso Negroni or an espresso martini.”

Drinks like that seem like an easy sell, but D.O.M. isย making progress on the coffee front too. โ€œSome [customers who] came and drank our coffee for the first time [said]ย that they had never drank coffee without sugar before, and they really loved [ours],โ€ Sapoka says, smiling. โ€œThis was for us, the biggest compliment possible! It meant that we were making a real difference here.โ€

DOM D.O.M. almaty kazakhstan russia cafe specialty coffee sprudge

But, he adds, customers still wantย lots of explanations and to hear stories about specialty coffee trends. Says Ryลกkus:ย โ€œThe mission at D.O.M.ย is to prepare coffee warriors”โ€”don’t worry, he means baristasโ€””and bring the right attitude to [Almaty’s] coffee culture.โ€ Forย Ryลกkus, the mission is completeโ€”he’s already moved on to Spain, where his next amazing project is underway. But the good work in Almaty continues.ย โ€œI do believe we have set a new coffee standard and that interest will keep booming,โ€ says Sapoka. Heย moved to Kazakhstan for love and gives some of that love back inย every cup.

D.O.M. is located atย Dostyk Avenue 42, Almaty, Kazakhstan. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Daniel Schefflerย is a Sprudge staff writer at large. His work has appeared inย Tย Magazine,ย Travel And Leisure,ย Monocle,ย Playboy,ย New York Magazine,ย The New York Times, andย Butt. Read more Daniel Scheffler on Sprudge.

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