Izinkomishi zamaphephazidumile ezitsheni zekhofi. Inkomishi yephepha inkomishi elahlwayo eyenziwe ngephepha futhi evame ukulayishwa noma embozwe ngepulasitiki noma i-wax ukuvimbela uketshezi ukuthi lungavuzi noma lucwilise ephepheni. Ingase yenziwe ngephepha eligaywe kabusha futhi isetshenziswa kabanzi emhlabeni jikelele.
Izinkomishi zephepha ziye zabhalwa eChina yobukhosi, lapho iphepha lasungulwa khona ngekhulu lesi-2 BC, Zakhiwa ngobukhulu obuhlukahlukene nemibala, futhi zahlotshiswe ngemiklamo yokuhlobisa. Ezinsukwini zokuqala zekhulu lama-20, amanzi okuphuza ayethandwa kakhulu ngenxa yokuvela kwenhlangano yezokuziphatha e-US. Ekhuthazwa njengendlela enempilo esikhundleni sikabhiya noma uphuzo oludakayo, amanzi ayetholakala kompompi besikole, emithonjeni nasemiphongolweni yamanzi ezitimeleni nasezinqoleni. Kwakusetshenziswa izinkomishi noma amadiphu enziwe ngensimbi, ngokhuni noma ngeceramic ukuze kuphuzwe la manzi. Esabela ekukhathazekeni okukhulayo mayelana nezinkomishi zomphakathi ezibeka ingozi empilweni yomphakathi, ummeli waseBoston okuthiwa uLawrence Luellen wenza inkomishi yezingcezu ezimbili eyayilahlwa ephepheni ngo-1907. ezindaweni lapho izibuko zomphakathi kwakusamele zivinjelwe.
Ngawo-1980, izitayela zokudla zadlala indima enkulu ekwakhiweni kwezinkomishi ezilahlwayo. Amakhofi akhethekile afana nama-cappuccino, ama-lattes, nama-cafe mocha akhule ngokuduma emhlabeni wonke. Emazweni athuthukayo ezomnotho, ukukhuphuka kwamazinga emali engenayo, indlela yokuphila ematasatasa kanye namahora amade okusebenza kubangele ukuthi abathengi basuke ezitsheni ezingalahlwa baye ezinkomishini zephepha ukuze bonge ngesikhathi. Iya kunoma yiliphi ihhovisi, indawo yokudlela yokudla okusheshayo, umcimbi omkhulu wezemidlalo noma ifestivali yomculo, futhi nakanjani uzokubona kusetshenziswa izinkomishi zephepha.