Coffeehouse
The word coffee derives from the Arabic term qahwa, which originally meant a type of wine before being transferred to the drink itself. European knowledge of the plant and its seeds arrived through contact with Turkey via Venetian-Ottoman trade relations. The Italian spelling caffè first appeared in Venice in 1570 as caveé. The English word café entered usage in the late 19th century after adoption from French sources. The first coffeehouse in Europe opened in Belgrade, Ottoman Serbia, in 1522 as a Kafana. Two Arab merchants named Hakem of Aleppo and Shems of Damascus established the first coffeehouse in Istanbul's Tahtakale district during the 16th century. These early establishments in Damascus and Mecca became popular gathering spots for conversation and board games like chess and backgammon.
Women were banned from entering coffeehouses as guests in mid-17th century England and France, though they frequently worked there as waitresses or owners. Émilie du Châtelet reportedly cross-dressed to gain entrance to the Café Gradot in Paris when exclusion policies prevented her admission. Well-known women in the business included Moll King in England and Maja-Lisa Borgman in Sweden. In Germany, women did frequent coffeehouses unlike their counterparts elsewhere in Europe. The traditional image shows only a woman present, separated in a canopied booth serving coffee in tall cups while men sat at communal tables strewn with papers. These restrictions created a male-dominated environment that persisted despite women managing establishments and working behind counters throughout history.
From the late 1950s onward, coffeehouses hosted folk performers during the American folk music revival movement. Greenwich Village and North Beach became major haunts for the Beats who identified strongly with these venues. Joan Baez and Bob Dylan began their careers performing within these spaces before achieving wider fame. Blues singer Lightnin' Hopkins wrote his 1969 song Coffeehouse Blues about overindulgence in socializing. Alfred Peet opened a small shop in Berkeley, California, in 1966 applying dark roast styles to high-quality beans. Seattle's countercultural scene emerged starting in 1967 with Last Exit on Brooklyn coffeehouse. Churches used the concept for outreach from the 1960s through mid-1980s with storefronts like The Lost Coin in Greenwich Village and The Gathering Place in Riverside, California.
Starbucks standardized and mainstreamed the espresso bar model after its founding in Seattle, now prevalent throughout the United States. Costa Coffee based in Loudwater, U.K., ranks as one of the two largest coffeehouse chains globally alongside Starbucks. The Federal Coffee Palace built on Collins Street in Melbourne in 1888 was the largest and grandest coffee palace ever constructed before demolition in 1973. Modern Australian café culture rose following post-World War II Italian and Greek immigrant introductions of espresso machines during the 1950s. A nationwide boom in locally-owned cafés began in the 1990s across Australia. International chains have spread espresso bars throughout much of the world while traditional establishments persist in places like Addis Ababa's Tomoca which opened in 1953.
Common questions
What is the origin of the word coffee?
The word coffee derives from the Arabic term qahwa, which originally meant a type wine before being transferred to the drink itself. European knowledge arrived through contact with Turkey via Venetian-Ottoman trade relations.
When and where did the first coffeehouse in Europe open?
The first coffeehouse in Europe opened in Belgrade, Ottoman Serbia, in 1522 as a Kafana. Two Arab merchants named Hakem of Aleppo and Shems of Damascus established the first coffeehouse in Istanbul's Tahtakale district during the 16th century.
How many coffeehouses existed in England by 1675?
By 1675, over 3,000 coffeehouses existed across England, functioning as centers for political debate and business transactions among men of all social statuses. London coffeehouses reached a peak of perhaps 550 locations by the 18th century, creating what observers called penny universities due to their one-penny entry fee.
Were women allowed to enter coffeehouses in mid-17th century England and France?
Women were banned from entering coffeehouses as guests in mid-17th century England and France, though they frequently worked there as waitresses or owners. Émilie du Châtelet reportedly cross-dressed to gain entrance to the Café Gradot in Paris when exclusion policies prevented her admission.
When did Starbucks standardize the espresso bar model?
Starbucks standardized and mainstreamed the espresso bar model after its founding in Seattle, now prevalent throughout the United States. The Federal Coffee Palace built on Collins Street in Melbourne in 1888 was the largest and grandest coffee palace ever constructed before demolition in 1973.