Coffeehouses

Coffeehouses are establishments that serve coffee and related beverages, often accompanied by light fare. They are typically designed as social spaces where people gather to talk, read, work, or study. Many offer seating, newspapers, and sometimes music, board games, or internet access.

Origins of coffeehouses lie in the Middle East in the fifteenth century, with early evidence in the Ottoman capital Constantinople. Known as qahveh khaneh, these venues spread to Persia, Egypt, and the Levant, becoming focal points for conversation, music, and information. By the late sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, similar establishments appeared in Europe, where coffee culture began to take root.

European coffeehouses emerged in Venice by 1645 and soon spread to London, Paris, and Amsterdam. They functioned as places to meet for business, politics, and letters, and were sometimes called penny universities because the cost of admission was a cup of coffee rather than formal schooling.

Modern coffeehouses vary widely. Some emphasize quick service, while others focus on the craft of brewing and single-origin beans. Many offer spaces for working or studying with wifi; some host readings, music, or workshops. Globally, they play social, cultural, and economic roles in urban life.