If I had to list the coffee shops with history around the world, it would take thousands of pages and countless hours of work. Here you will find some famous coffee shops all over the world. These coffee shops have played a role in history, and it is worth learning a little more about them. It is also worthwhile to visit them at some point.
Actually, there are a lot of coffee shops around the world that are popular. Florian Cafe is the oldest Cafe running continuously from 1720. But reading this post you will see others that are quite famous and old enough to write history.
Café Le Procope, Paris opened doors in 1686. The second oldest cafe is Florian Cafe whereas it runs continuously from 1720 in Venice. Opened as Caffe Alla Venezia trionfante. However, it soon became known by the name of his owner, Floriano Francesconi.
Florian Cafe – Venice
It is the oldest cafe in continuous operation since 29 December 1720 and the host of the Biennale of Venice since 1893! Opened as Caffe Alla Venezia trionfante. However, it soon became known by the name of his owner, Floriano Francesconi. Among his regular customers was Giacomo Kazanova, the well-known womanizer.
Kazanova could go for women only at Florian Cafe because, unlike the other cafes, it was the only one that allowed them to enter. Significant figures such as Lord Byron, Marcel Proust, and Charles Dickens were frequent customers. In 1858 it was renovated in its present form. It offers delicious coffee as well as a range of gifts and chocolates. You can even buy a perfume with Florian’s emblem.
Cafe Central – Vienna
One of the old town shops that invented the coffee culture. Started in 1860 and its first name was Chess school by the many chess players who were hanging around. It is located on Herrengasse in the old town, in the Innere Stadt district. The building where Cafe Central is housed is called Palais Ferstel and took its name from the architect who created it, Heinrich von Ferstel.
Cafe Central is named since 1938. Many famous personas enjoyed their coffee at Central like Goethe, Trotsky, Lenin, and Beethoven. The coffee it serves is a reference point for the city.
Antico Caffe Greco – Rome
Since its opening in 1760, Cafe Greco in Via Condotti remains the most elegant cafe in the city. It was opened by a Greek, Nicholas of Mandalena. Wagner, Baron, List, and Chopin drank their coffee. Today you are more likely to see only ladies or Japanese tourists dine there. However, it still maintains an excellent atmosphere.
The mood of the visitor is uplifted by getting into the cafe, and by seeing the wooden bar, lounge chairs, mirrors with frames of the last century, and the marble tables. Since 1873, Antico Caffe Greco has passed into the hands of the family of Gubinelli Grimaldi. This is the coffee shop, which, according to George de Chirico, you can settle and wait for the end.
Pedrocchi Cafe – Padova
Padova had its first cafe since 1683, and already in 1756 had 206 cafes. Francesco Pedrocchi opened his first café in 1760, but his son had higher aspirations than him. So, Antonio Pedrocchi hired the architect Giuseppe Jappeli in 1926 and asked him to design something unique. He then created a neoclassical piano-shaped building! The Pedrocchi Cafe is a historic landmark for Padova. It opened its doors in June of 1831, on Via VIII Febbraio, and was the largest cafe in Europe.
Many intellectuals, artists, and politicians had their daily coffee there. Most people who had traveled a lot considered it the most beautiful cafe in the world. During the Second World War, it suffered significant damages and had to be rebuilt again in the original plans of the neoclassical building. The last major renovation was in December 1998, and when it was opened, it was marked as the event of the year for Padova. Very often, the owners organize live-music events that create a warm atmosphere, even in the wintertime.
Baratti & Milano – Turin
The best place in the world for an espresso and an aperitif. Baratti & Milano opened in 1873 with the name Fornitore Della Real Case, which means the supplier of the Royal Court. Today it serves unbelievable coffee, cocktails, and extraordinary Tramezzini.
It is located between piazza Castelo and Galleria Subalpina. Of course, in Turin, I should have to mention Caffe Fiorio on Via Po, with a long history back from 1780. As well as Caffe Mulassno in Piazza Castello, with its excellent sandwiches and unbelievable chocolates. Also the Caffe San Carlo in Piazza San Carlo, known as the palace of the Turin Cafe. If you happen to travel to Turin, I suggest you visit all these traditional cafes.
Cafe Commercial – Madrid
Cafe Commercial was founded in 1887, it is the oldest cafe in Madrid that is continuously operating. It is a classic cafe that remains to serve its customers well on the marble tables with a background of old mirrors in vintage frames. From the old door of the entrance, it takes us back to the past. It also serves excellent coffee, unique hot chocolates in a spacious lounge with a classic atmosphere.
The waiters still wear the formal white jackets that declare their job. Recently, the owners decided to follow the current trend and installed some computers in the loft to serve even the youngest customers. If you are hungry, you can choose a delicious sandwich or a salad. You will find it on Bilbao street and at the Bilbao metro station.
Gran Cafe de Gijon – Madrid
If someone is visiting Madrid, then must go to Paseo de Recoletos street to find this café. With more than a century of constant operation, Gran Cafe de Gijon has hosted many famous people at its tables. Antonio Machado, Frederico Garcia Lorca, Perez Galdos, and Ruben Dario have been drinking their coffee there.
It was founded in 1888 at the best of the “Belle Epoque” and retains the style of that era. In Gran cafe De Gijon, you can enjoy a perfect breakfast as well as some Spanish dishes. In the summertime, you could sit outside and drink some cocktail or even try the black coffee with ice cream (Blanco y negro).
Urban Espresso Bar – Rotterdam
This coffee shop is located on Botersloot Street and is said to serve the city’s most excellent coffee and various cakes. Even the fast-food that it offers has gained an outstanding reputation.
It is worth trying Flat White Coffee. The Urban Espresso Bar built its fame on Flat White Coffee. This café has a minimalist style, and I would say that is a little unusual for the Netherlands.
Monmouth Coffee Company – London
You will find it in Monmouth St, Camden and serves gourmet quality coffee. The staff is well trained and can suggest you various coffee options such as gentle and robust flavors, without acidity, and that suits the milk.
In addition to good coffee and skilled staff, the coffee shop also has its own character. It is small with narrow seats so that everyone comes closer with the other clients. In a city filled with coffee chains, I would say it is a heavenly place.
Ruszwurm – Budapest
This baroque café has been operating since 1824 and is located in Szentharomsag Utca, Castle District. It is small but wonderful. It gives the touch of old times with great coffee and a very delicious cake. It is even said that coffee and cakes were so delicious that the Queen of Hungary Elisabeth (1837-1898) sent men every day to supply the breakfast buffet!
The legend says that after the fall of the revolution in 1848, the owner was imprisoned. In prison, he met a retainer, Rudolf Linzer, who inspired him for the Linzer biscuit recipe. Two slices of cake stuck together with peach marmalade. This cookie sells very well, even today.
Les Deux Magots – Paris
From the most historic cafés of Paris. It is located in St. Germain Blvd 170. It is the café that started in 1813 as a retail store. It was initially selling fabrics and other luxury items of that time. In 1884 it began to sell wine and in 1914, Auguste Boulay, an ancestor of the current owners, renovated and enlarged the store, giving it the current form.
Inside the café, there are still two Asian statues high on the central pillar. It is the point where all the people of Paris will pass. So if you want to find someone, you only have to sit there and wait for him to come!
Le Rendez-Vous des Belges – Paris
It is located in Rue de Dunkerque, and for many, it serves the best coffee in town. Waiters are friendly and seem to enjoy their job and communicating with the customers. The atmosphere of Le Rendez-Vous des Belges is traditional “Parisian” with a long bar where you will see all types of people telling different stories.
Cafe de Flore – Paris
What I can say about Cafe de Flore is that the owners know how to create fashion, situations, and culture in the café … It is just across from Les Deux Magots and started operating in 1887.
Cafe de Flore was present in all the events that marked the history of Paris, and in some of them, it played its own active role. Similar to its competitor, Cafe de Flore was and remained the heart of every change in Paris. Among his regular customers were Kama, Shimon de Boubouar, Z.P. Sartre and many others.
Brasileira – Lisbon
You will find Brasileira in Rua Garrett, and it is one of the city’s most famous cafes. It opened in 1905 and gained its reputation for the best coffee. Mostly because the coffee was prepared in front of the customer.
With a unique Art Nouveau décor, it became known by the many intellectuals who used to hang out daily. One of them was the poet Fernando Pessoa, whose statue stands among the customers of the coffee shop until today.
Cafi Martinho da Arcada – Lisbon
It is the oldest café since it was opened in 1872. It is said to be the coffee shop where politicians, writers, and intellectuals had their coffee.
It is also stated that at Cafi Martinho de Arcada was held the meeting for the constitution in 1826. It is located in Comercio Square in the city center and also serves excellent food.
Cafi Nicola – Lisbon
It is located in the center of Lisbon, on Rossio Square, and its history started in 1929. With architecture and decoration that reminds the beginning of the last century.
It was a place for writers and politicians, but now has more tourists for customers. Inside you will find “Nicola Gourmet” where you can choose between over 25 varieties of coffee beans.
The History of Internet Cafe in London
The story of Internet Cafe begins somewhere in 1994, when the first cybercafe, Cafe Cyberia, opens on September at Whitfield St of London’s West End. The inspirer of the idea was Eva Pascoe, who made her masters in psychology at the University of London. The subject of her essay was “How women react when they deal with computers.” That was what made her open a 20,000-pound internet cafe equipped with 6 HP PCs, dial-up modems with 9.6kps transferability.
As the first Internet Cafe, Cyberia has gained an excellent reputation and many imitators. By the summer of 1995, there were 60 internet cafes in different cities around the world. Yahoo’s data showed in 2004, over 20,000 internet cafe from Tokyo to Timbuktu! In 1998, Eva Pascoe sold her rights to three Korean businessmen. Who changed the name to “Be The Reds,” and you may have seen this brand name on the shirt of the Korean National Soccer Team as sponsors.
The History of Internet Cafe in the United States of America
In the US, there was a beginning a few years earlier in San Francisco in 1991. It was called SFnet, and it was not just an Internet cafe but an International Station with 20 PCs operating with coins and a dial-up connection of 2.4kps.
Actually, the first American internet cafe was the Suba Internet Center founded in April 1995 by Todd Bodenstein and Alex Strasheim on Chicago’s N Broadway. In 2000 the owners sold it to Bean Net.
In 1999, a successful entrepreneur Stelios Hadjiioannou, owner of easyGroup, creates easyInternetCafe which by 2005 will become the largest Internet cafe chain in the world.
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