From the Ottoman coffee houses and London’s penny universities, to Viennese Kaffeehäuser and smoke-filled Parisian terraces, this book features the most important and historic establishments around the world.

This cultural history of the great cafés of Europe and beyond will transport you to a world of heated debates, quiet observation, endless games of backgammon and heaps of political intrigue. On the menu are not only strong coffee, whipped cream and delicious cakes, but also the wise words of some of the most renowned café patrons, from Balzac to Hemingway. From the Ottoman coffee houses and London’s penny universities, to Viennese Kaffeehäuser and smoke-filled Parisian terraces, this book features the most important and historic establishments around the world. Chapters such as ‘Brewing Trouble’, ‘Northern Harbours’ and ‘Around the world in 8 cafés’ will trace the history of the café as a creative and intellectual hub; offer a guide to the best addresses to visit today; and zoom in on interesting elements, including the iconic bentwood café chair or the story behind the craze for absinthe, the Green Fairy.