Dubai – Qahwa World
In its latest issue, National Geographic published a beautiful report on Europe’s best cafés, titled: “Sip your way across Europe’s best cities for coffee.”
The magazine begins its report by saying: “From Turin’s distinctively named coffees to Vienna’s historic salons, Europe offers a rich experience for coffee lovers, blending long-standing traditions with modern brewing techniques.”
According to the magazine, coffee may have originated in Ethiopia, but Europe is where it matured culturally. It traveled from Africa to Yemen during the Middle Ages, reached Turkey in the 16th century, and spread across the continent in the 17th century through Ottoman diplomats and merchants coming to Venice. Cafés soon flourished, becoming social hubs for artists and thinkers.
The magazine emphasizes that coffee remains an essential part of European life today, where historic cafés coexist with modern specialty coffee roasters, creating a diverse and ever-evolving scene.
It then highlights seven cities where coffee lovers can explore this world, as follows:
- 1. Vienna
Vienna is one of Europe’s foremost coffee cities, known for its opulent cafés dating back to the 19th century, designed in architectural styles such as Neo-Renaissance and Neo-Baroque. The city’s café culture has been inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
Start with a Wiener Melange at Café Frauenhuber, Vienna’s oldest café. Then head to Café Central to try an Einspänner, an espresso topped with whipped cream, in surroundings of marble columns and vaulted ceilings.
For dessert lovers, Café Demel offers a variety of pastries and Kaiserschmarrn served with flavored coffee. Café Landtmann, once frequented by Sigmund Freud, is famous for its apple strudel served with a Brauner—espresso with milk on the side. For a modern experience, coffee experts offer workshops and serve cold brews and coffee cocktails.
- 2. Copenhagen
Copenhagen is known for its light roasting style common in Nordic countries, where beans are roasted at lower temperatures for shorter durations, preserving fruity flavors and natural acidity.
Visitors can learn about these techniques in local coffee roastery workshops. Specialty cafés offer a wide range of coffee types and brewing methods.
In cafés that combine bakery and roastery, pastries are a key part of the experience. Try an almond croissant or custard-filled pastry with drinks such as espresso tonics or cold brews.
- 3. Paris
Paris would be unimaginable without its cafés, which are integral to its cultural and literary history.
Left Bank cafés are among the most famous destinations, frequented by renowned writers and philosophers. Here, you can order a café au lait, a traditional coffee made with brewed coffee instead of espresso.
The city’s oldest cafés evoke the Enlightenment era and are associated with major thinkers. Modern specialty cafés offer high-quality, locally roasted beans for coffee enthusiasts.
- 4. Istanbul
Coffee culture in Istanbul dates back to the 16th century when the Ottoman Sultan embraced it and established the office of the Chief Coffee Maker. This tradition has been listed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
Turkish coffee is made from very finely ground beans and slowly brewed in a small pot, giving it a thick and rich texture. It is served unfiltered, leaving grounds that are later used for fortune-telling.
For a traditional experience, visit historic cafés serving coffee with Eastern sweets. Modern cafés offer innovative drinks, including cold brews and spiced coffee beverages.
- 5. Madrid
Café con leche is Madrid’s defining coffee drink, a 50/50 mix of espresso and hot milk.
Historic cafés dating back to the 19th century coexist with artistic venues reflecting the city’s past.
A distinctive feature of Spanish coffee is the torrefacto roasting method, where sugar is added during roasting, producing dark beans with a smoky, caramelized flavor. For purer coffee, specialty cafés offer beans roasted using modern methods.
- 6. Stockholm
In Stockholm, coffee is part of a daily tradition known as fika, a social coffee and cake break.
Popular options include cinnamon rolls, cardamom buns, and sponge cakes filled with cream and jam. The rise of specialty coffee has refined the fika experience, with cafés sourcing carefully selected beans and roasting them in small batches.
Some roasters provide detailed brewing guides, while bakeries offer fresh bread ideal for breakfast.
- 7. Trieste
Trieste is one of Italy’s most important coffee cities. As a major port in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, coffee trade thrived after taxes were abolished in the 18th century.
Its historic cafés feature luxurious décor and classic atmospheres reflecting the city’s heritage.
Trieste also has its own coffee terminology: espresso served in a small glass with frothed milk is called “Capo in B,” while a simple espresso is known as “Nero.” Coffee is often paired with traditional local pastries to complete the experience.
