While café culture has evolved over the years, the core ingredients of enjoying a good cup of coffee in a venue of our choice remain the same. Nagi Morkos, founder and managing partner at Hodema Consulting Services, traces the story of the café, from the first coffeehouses to today’s innovative concept outlets.

Rumor has it that cafes, or coffeehouses, traveled from the Arabian Peninsula to the 16th-century Ottoman Empire, then extended their reach across European towns. Some establishments offered only coffee, giving Europeans non-alcoholic beverage options, while others featured a limited food menu. Today cafes are part of our everyday lives and cater to every consumer’s taste, presenting us with a wide array of concepts. Different regions and countries have their own take on the notion of what makes a café. These various approaches have all contributed to the heterogeneous map that makes up the café world we know and love today.

Timeless tradition

So let’s start with what we call ‘traditional’ coffeehouses. In the Middle East the founding Turkish interpretation remains hugely popular. Traditionally, the ‘kahvehane’ not only offered coffee and food, but also acted as a place to engage in social, cultural and political activities.

Today people spend hours in them, chatting, smoking shisha or playing cards and board games. Most establishments are independent, with many having not survived modernization and, instead, closing their doors. However, some have weathered the storms of changing times and remain standing, a proud reminder of their glory days. Iconic addresses, such as Fahim in Tripoli, Lebanon, El Fishawy in Cairo, Egypt and Al Shabandar in Baghdad, Iraq still welcome crowds looking for that vintage vibe. Modern chains reproducing the atmosphere are also starting to emerge, such as Cafe Younes in Lebanon.

Popular for people-watching

Traditional cafes still exist in Europe, especially in Italy and France, both of which have embraced the café culture over the centuries. The ideal way to experience this enjoyable pastime is to order an espresso on a terrace and indulge in some people-watching. cappuccino, teas and a choice of cold drinks, alongside alcohol, such as beer and wine. Many also offer food menus featuring anything from a few simple dishes to more sophisticated offerings, depending on their category.

All change, at pace

This popular type of café dominated the segment for centuries, becoming a familiar feature in books and films for generations of readers and viewers. But all of that changed when World War II came to an end and the Americans exported their way of life to Europe. The coffee shop concept crossed the ocean, bringing with it a quick and efficient take on coffee-drinking. Long idle hours spent discussing life over coffee gave way to
a modern décor, a couple of seats by a counter and even takeaway sandwiches. And the furniture was not the only transformation; American-inspired coffee shops began offering a larger range of coffees, including Americanos and various milk-based options. Australia even exported its own take on the beverage with the flat white. These coffee shops have become known for offering pastries, finger food and some simple hot dishes. Starbucks, Costa Coffee and Dunkin’ are among the leading players in this category today.

Other trends that are well established today include the popularity of specialty coffee. Global awareness of the problems relating to our farming methods and food quality continue to rise. This has prompted many producers and sellers to sharpen their focus on the coffee bean lifecycle, from growing the crops to roasting and brewing. Stricter standards have been implemented across the entire supply chain. In recent years, thousands of independent coffee roasters have opened across the globe, introducing their customers to higher quality java. Some chains, such as Arabica, have worked to successfully find a way of standing out from the coffee crowd.

As niche as it gets

More niche establishments have also emerged, with strong concepts propelling clients into distinctive worlds. Concept cafes have been particularly successful in Northern America and Asia, and are highly diverse. Examples range from cat cafes, where you can enjoy your drink while petting a feline, to board and video game outlets. Others are even more eccentric. For example, the Disaster cafe in Lloret Del Mar in Spain will let you drink and eat during a simulated earthquake, while the HR Giger Bar in Switzerland takes the form of a giant skeleton, inspired by the iconic creature from Alien.

Branching out

The seemingly unstoppable success of the cafe model has inspired other businesses, such as bakeries and cake shops, to explore and seize the opportunities on offer. Traditionally, bakeries tended not to include a seated area, while cake shops usually restricted themselves to a take-away service. However, establishments are increasingly expanding their premises to add tables, alongside a coffee and tea menu. French brands Paul and Ladurée have both entered the cafe world, for example, and are enjoying success.

Restaurants are also embracing the concept. Already equipped with the required Food and Beverage skills, many have branched out into the cafe sector, offering lighter, more affordable options for the cafe clientele. The brands adopting this strategy span the spectrum, from fast food outlets to exclusive names. In the category of ‘restaurant cafes,’ McDonald’s McCafé stands alongside the iconic brand Nobu, which today operates its own Nobu Cafe.