WebTalks
Armenian Merchants and the Origins of European Café Culture
Ina Baghdiantz McCabe
Dr. Baghdiantz McCabe examines the Armenian origins of Europe’s first cafés in Paris and Vienna.
Armenian Merchants and the Origins of European Café Culture
A staple of European social life today, coffee was virtually unknown in Europe until the 17th century when merchants in the coffee trade first introduced it to locals by opening the first cafes. Dr. Baghdiantz McCabe examines the history of these initial cafes, which changed the social life of major European cities like Paris and Vienna, tracing their origins to Armenian merchants from New Julfa who opened them and gave coffee the reputation it has today.
