During this time, public coffee houses were particularly popular in the Middle East, where people could listen to music, watch performers, play chess and discuss the news of the day over a cup of coffee. They became such an important centre for the exchange of information that the coffee houses were often referred to as ‘Schools of the Wise’¹.
In the 17th century, coffee appeared in Europe. The first European coffee was sold in pharmacies as a medicinal remedy. However coffee houses were soon established and quickly became popular. The first European coffee house opened in Venice in 1683.
Historically, coffee houses have been an important social gathering point in Europe and their appearance encouraged several cultural and political transformations during the 17th and 18th centuries². They provided a forum for exchanging views and nurturing public opinion across the social spectrum. Furthermore, the coffee houses were popular with natural philosophers, antiquarians and historians, as places for like-minded scholars to congregate, read, learn from and debate with each other³.
Coffee houses were, and continue to be, venues where people gather to talk, write, read, entertain one another, or pass the time. Some research suggests that we use light-hearted conversation to establish and maintain our connection within a group, as well as for mere information transfer. So, by providing a space for regular, but unplanned, interaction with members of the community, coffee houses may play a role in creating social networks, and therefore encouraging community values⁴.
Coffee houses, as meeting places, help facilitate the spread of information. This occurs informally, as a result of socialising, and, in some cases, through the availability of notice boards. As information passes through a social network, individuals within the community influence each other. The behaviours and norms that come to be adopted are the reflection of this ongoing interaction and collective cognition⁴.
In many countries, the social aspects of the coffee house have evolved to include the home, where individuals will host coffee mornings for friends and family to gather and converse. One study has suggested that over time, social isolation may be associated with poorer cognitive function in older adults⁵, and another found that offering coffee in the lounge area of a nursing home encouraged increased social interaction6, therefore some may stand to benefit from such social occasions.