Exploring Cafe Culture Around the World: France, Italy, and the United States

In France, cafes are more than just places to eat and drink. They are places where people gather, talk, and reflect. They are places that are filled with humanity.

A space that exists in everyday life

Walking around Paris, you'll see cafe terraces lined up on every street corner, with many people enjoying a cup of coffee from morning to night. In France, going to a cafe is not a special event, but a part of life. The sight of someone sipping a cup of cafe crème while reading the newspaper shows the French sensibility that values ​​the passage of time.

A soil that nurtured art and thought

Historically, French cafes have also been places where intellectuals and artists met. "Deux Magots" and "Café de Flore," famously frequented by Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir, continue to attract many cultural figures and tourists today.

The idea that a café is not just a place, but a stage where creativity and dialogue take place , is still alive and well in French society today.

In Italy, coffee is enjoyed "fast, strong, and passionate." As espresso culture symbolizes, the way of enjoying coffee is very unique, yet also deeply spiritual.

Bars are social spaces

In the morning, stopping by a bar in town, ordering an espresso, drinking it in a few sips while standing, and then heading off to your next destination is a completely natural part of Italian daily routine. The short conversations with the barista across the counter and the greetings between regulars also create a warm atmosphere.

Italian coffee culture can be said to be a habit that adds rhythm and heat to everyday life .

Regional styles

In the north, a relatively mellow and light roast is preferred, while the further south you go, the more bitter and strong the coffee tends to be. For example, in Naples, people prefer a strong and sweet espresso, and it is common to drink a glass of water after drinking it to enjoy the aftertaste.

The consistency of Italy's commitment to coffee remains the same in every region, and this is also one of its charms.

American cafe culture is characterized by its diversity and freedom compared to other countries, where efficiency and individuality, comfort and creativity coexist.

A symbol of takeaway and personalization

In America, "carrying coffee on the go" is a kind of culture. It is a common sight to see people walking to work in the morning with a large cup in hand. When ordering, it is also common to customize your coffee to your liking, such as the type of milk, whether you want syrup, whether you want iced or hot. It can be said that the American way is to be able to "put your own personality" into one cup of coffee .

The emergence of the third wave

Since the 2000s, a movement known as "third wave coffee" has emerged, centered in cities like San Francisco and Portland. This trend is focused on coffee bean producers and their origins, and on the pursuit of quality in every cup through careful extraction and serving methods.

This trend has created a trend towards quality over quantity, and it could be said that "American coffee has taken on not only functional but also emotional value."