It would be hard to think of Italy without coffee. After all it is the national breakfast and the home to coffee drinks that have taken the rest of the world by storm. No, coffee was not invented in Italy but coffee culture as we know it did originate there. Today Italy is a country of coffee aficionados who will not tolerate (or visit) an establishment that has bad coffee. Italians will even skip coffee in a restaurant to have one at a favorite bar, it is just that important.
Most of the world's coffee today comes from either South America or Indonesia (hence the nickname Java), but coffee originated in the highlands of Ethiopia and did not reach Europe for thousands of years.
It was not until the 16th century that the introduction of coffee to Europe took place. Coffee arrived from the Middle East where it had achieved a near cult like following, with the first coffeehouses being established in Istanbul. Once accepted by Islamic law (it was very nearly banned, like alcohol) the beverage followed the spread of Islam across Africa and Eastern Europe. Venice, which relied heavily upon trade with the Muslim east, was first introduced to coffee in the 1570's.
However coffee would remain a luxury item at this time and not drunk for refreshment, but as a medicinal drink; however once coffee was transplanted to European colonies in Asia and South America the bean thrived and became accessible to the public.
The 17th century saw the opening of the first European coffeehouse in Venice, which later spawned over two hundred others along its canals. Coffee spread quickly at this point and other coffeehouses were founded in the major cities of Italy. Some of these dignified and elegant establishments are still in existence in Venice, Turin and Rome.
