The Espresso Behind James Joyce’s Ulysses

In 1904, a struggling Irish writer named James Joyce moved to Trieste—not Dublin, Paris, or Zurich—and stayed for over a decade. There, he drafted major works including Dubliners, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, and laid the groundwork for Ulysses. But amid the cafés and cobbled streets, what exactly was he drinking? The answer isn’t whiskey or tea, but a evolving cup of coffee tied to Trieste’s unique place in espresso’s birthplace.

Joyce lived in Trieste from 1904 to around 1915 and again later; he never drank Irish coffee (which emerged decades after his death), but he did frequent local cafés where early espresso experiments were underway, and where coffee traditions from Austria, Turkey, and Italy collided.

The Birthplace of Illy and Early Espresso

Trieste—today part of Italy—was then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Though modern espresso is often associated with postwar Milan or Naples, the city played a pivotal role. In 1935, Francesco Illy, an inventor from Trieste, patented the Illetta, the first coffee machine using compressed air pressure. This device laid the foundation for the Illy coffee empire. By the time Joyce was living there, steam-powered espresso machines had already been in use since 1901, with significant advancements throughout the 1920s. The café culture of Trieste was steeped in early espresso experimentation, even if the term “espresso” wasn’t yet standardized.

A City of Coffee Crossroads

Joyce’s Trieste was a city where Habsburg influence lingered, and where coffee reflected that layered history. Even though the city is now unmistakably Italian, the coffee Joyce drank wasn’t the espresso we know today—but it was close, and evolving rapidly.

Joyce, Coffee, and the Making of Ulysses

Joyce arrived in Trieste not long after the first commercial espresso machines appeared, and well before the Illetta’s invention. His letters identify the city as still under “Austrian” rule. During his time there, he frequented cafés that served a mix of styles: some with filtered Turkish-style brews, others with early espresso-like drinks, and many offering Viennese-style milk coffees. He wrote parts of Ulysses in these settings, and it was in a Paris café—later, not Trieste—that he sealed the book’s publishing deal with Sylvia Beach of Shakespeare and Company at the famous Les Deux Magots. But the groundwork, the daily fuel, the mental rhythm of writing—much of that happened over coffee in Trieste.

While there’s no record of his exact order, the coffee culture around him included strong black coffee, possibly unfiltered Turkish brews, early pressurized shots, and milk-based Viennese drinks. The crema-like foam on Turkish coffee mirrored what would later become a key visual cue in espresso. The stimulant effect, the routine, and the social setting of the café all supported his creative output during those formative years.

Café Culture in Joyce’s Time

Trieste’s café tradition was shaped by its role as a trading port and imperial crossroads. The city hosted grand cafés adorned with chandeliers and gilded details, where intellectuals and artists gathered. These spaces served not just coffee, but ideas. For Joyce, a foreigner in exile, the café was both office and refuge. Here, among the clinking cups and the hiss of early espresso machines, he plotted out the episodes of Ulysses and developed the interior monologues that would redefine modern literature.

Even after he left Trieste, the coffee rituals and the environment shaped his pace and process. The city’s layered coffee heritage—Turkish spice, Viennese cream, Italian pressure—created a unique environment where literature and caffeine intertwined.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did James Joyce ever drink Irish coffee?

No. Irish coffee—a mix of hot coffee, Irish whiskey, sugar, and cream—was invented in the late 1940s, long after Joyce’s death in 1941. He was never in Ireland after 1912 and had no opportunity to try it.

What kind of coffee did people drink in Trieste when Joyce lived there?

In early 1900s Trieste, coffee drinkers could find Turkish-style unfiltered coffee with spices and foam, early espresso-style drinks from steam-driven machines (since 1901), and Viennese milk-based coffees, including cream-heavy layered drinks. Espresso as we know it today was still in development.

What is the Illetta and why is it important?

The Illetta was the first coffee machine using compressed air pressure, patented in 1935 by Francesco Illy of Trieste. It was a precursor to modern espresso machines and helped establish the Illy coffee company. Joyce lived in Trieste before its invention, but during the rise of early espresso technology.

Where did Joyce write Ulysses?

Joyce wrote much of Ulysses in Trieste, where he developed its early concepts. He later finished and published the book in Paris, sealing the deal at Shakespeare and Company, but the foundational work happened in Trieste’s cafés.

Was espresso widely available in Trieste when Joyce was there?

Not yet as a standardized drink, but early espresso-type coffee made with steam pressure was common by the early 1900s. The technology improved throughout the 1920s, and by the mid-1930s, compressed air machines like the Illetta began to appear.

What coffee traditions influenced Trieste’s cafés during Joyce’s time?

Trieste’s coffee culture combined Austrian, Hungarian, Turkish, and Italian elements. That included Viennese milk coffees, spicy Turkish coffee, and early Italian espresso experiments. The city’s role as an imperial port made it a melting pot for global coffee styles.

FrontStreet Coffee Picks for Literary Espresso

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