Napoleon’s Coffee Obsession and Vienna’s Coffee Ban

In 1790s Paris, a short, stocky young officer walked into the famous Procope Café—but forgot his money. The waiter, unforgiving, took his military cap as collateral. That “nobody” was Napoleon Bonaparte. Long before he became emperor, he was already a coffee drinker with a complex relationship to the drink, the city, and Europe’s evolving café culture.

Napoleon drank coffee with a few drops of brandy and lemon juice—not milk—and called it ‘George Coffee’ after his personal attendant. He liked it strong, bitter, and warming. During the Vienna coffee ban, citizens rioted for their morning cup. Here’s how coffee shaped Napoleon’s life, and how war nearly erased Vienna’s coffeehouse tradition.

Napoleon’s Early Café Days in Paris

Before rising to power, Napoleon frequented some of Paris’s most iconic coffeehouses. One of his regular spots was the Regency Café, known for chess. He wasn’t a great player—he often lost due to overly aggressive moves—but he loved the game. Frustrated after bad losses, he once complained, ‘It’s neither rigorous enough as a science nor easy enough as a game.’ To this day, the café displays the original copper-rimmed chess table he used.

He also visited the famous Procope Café, where an embarrassing moment made history: he couldn’t pay his bill and left his military cap behind as security. That incident marks one of the first recorded sightings of the future emperor in the Parisian café scene.

How Napoleon Took His Coffee

Napoleon had a very specific, non-traditional coffee routine. He disliked milk intensely—it made him nauseous—so he avoided adding it to his coffee, unlike the Viennese tradition that persists today. Instead, he insisted on a unique mix: black coffee with a few drops of brandy and lemon juice. This combination gave him the stimulation he craved, and he famously claimed that coffee ‘excites me, gives me warmth and extraordinary strength, and makes me insensitive to pain.’

His attendant, George Francis, always prepared his coffee while they were on campaign. Whenever Napoleon wanted a cup, he’d simply call out, ‘George, coffee!’ This habit led to the term ‘George Coffee’ in court circles, later associated with high-quality brews. After Napoleon’s exile to Elba, George opened a Paris café named ‘George Coffee,’ serving what he called ‘Napoleon Coffee’—a unique brew tied directly to the emperor’s tastes.

The Vienna Coffee Ban and Public Revolt

In 1805, Napoleon’s forces captured Vienna and occupied the Schönbrunn Palace. French troops drank up supplies and disrupted daily life, including the city’s famed coffee culture. Coffee became scarce and prices soared. In response, some cafés mocked the occupiers by having waiters dress as Napoleonic soldiers—a petty but pointed form of resistance.

With real coffee hard to find, some cafés even served a root-based substitute that mimicked coffee’s flavor—but it was no replacement. Worse, Emperor Franz II cracked down on political expression in coffeehouses, banning political books and allowing only state newspapers. As poet Ernst noted, Viennese cafés turned tense and fearful, unlike the lively intellectual hubs found elsewhere in Europe.

By early 1810, the government went a step further: they issued a total coffee sales ban. For coffee-loving Viennese, the morning ritual vanished. People tried substituting with beer soup, wine, or even vegetable stew—but nothing worked. Cafés transformed into casual eateries by day and wine bars by night, losing their cultural core.

When Napoleon fell in 1814 and the ban lifted, Viennese crowds flooded the streets. Men and women fought over bags of coffee—some suffered injuries during the chaos. Coffeehouses reopened, and the city’s love affair with coffee resumed, now richer in meaning. The Viennese tradition of adding milk, cream, milkshakes, and sugar to coffee continues to this day—as if in deliberate defiance of Napoleon’s preferences.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Napoleon really leave his military cap in a Paris café?

Yes. As a young officer in the 1790s, Napoleon visited the Procope Café in Paris but couldn’t pay his bill. The waiter kept his military cap as collateral. Napoleon would later become emperor, and this incident became a well-known anecdote about his early days in Parisian café culture.

What kind of coffee did Napoleon drink?

Napoleon drank black coffee with added brandy and lemon juice. He disliked milk and avoided it entirely. His preferred mix was strong black coffee enhanced with a few drops of brandy and citrus, which he claimed gave him energy, warmth, and pain relief.

What was ‘George Coffee’?

‘George Coffee’ was the nickname for the coffee prepared by Napoleon’s attendant, George Francis. Whenever Napoleon wanted coffee, he would call out, ‘George, coffee!’ The term became synonymous with high-quality coffee in court circles. Later, George opened a café in Paris called ‘George Coffee,’ serving a brew known as ‘Napoleon Coffee.’

Why did Vienna ban coffee in 1810?

The Austrian government banned coffee in 1810 under Napoleon’s occupation and continuing political tension. The ban aimed to control public spaces like cafés, which were hubs for political discussion. Coffee had become scarce due to war supply issues, and the government feared the role of cafés in spreading dissent.

How did people in Vienna react to the coffee ban?

Viennese citizens were furious. Coffee was a daily staple, usually enjoyed with bread. When it was banned, people tried substitutes like beer soup or wine, but nothing replaced coffee. When the ban ended in 1814, crowds rioted in the streets, fighting over coffee supplies, with some injured in the chaos.

Do Viennese still drink coffee with milk?

Yes. Unlike Napoleon, who avoided milk, modern Viennese coffee culture embraces milk, cream, milkshakes, and sugar. This tradition continues today and is often seen as a cultural contrast to Napoleon’s bitter, liquor-laced preferences.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for French & Viennese Style Coffee

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