How the First Italian Coffee Bar Started

In the 1800s, the story goes that Turkish soldiers laid siege to Vienna, fueled around the clock by coffee. Their stamina wasn’t endless, though—and when the city finally forced them to retreat, a multilingual soldier named Kolschitzky played a pivotal role. As the story goes, his knowledge of Turkish turned the tide, and for his bravery, he was gifted all the leftover coffee beans from the Turkish camp.

The short answer? The world’s first coffee bar tradition started in 1863 when Kolschitzky, who ran a food shop, began serving boiled coffee with sugar—no furniture allowed. Customers stood at the bar to sip, creating the standing coffee culture still common in modern Italian espresso bars.

The Role of Kolschitzky and the Siege of Vienna

During the 1863 siege of Vienna by the Ottoman Empire, legend says the Turkish troops were unusually energetic due to heavy coffee consumption. Their eventual withdrawal was aided by Kolschitzky, a man who spoke Turkish. As a reward for his service, the military commander awarded him all the Turkish coffee beans abandoned during the retreat.

Kolschitzky’s Early Experiments with Coffee

Kolschitzky already ran a food shop, and with the unexpected windfall of coffee beans, he decided to experiment. He brewed coffee by boiling grounds with sugar and then pouring off the clear liquid on top. This basic method marked some of the earliest efforts to adapt what we now call Turkish coffee for local tastes.

The Birth of the Standing Coffee Bar

Kolschitzky didn’t have tables or chairs in his shop. Instead, customers stood at the bar to try his new brew. The rich aroma drew in crowds, and this no-frills, quick-service format became a hit. Importantly, patrons didn’t linger—they drank and left, a model that emphasized speed and efficiency.

How This Shaped Modern Italian Coffee Culture

This early standing coffee format laid the groundwork for the modern Italian coffee bar. In Italy today, it’s still common to stand at the bar to drink an espresso, often quickly and without sitting down. The tradition emphasizes efficiency, sociability, and a focus on the coffee itself rather than a lingering café experience.

Why Standing Coffee Became the Norm

The original setup in Kolschitzky’s shop—no seating, fast service, bold coffee—created a template that valued quick consumption. Italian espresso culture adopted and reinforced this: espresso is meant to be sipped fast, often standing, allowing for a social yet speedy coffee moment. This contrasts with other coffee cultures that emphasize lounging.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Kolschitzky and why is he important in coffee history?

Kolschitzky was a multilingual soldier who helped defend Vienna against the Ottoman siege in the 19th century. After the Turks retreated, he was given their leftover coffee beans as a reward for his bravery and linguistic skills. He is credited with adapting Turkish-style coffee for European tastes and pioneering the standing coffee bar format.

What did Kolschitzky do with the Turkish coffee beans?

Kolschitzky boiled the coffee grounds with sugar and poured off the clear liquid to make an early version of Turkish coffee. He served this brew to customers standing at a bar, with no seating provided. This approach became the foundation of the standing coffee bar tradition.

Did the first Italian coffee bars serve espresso?

Not exactly. The very first coffee bars served a boiled coffee similar to Turkish coffee. Espresso as we know it wasn’t developed until later in the 19th and early 20th centuries in Italy, but the standing service model created by Kolschitzky influenced the quick, efficient coffee bar culture that espresso later thrived in.

Why do Italians often drink espresso standing up?

Italians often drink espresso standing at the bar because it’s quick, social, and mirrors the original standing coffee tradition started in the 1800s. This habit emphasizes efficiency and keeps the focus on the coffee rather than a long sit-down experience. It’s a cultural norm that dates back to early coffee bar formats like those pioneered by Kolschitzky.

Are there still coffee shops that operate like Kolschitzky’s original setup?

Yes. Many traditional Italian coffee bars still operate with a standing bar area where customers can quickly order and drink an espresso without sitting down. While not identical to Kolschitzky’s original shop, the format of standing, fast service, and no lingering remains a common practice in Italy today.

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