Napoleon’s Coffee Obsession and Vienna’s Coffee Ban

In the years before the French Revolution, a squat, broad-faced young officer walked into Paris’s famous Café Procope, only to have his military cap held as collateral when he couldn’t pay. That officer? None other than a young Napoleon Bonaparte. His early coffee habits—and those of wartime Vienna—hold more drama than you’d expect.

Napoleon drank coffee with a few drops of brandy and lemon juice—not milk—and claimed it gave him strength and dulled pain. Vienna briefly banned coffee in 1810 under French occupation, causing coffeehouse riots when the ban ended. These stories reveal how deeply coffee intertwined with power, rebellion, and personal taste.

Napoleon’s Early Coffee Haunts

Before rising to power, Napoleon frequented Parisian cafés known for their intellectual and social scenes. He often visited the Café de la Régence, famed for chess. Though not a strong player, he enjoyed commanding the board. A brass-edged chess table he used remains on display there. He also patronized the Café Procope, where a waiter once confiscated his hat over an unpaid bill—a moment history almost forgot.

George Francis and “George Coffee”

Napoleon was so dependent on coffee that he traveled with a personal attendant, George Francis, whose sole job was brewing his coffee. Whenever Napoleon wanted a cup, he simply called, “George, coffee!” This phrase became synonymous with high-quality coffee in court circles. After Napoleon’s exile to Elba, Francis opened a café in Paris called “Café George,” serving a unique “Napoleon Coffee” blend that leveraged the emperor’s fame.

Napoleon’s Unusual Coffee Recipe

Napoleon disliked milk and avoided it in his coffee. Instead, he added a few drops of brandy and lemon juice to his brew. This explains his remark that coffee gave him “energy, warmth, and an extraordinary feeling, even without pain”—likely the effects of alcohol, not caffeine alone. Far from a purist, his preferences were practical and personal.

The Vienna Coffee Crisis Under Napoleon

When Napoleon captured Vienna in 1805, occupying the Schönbrunn Palace and taking the Austrian princess as his bride, tensions boiled over. In defiance, some Viennese cafés dressed waiters in French military uniforms. More seriously, French occupation disrupted coffee supplies, causing prices to soar. Some cafés resorted to serving a root-based “fake coffee” that failed to satisfy customers.

The 1810 Coffee Ban and Its Aftermath

Fearing political dissent, Austrian Emperor Francis I tightened control over coffeehouses, banning political books and allowing only government-approved newspapers. By early 1810, the government went further, issuing a full coffee sales ban. The public was outraged. Without coffee, cafés morphed into restaurants or wine bars. When the ban lifted after Napoleon’s fall, Viennese crowds rioted in the streets, fighting over coffee supplies. Men and women were injured in the chaos, but coffee returned triumphant.

Vienna’s Milk-Heavy Coffee Legacy

Today, Viennese coffee culture embraces milk, cream, milkshakes, and sugar—almost as if in deliberate contrast to Napoleon’s preferences. Their love of milky coffee contrasts sharply with the brandy-and-lemon coffee that Napoleon swore by, symbolizing a city that reclaimed its coffee identity with gusto.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Napoleon really have his military cap taken at a Paris café?

Yes. A young Napoleon Bonaparte once couldn’t pay his bill at Café Procope in Paris, and the waiter kept his military cap as collateral. At the time, he was an unknown junior officer—later to become emperor.

What did Napoleon put in his coffee?

Napoleon added a few drops of brandy and lemon juice to his coffee. He avoided milk, and claimed the brew gave him energy, warmth, and relief from pain—effects likely boosted by the alcohol.

What was “George Coffee”?

“George Coffee” was the nickname for the high-quality coffee Napoleon drank, named after his attendant George Francis who prepared it. The term became synonymous with premium coffee in French court circles.

Why did Vienna ban coffee in 1810?

Austrian Emperor Francis I banned coffee to suppress political discussion in cafés. Fearing revolutionary ideas, the government also restricted reading materials and eventually outlawed coffee sales entirely in early 1810.

What happened when Vienna’s coffee ban ended?

When the ban was lifted after Napoleon’s defeat, Viennese citizens rushed to buy coffee, leading to chaotic street scenes. People fought over supplies, with some injured in the enthusiasm to restore their coffee rituals.

How do Austrians take their coffee now?

Modern Viennese coffee is typically served with milk, cream, milkshakes, or sugar—often heavily sweetened and milky—almost the opposite of Napoleon’s preferred brandy-and-lemon style.

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