Napoleon’s Coffee Obsession and the Vienna Coffee Ban

In the years before the French Revolution, a short, stocky young officer with a round face walked into Paris’s famed Procope Café—but couldn’t pay his bill in full. The waiter, unimpressed, kept his military cap as collateral. That officer? None other than a young Napoleon Bonaparte. This wasn’t his only brush with coffee culture—and far from his strangest habit.

Napoleon drank coffee with a few drops of brandy and lemon juice—not just for taste, but for the kick. He also insisted on being served simply with "George, coffee," leading to the term "George coffee" as a shorthand for high-end brews. His unique coffee preferences and dramatic life events shaped coffee culture across Europe, especially during and after wartime.

Napoleon’s Early Coffee Haunts in Paris

Before rising to power, Napoleon frequented Paris’s chess-centric Regency Café. Though not a great player, he loved the game, often complaining that chess was "neither rigorous enough as a science nor easy enough as a game." He’d lose matches due to overly aggressive moves, yet remained a regular. The café still displays the original brass-edged chess table he used.

He was also a fixture at the historic Procope Café, one of the oldest in Paris, where he once famously left without paying his full tab—losing his military cap to an unrelenting waiter. Few knew then that the insulted customer would one day rule France.

George Francis, the Emperor’s Coffee Valet

Napoleon was so dependent on coffee that he brought his own personal coffee preparer, George Francis, on military campaigns. Whenever he wanted a cup, he’d bark, "George, coffee." This phrase became synonymous with premium coffee in court circles. After Napoleon’s exile to Elba, Francis opened a café in Paris called the George Café, where he served a proprietary "Napoleon Coffee" blend—capitalizing on the emperor’s fame.

Napoleon’s Unusual Coffee Recipe

Napoleon disliked milk intensely—it made him nauseous—so he took coffee black, but with two surprising additions: brandy and lemon juice. These gave his coffee a sharp, warming edge. Contrary to romantic notions of pure coffee appreciation, Napoleon once said it gave him "energy, warmth, and an ability to endure pain"—likely thanks to the alcohol, not the caffeine.

The Vienna Coffee Crisis During the Napoleonic Wars

When Napoleon invaded Vienna in 1805, he occupied Schönbrunn Palace (then the summer home of the Habsburgs), slept in Empress Theresa’s bed for a year, and even married an Austrian princess. The occupation caused widespread resentment. Some Viennese cafés mocked him by having waiters dress as Napoleonic soldiers—a petty but pointed form of resistance.

More seriously, the war disrupted coffee supplies. Prices soared and shortages led some cafés to serve a poor substitute made from herbal roots. With political censorship tightening—officials banned political books and restricted reading to government-approved newspapers—Vienna’s famous coffeehouse culture withered.

The 1810 Coffee Ban and Public Uprising

In early 1810, the Austrian government issued a total coffee sales ban. For coffee-loving Viennese, this was catastrophic. Citizens asked, "What do we drink with breakfast now?" Alternatives like beer soup, wine, or even vegetable broth didn’t cut it. Without coffee, cafés stopped functioning as cultural hubs and turned into casual eateries or wine bars.

When the ban ended in 1814 after Napoleon’s fall, Viennese crowds flooded the streets. Shoppers fought over beans—some suffered broken bones or head wounds in the chaos. Coffee returned not just as a drink, but as a symbol of reclaimed identity. To this day, Viennese coffee is served with milk, cream, milkshakes, and sugar—a deliberate contrast to Napoleon’s bitter, liquor-laced version.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

Yes. As a young officer before becoming emperor, Napoleon once couldn’t pay his full bill at the Procope Café in Paris, and the waiter kept his military cap as collateral. Few realized at the time that the man was the future Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.

What did Napoleon put in his coffee?

Napoleon drank his coffee black but added a few drops of brandy and lemon juice. He disliked milk and claimed the brew gave him energy, warmth, and helped him endure pain—likely due to the alcohol content rather than the coffee itself.

What was “George coffee”?

“George coffee” was a nickname for high-quality coffee that spread through the French court, originating from Napoleon’s habit of calling out “George, coffee” to his personal coffee attendant, George Francis.

Why did Vienna ban coffee in 1810?

The Austrian government banned coffee in 1810 during the Napoleonic Wars due to supply shortages, political repression, and economic strain. The ban also aimed to curb revolutionary discussions in cafés, which were then heavily monitored.

What happened when Vienna’s coffee ban ended?

When the coffee ban was lifted in 1814, Viennese citizens rushed to buy coffee, leading to chaotic street scenes with physical fights. The return of coffee symbolized a cultural and emotional victory over Napoleon and French occupation.

What coffee traditions did Vienna keep after the ban?

After the ban, Viennese coffee culture rebounded with a distinct style: coffee served with milk, cream, milkshakes, and sugar. This remains a local tradition and contrasts with Napoleon’s preferred bitter, citrus-and-brandy version.

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