How Coffee Spread Across Europe and America in the 1600s

You’ve heard coffee has been around for centuries—but when exactly did it arrive in Europe? And how did it spread from the Middle East to England, France, and even New York? If you’re curious which cities got coffee first, who imported it, and when locals started drinking it socially, this timeline lays it all out with exact dates and places.

Coffee first reached Europe in 1615 via a French traveler bringing it from Turkey, but the first documented European coffee import happened in 1640 when Dutch merchants shipped beans from Yemen’s Mocha port to Amsterdam. By the 1650s, coffeehouses were opening across Venice, London, and Paris, and by 1668, the drink had crossed the Atlantic to North America.

The First Sightings of Coffee in Europe

Europeans first learned about coffee in 1573 through a German doctor living in Syria. By the second half of the 16th century, travelers along the eastern Mediterranean brought back stories and samples. But the first physical arrival came later: in 1615, a Frenchman reportedly brought coffee from Turkey to Venice—though some say Venetian merchants already had it by the late 1500s.

How Coffee Entered the Continent

The Dutch and British East India Companies, founded in 1602 and 1660 respectively, played key roles. These 17th–19th century trading firms moved goods between Asia and Europe, and helped transport coffee as well. Notably, Arabs had introduced coffee cultivation to India earlier, helping expand its reach. In 1640, Dutch traders made the first known European coffee import, bringing Yemeni beans to Amsterdam via the port of Mocha.

Coffeehouses and Early Coffee Culture

By 1625, Cairo had over 300 coffee shops serving sweetened coffee. The first European coffeehouse opened in Venice in 1645, making coffee an everyday drink in Italy. London got its first coffeehouse in 1650 (opened by a Jew in Oxford) and its first proper café in 1652 (run by a Greek). Meanwhile, Paris saw its first mobile coffee sellers before settling down with its first café in 1672, opened by an Armenian. That same year, Louis XIV began his second war against the Dutch.

Coffee Reaches Northern Europe and Beyond

In 1650, the Dutch were already enjoying coffee in their cafés. Germany got coffee by 1670, and Paris welcomed its first salon-style intellectual café, Café Procope, in 1686—opened by a Sicilian. Before that, street vendors sold coffee from tanks. In 1683, Vienna’s first coffeehouse opened after the Turks left behind beans during their retreat. French doctors began prescribing milk coffee for medicinal use in 1685, boosting its popularity. In 1664, the Dutch opened their first café in The Hague, and in 1668, coffee finally arrived in North America—four years after the British renamed New Amsterdam (taken from the Dutch) to New York.

Early Coffee Trade and Imports

The Dutch were pioneers in coffee trading. They began importing coffee from Yemen’s Mocha port as early as 1640, transporting it to Amsterdam. This marked the start of structured European coffee importation. The British East India Company formed in 1660, and the Dutch East India Company had been active since 1602, facilitating the movement of goods—including coffee—between continents. By the mid-1600s, coffee was moving steadily from the Arabian Peninsula through European trading hubs.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did coffee first arrive in Europe?

Coffee first arrived in Europe in 1615 when a French traveler brought it from Turkey to Venice. However, some evidence suggests that Venetian merchants may have had coffee as early as the late 1500s. The first official European import was by Dutch traders in 1640, who brought Yemeni coffee beans from the port of Mocha to Amsterdam.

What was the first European city with a coffeehouse?

The first European coffeehouse opened in Venice in 1645. This marked the beginning of coffee as a publicly consumed beverage in Italy. Prior to that, coffee was still a novelty and not widely available in public establishments.

When did coffee reach England and France?

England’s first coffeehouse opened in 1650 in Oxford (run by a Jewish proprietor), and London’s first café opened in 1652 (operated by a Greek). France’s first coffeehouse appeared in 1672, established by an Armenian in Paris. Prior to that, coffee was sold by street vendors in the city.

How did coffee get to North America?

Coffee reached North America in 1668, four years after the British captured New Amsterdam from the Dutch in 1664 and renamed it New York. The drink had already been present in the region through Dutch influence before spreading more widely.

Which countries were the first to trade coffee in Europe?

The Dutch and British were the first major European traders of coffee. The Dutch East India Company began importing coffee from Yemen’s Mocha port in 1640, while the British East India Company was founded in 1660. These companies facilitated the movement of coffee from Asia to Europe.

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