Chapter 3: The First Cafés - From Street Vendors to Establishments

Before cafés as we know them existed, Armenian and Turkish vendors wandered Parisian streets selling coffee from portable urns. These entrepreneurial immigrants, dressed in exotic costumes to attract customers, would cry "Café, bon café!" as they made their rounds. For two sous, Parisians could sample this mysterious black beverage that promised to cure everything from dropsy to melancholy.

The transformation from street vending to established cafés began in 1672 when an Armenian named Pascal opened the first coffee house at the Saint-Germain fair. Though Pascal's venture failed—Parisians weren't quite ready to pay premium prices for coffee served in a tent—it paved the way for others.

The breakthrough came in 1686 when Francesco Procopio dei Coltelli, a Sicilian entrepreneur, opened Café Procope on rue de l'Ancienne Comédie. Procopio understood what Pascal had missed: Parisians didn't just want coffee; they wanted an experience. He created an elegant space with mirrors, marble tables, and crystal chandeliers. Café Procope became the model for all future cafés, combining Oriental coffee with French elegance.