Tel Aviv’s coffee culture rooted in poetry, resistance
Coffeehouses – as they were first called – were widely known throughout history as open, democratic spaces
Wise philosophers have come to the conclusion that there are two types of people in this world: those who are obsessed with coffee, and those who deprive themselves of its pleasure.
In Israel’s cultural hub of Tel Aviv, some people grab and go, but many sit and enjoy the hot drink any time of the day or night. Some even sit for hours. As someone who has lived in Israel for more than nine years, I'm finally exploring this phenomenon for myself.
It’s morning, and I arrive in Tel Aviv as the city is still in the process of waking up. The first stop of five on my journey to discover coffee culture in Israel is one of the most popular spots in Tel Aviv – Nachat Cafe, which is perfectly situated in the city's center with a direct view of the Dizengoff Square fountain.
Despite the fact that it is almost morning rush hour, there is one thing I see everywhere I look: coffee cups. People walking with their mugs, schmoozing with their java in hand by the fountain, or sitting at cafes with a latte, reading the newspaper.
Coffee hits Tel Aviv
I met with coffee sociologist Noa Berger, and we sat down for a chat about Tel Aviv’s coffee culture, over some coffee, of course. The first thing I learned was that Israelis’ love for coffee is deeply rooted in diverse traditions, cultures, and history.
“Each community that immigrated to Israel brought with it their own coffee traditions, as well as, of course, Arab-Israelis and Palestinians,” Berger told me.
But while coffee, of all things, holds so much meaning across different sectors of Israeli society, Berger explained how cafe culture in Tel Aviv specifically came to be: “There were kinds of Arabic-style cafes which started opening up from the 16th century, more or less. They were sit-down cafes, where you have your coffee overtime during the day or the evening.”
Then the era of ‘the Tel-Avivan cafe’ – as she called it – emerged in the 1930s, as more Europeans emigrated to British Mandate Palestine. Berger said that coffee itself was secondary to the experience of sitting at a cafe at that point, as cafe-goers usually drank alcohol or tea.
“It's about sitting together, writing poetry, writing literature, discussing it as well. These kinds of parliaments start forming around these coffee shops. These famous poets, like Chaim Nachman Bialik, Leah Goldberg, and Natan Alterman – they each have their tables, their group of followers around them, and they spend all day at the cafe, just discussing poetry.”
Open spaces
Coffeehouses – as they were first called – were widely known throughout history as open and democratic spaces.
Although authorities around the world often felt threatened by them over the centuries and even made several attempts to ban the beloved drink, “Coffee is such a wonderful, stimulating drink for most people, that it ended up winning wars, ultimately, despite fears,” Berger said with a smile.
From the discovery of an Ethiopian bean to the emergence of cafes and beyond, the era of Tel Aviv coffee culture that we know today is rooted in resistance, poetry, and the spread of ideas. The aroma of coffee serves as an anchor, Berger added, but its underlying traditions are what make Tel Avivis who they are.
Keep following for part two of discovering coffee culture in Israel.