Meal Zense is returning to the coffee history after Yemen in the 15th century. Coffee got into the Arab world, including Egypt, Syria, and Turkey, from Yemen. The Ottoman Empire, which mainly controlled the Arab region at the time, played an important role in the spread of coffee throughout the region.
Coffeehouses began to appear in Ottoman Empire, and soon became important social and cultural institutions. They were places where people could gather to socialize, discuss politics, and conduct business. Coffeehouses also became associated with intellectual and artistic pursuits, and were often frequented by writers, poets, and philosophers.
Depiction of an Ottoman coffeehouse by Amadeo Preziosi, 1854
In the 17th and 18th centuries, coffee began to spread to Europe, and coffeehouses began to appear in European cities, and soon became popular gathering places for intellectuals, artists, and merchants.