Coffee is not just a beverage — it's a journey across the world, a bridge between cultures, and a daily ritual for millions. Its origins trace back centuries to the ancient coffee forests of Ethiopia, where legend tells the story of Kaldi, a curious goat herder who noticed his goats dancing energetically after eating bright red berries from a mysterious shrub. And just like that, the magic of coffee began to spread.
From the Ethiopian highlands, coffee traveled to Yemen, where the first coffee houses—qahveh khaneh—emerged. These spaces became centers of intellectual exchange, where poets, scholars, and artists gathered to share ideas over steaming cups of “qahwa.” Coffee then journeyed through the Middle East, Turkey, and Persia, eventually reaching Europe in the 17th century, where it was hailed as the "wine of the intellect."