Coffee – More Than a Drink, a Foundation of Culture

🌿 Let’s Have a Coffee

In Vietnam, we don’t say “let’s meet at the coffee shop.” We simply say, “let’s have a coffee.” Because here, coffee is not just a drink—it’s a way to connect, to share stories, and to build community.

This spirit of connection has always been part of coffee’s journey. More than a thousand years ago, coffee first appeared in Muslim prayer gatherings, creating a sacred space where people could come together. By the 16th century, the first coffee houses in Istanbul had become more than places to sell drinks. They turned into lively centers of cultural and social life—where people played chess, exchanged news, discussed ideas, and found new opportunities.

Artists, writers, and poets also brought their work into these spaces. Coffeehouses were called “schools of knowledge,” where ideas flowed freely and social barriers faded. Coffee became known as the “milk of chess players and thinkers,” fueling conversations about Truth, Goodness, and Beauty. Today, every time we sit down and say “let’s have a coffee,” we’re not just sharing a cup—we’re continuing a thousand-year tradition of gathering, learning, and creating together.