James Lucas Profile picture
Jan 15, 2025 • 27 tweets • 9 min read • Read on X
Thread of the most stunning cafes on Earth đź§µ

1. New York Café, Budapest Photo by Joe Thomas
2. Café de Flore, Paris

Famous for its iconic shopfront, this magnificent café became a popular gathering spot for many intellectuals in the years following the war. Image
3. Caffè Florian, Venice

Founded in 1720, this historic café holds the title of Italy's oldest, continuing to operate today.

It has welcomed distinguished guests such as Goethe, Casanova, and, in later years, Lord Byron, Proust, and Charles Dickens.

4. Café Central, Vienna

Established in 1876, this café quickly became a gathering place for notable Viennese thinkers and historical figures, including Herzl, Zweig and Trotsky.

By January 1913, its visitors had included personalities such as Tito, Freud, and Stalin. Image
5. Café im Kunsthistorischen Museum, Vienna

The stunning beauty of the Café-Restaurant in the magnificent Cupola Hall of the museum is truly beyond what words can capture.

6. Les Deux Magots, Paris

Known for its historical ties to figures like Simone de Beauvoir, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Ernest Hemingway, this café also attracted Jim Morrison, who admired its Art Deco design and often enjoyed meals here. Image
7. Café Tortoni, Buenos Aires

Established in 1858 by a French immigrant, it was named Tortoni after a renowned Parisian café and drew inspiration from the coffee houses of the Fin de siècle period. Image
8. Café de la Paix, Paris

Located on the Place de l’Opéra, it beautifully combines timeless Napoleon III decor with contemporary elements.

The elaborate interior, its prestigious location, and high-profile guests all contribute to its worldwide cultural importance.
9. Le Train bleu, Paris

At first sight, this famous spot within Paris' Gare de Lyon might resemble a chic café, but it is actually a restaurant with exquisite dining rooms themed after French cities and regions, adorned with 41 paintings by renowned artists of the era. Image
10. Tiffany’s Blue Box Café, New York City

This spot offers an elegant experience with a luxurious ambiance, serving gourmet meals and signature cocktails inside the iconic jewelry store on Fifth Avenue. Image
11. Gran Caffè Gambrinus, Naples

Naples' renowned literary café has long been a gathering spot for intellectuals, politicians, and business men, embodying European elegance and culture.

It remains a favorite of Italian Presidents visiting the city.

12. Café Pushkin, Moscow

This historic café is known for its opulent 19th-century ambiance and classic Russian cuisine. Image
13. Confeitaria Colombo, Rio de Janeiro

Situated in the heart of Rio de Janeiro, this marvel stands as a prominent landmark in the city’s Central area and has earned recognition as one of the world’s 10 most stunning cafés, according to City Guides. Image
14. Majestic Café, Porto

This Art Nouveau-style café, located on Rua de Santa Catarina, is intertwined with the history of 1920s Porto and the tradition of café discussions, where politicians, writers, and intellectuals would gather to exchange and debate ideas. Image
15. Hotel Café Royal, London

Located in the heart of Regent Street, this luxury hotel offers a unique blend of Mayfair’s grace, Soho’s energy, and St. James’s refinement. Image
16. Café Imperial, Prague

Since its opening in 1914, the Café Imperial, built in the Art Deco style, has been one of Prague’s favorite cafés, reflecting the era of its construction, a time marked by archaeological discoveries in Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Greece. Image
17. Le Procope, Paris

A plaque at the café, founded in 1686 by Sicilian chef Procopio Cutò, claims it to be the world's oldest still operating.

Notable patrons included Jefferson and Voltaire, the latter famously consuming up to 50 cups of coffee with chocolate daily. Image
18. The Grand Café, Oxford

Founded in 1650, this café is widely acknowledged by various sources as the oldest in England. Image
19. Caffè Quadri, Venice

If you're a fan of dining surrounded by art, this is the spot for you.

The ground floor is adorned with pastel stuccos that depict Venetian life, painted by Giuseppe Ponga. Image
20. V&A Museum Cafe, London

The first-ever museum café was created with the goal of inspiring visitors to engage more deeply with cultural experiences.
21. Naguib Mahfouz Cafe, Cairo, Egypt

Hidden away in the mysterious labyrinth of Khan el Khalili Bazaar, this historic café blends literary charm, cultural ambiance, and culinary delights, offering a peaceful escape from the crowds. Image
22. Antico Caffè Greco, Rome

First established in 1760 on Via dei Condotti, it holds the title of Rome's oldest café and ranks as Italy's second oldest, following Caffè Florian.

Its renowned clientele over the years included luminaries such as Goethe, Byron, and Stendhal. Image
23. Café A Brasileira, Lisbon

This is one of Lisbon's most famous historic cafés, established in the 19th century to serve Brazilian coffee.

Poet Fernando Pessoa, commemorated with a statue at his favored table, often visited to indulge in absinthe while writing and reading. Image
24. Café Landtmann, Vienna

Throughout its rich history, Café Landtmann has been a popular gathering place for Austria's business men, politicians, intellectuals, and creatives, such as Sigmund Freud, Gustav Mahler, and many more.

25. Le Café Marly, Paris

Located beneath the arcades of the Louvre, this renowned spot seamlessly merges the atmosphere of a Parisian brasserie with that of a literary café. Image
One more: a café in Qatar with a simple monochrome design that makes you feel like you’ve stepped into a storybook.

Thank you for reading till the end! If you enjoyed this thread, please share the first post and follow me for more beauty: @JamesLucasIT

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh
 

Keep Current with James Lucas

James Lucas Profile picture

Stay in touch and get notified when new unrolls are available from this author!

Read all threads

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

PDF

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

how to unroll video
  1. Follow @ThreadReaderApp to mention us!

  2. From a Twitter thread mention us with a keyword "unroll"
@threadreaderapp unroll

Practice here first or read more on our help page!

More from @JamesLucasIT

Oct 6, 2025
New Zealand photographer Jay Lichter takes stunning photos of tiny mushrooms đź§µ

1. Super tiny Mycena roseoflava Image
2. Cyptotrama asprata Image
Image
3. Leucoagaricus Image
Image
Read 10 tweets
Sep 27, 2025
Photographers and their famous images đź§µ

1. Steve McCurry – Girl In Afghanistan Image
2. Jeff Widener – Beijing 1989 Image
3. Neil Leifer – Ali vs. Liston Image
Read 15 tweets
Sep 24, 2025
The world’s most beautiful villages for 2025🧵

1. Bibury, Cotswolds, England

2. Hallstatt, Austria

3. Reine, Norway Image
Read 32 tweets
Sep 11, 2025
Thread of 9/11 footage you've (probably) never seen before đź§µ

1. The very moment that flight 175 struck the south tower of the World Trade Center.

2. Firefighters describing what they saw

3. A man who worked inside the Twin Towers realizes how fortunate he is to be having a day off.

Read 15 tweets
Sep 7, 2025
Thread on the beauty of children đź§µ

1. It's the same inside and outside her mother's womb

2. It’s a tradition in Brazil to give the first piece of cake to the person you love the most.

Wait for it...

3. A baby hearing their parents’ voice for the first time ever.

Read 22 tweets
Sep 5, 2025
World War II ~ A Thread đź§µ

1. WWII veteran: “This is not what they died for.”

2. During World War II, it was common for soldiers to keep family photos under clear grips on their 1911 pistols. They were called “sweetheart grips.” Image
3. Fighter pilot who served in WWII finds his fallen wingman’s grave after nearly 80 years

Read 21 tweets

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Support us! We are indie developers!


This site is made by just two indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3/month or $30/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Don't want to be a Premium member but still want to support us?

Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal

Or Donate anonymously using crypto!

Ethereum

0xfe58350B80634f60Fa6Dc149a72b4DFbc17D341E copy

Bitcoin

3ATGMxNzCUFzxpMCHL5sWSt4DVtS8UqXpi copy

Thank you for your support!

Follow Us!

:(