Here's a woodcut illustration that has been regarded as the 'earliest known image of a coffeehouse'. This piece is from 1674 and was reproduced in William Harrison Ukers' book All About Coffee (1922). What I love about this image is that despite it being from a completely different era, the scene could easily be from today (minus the old clothes and hair-dos).
Coffee is one of the great joys of my life, and I'm glad to know that if I somehow teleported back in time to London in 1674, I'd still be able to go grab a cup of coffee at a cafe. I'm sure cafes were much more social back then without the distraction of electronics. While I enjoy bringing my laptop to a cafe, it's also nice to go and do nothing besides chat with a friend while consuming caffeine together.
From the Public Domain Review: "In contrast to today's rather mundane spawn of coffeehouse chains, the London of the 17th and 18th century was home to an eclectic and thriving coffee drinking scene. Matthew Green explores the halcyon days of the London coffeehouse, a haven for caffeine-fueled debate and innovation which helped to shape the modern world."
See also: I've been making my pour-over coffee with a stainless steel filter
