A "café" can also refer to a small informal public discussion. These are usually live events, and often focus on starting an open conversation on a particular topic. Examples include science cafes in the US 1, Cafe Scientifique in the UK 2, and Cafe Society in Chicago 3.

In Europe

In European countries such as Austria, France, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Belgium, Portugal etc, the term café implies primarily serving coffee, typically complemented by a slice of cake/tart/pie, a "danish pastry", a plain bun, or similar sweet pastry on the side. Many (or most) cafés also serve small meals such as sandwiches. European cafés often have an enclosed or outdoor section extending onto the sidewalk. Some cafés also serves alcoholic beverages, although British cafés never sell alcohol.

In France, and some other countries, a brasserie is a "café" (in the American sense of the word) that serves meals, generally single dishes, in a more relaxed setting than a restaurant. In the Netherlands, a café is an establishment selling both coffee and liquor, as opposed to coffeeshop, which sells soft drugs (cannabis and hashish) and is typically not allowed to sell liquor.

In North America

A café or coffee shop is an informal restaurant with full-service tables and counters, and broad menu offerings over extended periods of the day. In hotels, the coffee shop is a more popular-priced alternative to the formal dining room. Coffee shops are generally open for breakfast, but in central cities, many independent coffee shops close after lunch time. Coffee shops often encourage families with special menus for children. To establish a family-friendly atmosphere, in many localities they serve only wine and beer.

Spelling and pronunciation

A long history of lack of support for accented characters in (first) typewriters and (later) computer OSs (which can be explained principally by the fact that these technologies were largely pioneered by people whose native language, English, generally did not require diacritical marks) has guaranteed that the spelling cafe has also become common.

See also

• Parisian café
• Viennese café
• Cafeteria
• Coffeehouse
• Greasy spoon
• Internet café
• Sidewalk cafe
• Cafe Scientifique
• Corporate Average Fuel Economy(CAFE)

External links

• Internet Cafés Directory