# The Bohemian Espresso Bars of 1950s Soho



## goloshthefox (Jan 14, 2016)

The UK's espresso revolution began in Soho when, in 1953, an itinerant dental salesman from Italy installed a Gaggia espresso machine in a bombed out laundrette on Frith Street. It would become Moka Bar.

Over the next 10 years, a cluster of bohemian espresso bars would appear all over Soho and the wider city: some gothic, some avant-garde. These, believe it or not, were the birthplaces of British rock and roll.

Check out my feature in the Telegraph on the espresso revolution of 1950s Soho and mourn their youthful, counter-cultural creativity as house prices soar and the area is invaded by investment banks.

Please share the article on Facebook and Twitter. It contains some amazing video footage of 1950s Soho.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/d...thread-espresso-revolution.html#disqus_thread

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/uk/london/12096693/The-fascinating-story-of-Sohos-1950s-espresso-revolution.html


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## h1udd (Sep 1, 2015)

Nice article :thumbs:


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## Zimmerman (Mar 19, 2015)

Very surprised there's no mention of Bar Italia which opened 4 years before Moka Bar.

http://www.baritaliasoho.co.uk


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## lotuseater (Dec 25, 2015)

Zimmerman said:


> Very surprised there's no mention of Bar Italia which opened 4 years before Moka Bar.
> 
> http://www.baritaliasoho.co.uk


He does mention it and acknowledges it opening in 1949, but says it predated the espresso boom. I have fond memories of it - used to drink coffee in Bar Italia through the 80s and 90s very late at night after clubbing.


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## yardbent (Aug 8, 2015)

ah fond memories

fav place to ''chat up the birds'' was an Italian coffee shop near the Clock Tower in Crouch End Hornsey N8

talking late 1950's


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## DavidBondy (Aug 17, 2010)

lotuseater said:


> used to drink coffee in Bar Italia through the 80s and 90s very late at night after clubbing.


It was after very late nights at Ronnie Scott's for me .. happy memories .. I think the espresso was pretty awful in retrospect but I didn't know the difference then and it fulfilled a need for caffeine at that time of the morning ....


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## lotuseater (Dec 25, 2015)

@DavidBondy yes spill out of Ronnie's and across the road...


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Great article - and I fancy the Saturday tour.


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Just booked on the walking tour - has anyone else done it?


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## Norvin (Sep 10, 2014)

Some more information on the Gaggia website; http://www.gaggia.com/n-m-co/espresso/the-story


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## johnathont (Jan 19, 2016)

Really interesting/ enlightening stuff, thanks!


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