At Solai Coffee, we believe that every cup tells a story, and that story doesn’t stop at the farm. Cafés have evolved into more than caffeine stops; they’re social sanctuaries, creative hubs, and cultural mirrors.

This piece, written by Princeton Taing, a student researcher based in Australia, is a thoughtful exploration of café culture through sociological, anthropological, and psychological lenses. It’s a long read, but a meaningful one, and we’re proud to share it with you.

As someone born into coffee farming and now rooted in the U.S. coffee community, I have deep admiration for Australia’s café culture. It's globally recognized for its attention to quality, its celebration of small, independent cafés, and its emphasis on sustainability and community. The level of craft, care, and intention woven into everyday café life in Australia is something I truly respect.

Here in Orlando, our coffee scene is vibrant, diverse, and rapidly evolving. From third-wave cafés to community roasters, there’s a powerful energy behind every pour. What connects both cultures, and what Solai Coffee stands for, is this shared belief that coffee is more than a drink. It's a way to build relationships, foster identity, and honor the hands that grow it.

This collaboration with Princeton reflects our values: coffee as a connector, community-builder, and cultural expression. Enjoy this exploration and consider how your next cup of coffee is part of a much larger, richer experience.

Introduction

There’s something magical and alluring about strolling into your favourite cafe, as the rich smell of freshly ground coffee and the warm smell of pastries delight your senses. You experience the gentle sound of conversations, maybe a hint of jazz and the coffee machines grinding away, causing a rich aroma. Cafes, as a space, are more than just places to grab your morning cup of coffee. In recent years, they have become places of socialisation, productivity and important financial contributors to our society. From Adelaide’s specialty coffee shops to renowned Melbourne cafes, society has witnessed how cafes have become the unofficial living rooms of our cities, where we see connections made and ideas born.

Understanding what makes a café successful requires an in-depth analysis that extends beyond just examining the menu, cost and location. To truly understand what a cafe is and how it reaches success, researchers must engage in a deeper exploration of human behaviour, cultural norms, and social structures. This includes considering how Australian and international cafes function at a sociological, anthropological and psychological level. From an anthropological perspective, a cafe can act as a third space for a community member, where they can function outside of home and work, where people gather. Socially, this can foster social interaction and community belonging. Cafes can also reflect anyone’s culture and identity, showing how different traditions and needs are met through food and socialising. When viewed through a psychological perspective, researchers consider how atmosphere, sensory appeal, and emotional connections can influence customer satisfaction. Beyond serving coffee, cafes serve as a way to support the fundamental human need to belong.

Defining Café Culture

Contemporary cafe culture represents a unique relationship between social interaction, cultural experience, human need and modern day lifestyle (1). As a simple definition, cafe culture can be seen as the social habits, values, and practices associated with spending time in a cafe (2). They have developed into spaces where diverse demographics can socially meet, sharing in a mutual space. Cafe culture as a whole often reflects broader cultural norms and can differ widely across different societies. The habit of visiting cafes and choosing them as social meeting places has continued to grow, influenced by community need and online social media influence.

Café Culture Through a Sociological Lens

From a social perspective, cafes fulfil psychological needs for connection and solitude acting as hubs for students, corporate workers and remote workers (3). They provide a space outside of the home for meeting, socialising and quality time to build relationships over a common enjoyment of food. Emma Felton demonstrated the concept by the sociologist Ray Oldenburg of “third spaces”, shows how, in their design of comfortable seating, ambient noise, and WI-FI, foster both community and productivity (E. Felton on February 17, 2025). Interviews with a range of

cafe owners, from Homeboy, the Upside and My Kingdom For A Horse, highlighted that intentional social curation is essential with themed days, cafe design and locations that promote socialisation (T. Oswald; Y. Tran; G. Chee). These include ideas of jazz afternoons, easily-accessible spaces or collaborating with universities, such as Adelaide University in the case of Homeboy, to strengthen social ties.

Studies have shown that cafes are increasingly described as lifestyle spaces, offering more than just food and drinks as they represent a combination of ambience, social connection and personal time (4). In contemporary urban environments, coffee shops have emerged as multifunctional social spaces, reflecting broader cultural shifts. Cafes act as social institutions that can contribute to societal stability, which can provide community, routine and social cohesion. Cafes can also examine post-modern ideas, such as social identity, where cafes must consider aesthetic branding to help individuals express their identity (5). For example, some cafes promote their designs to be minimalist, alternative, cozy or vegan to align with certain identity moulds to attract certain customers.

From an interactionist perspective in sociology, cafés are more than just places to grab coffee, as they become places that allow us to attach meaning to our behaviour (6). For example, an individual working on a laptop in a cafe can be demonstrating their need for productivity or a modern, independent lifestyle. Considering the way that customers greet and interact with baristas, their choice of where they sit, the time they spend in the cafe and their behaviour whilst within the space is all essential in the social cues we hold and how we express our identity (7).

In modern urban life, cafes function as hybrid spaces serving as living room extensions for young people living in compacted city apartments. They can also act as informal offices and connectivity hubs for tourists, as they can blend social interaction and productivity in a relaxed and inclusive environment (8).

Cafe Culture Through a Cultural Lens

Cafes reflect the cultural norms and expectations of the society they are built within. Research demonstrates that cafes are influenced by the overall consumer expectations and cultural identities, with their brand consumer needs (1). Consumer behaviour, identity and lifestyle play a role in choosing and visiting a cafe (3). For example, local traditions in society and expectations of a community group, such as Melbourne’s global recognition of coffee culture, influence success and engagement (1). This cultural importance is not by accident, as it stems from historical immigrant influences (notably Italian and Greek espresso traditions) and a contemporary emphasis on sustainability and ethical sourcing (9).

Cafes can be impacted directly by culture in terms of their overall style and design. Cafés often reflect local art, architecture, music, and interior design trends within their country and community (10). Throughout history, in some cultures, how cafes were styled and viewed were greatly different to others, such as when cafes were viewed as intellectual places of discussion within 19th-century Europe and the Enlightenment era (11).

Different eating and drinking routines are impacted by culture. The foods that are served at different times of the day, cuisines, and even the purpose of eating at a cafe differ (12). The food

on the menu will reflect cultural preferences for different flavour palettes and meals, however, these are changing with greater cultural diversity. The purpose and duration of a cafe visit change across cultures, too (12). For example, in some cultures, such as France, cafes are places for long conversations and slow dining. This is contrasted by other cultures which expect fast ‘on-the-go’ service from cafes, such as the United States. Additionally, some cafes in places like Australia are only open from the early hours to early afternoon, whereas in Vietnam, these cafes can stay open well into the evening as a place of socialisation.

In a recent first-hand experience comparing Vietnamese cafes to Australian cafes, there were significant differences that demonstrated how culture influences cafes' design, location, produce and purpose. By comparing cafés in Adelaide and Vietnam, I have explored how social media, aesthetics, menus, and location influence their success. Vietnamese cafés place importance on community and functionality as they often feature community seating and use traditional brewing techniques, such as slow-drip coffee. These components represent Vietnam's social and cultural values and encourage social engagement. Adelaide cafés, on the other hand, have minimalist decor and natural lighting and are influenced by personal and image-driven behaviours. This demonstrates how Adelaide cafés operate as lifestyle venues impacted by digital aesthetics and commercial branding, but Vietnamese cafés serve as traditional social hubs. The comparison demonstrates how various social and economic concerns influence consumer behaviour, architectural style, and the function of cafés in daily life.

Café Culture Through an Anthropological Lens

Cafes, viewed through an anthropological lens, can function as modern “third spaces” for humans that exist beyond home and work. These third spaces offer a blend of comfort, privacy, and sociability. The concept of third spaces comes from the work of Ray Oldenburg, an American urban sociologist (13). These spaces are not the domestic life, such as home, or the productive life, such as work, but an informal place for interaction, communication, enjoyment

and relaxing (13). These environments support a wide range of behaviours, from reflection to social interaction, fulfilling psychological and cultural needs. From an interview with Dr. Emma Felton, who conducted her research in cultural and social studies, it is clear that cafés are more than commercial venues (E. Felton on February 17, 2025). They can act as emotional and communal hubs that provide stability, routine, and connection in a digital society (14). Historically originating from the significance of coffeehouses of today’s cafes, where it's still fostering intellectual, social, and even political discussion, acting as safe spaces for public engagement (15). Cafes act as a third space of belonging, and can reflect cultural values and overall urban identity. According to an interview with sociologist Dr. Felton, cafes are increasingly recognised as third spaces when viewed through an anthropological lens (E. Felton on February 17, 2025). Humans work within a third space to find comfort, stability and familiarity (E. Felton on February 17, 2025). These spaces provide privacy while fostering sociability in the outside world, engaging in human practices and socialising whilst finding a safe space for productivity (16). Sociologist Emma Felton and cafe owner Tom Oswald agree that cafés serve as sociable third spaces that provide familiarity, privacy, and a break from home or work (E. Felton on February 17, 2025; T. Oswald on March 19 2025). Both explain how it is a central factor of community, and establishing a sense of belonging outside of the home (T. Oswald on March 19 2025). The importance of third spaces comes from their ability to promote social cohesion and emotional wellbeing in increasingly distant societies and communities (17). As work and home life grow more isolated and busy, particularly in post-pandemic environments, cafes can offer informal yet structured environments that encourage interaction, creativity, and a place for rest (17). As they can promote social interaction, they can be useful in reducing loneliness but also increasing a collective social identity (18). They are a neutral space that can reduce the pressures of both the home and work life. Ethnographic studies show cafés are symbolic of lifestyle and identity, as consumers increasingly choose venues that align with personal values such as sustainability, design, or dietary choices (3). As cities continue to evolve, cafes are adapting to serve informational, social, and professional functions, reflecting societal trends. Interviews with sociologist Emma Felton and cafe owner Tom Oswald reinforce that cafes are central to fostering belonging, creativity, and everyday connection, establishing them as vital social and cultural institutions (E. Felton on February 17, 2025; T. Oswald on March 19 2025).

Café Culture Through a Psychological Lens

From a psychological perspective, cafés serve as environments that fulfil human needs for connection, comfort, and autonomy. Cafes provide a range of positive wellbeing factors, where they can promote self-regulation and focus for reflection, creativity, and productivity. Through a psychological lens, café culture is deeply tied to habit formation, emotional reward, and self identity. Articles show that repeat visits are often driven by positive experiences linked to atmosphere, routine, and emotional satisfaction, more than just product quality or pricing (4; 19). Cafés serve psychological roles as places for work, relaxation, socialising, or emotional self care (14). Cafes are used for work, socialising, dating, and decompressing, where people psychologically crave a sense of routine and stability (19). Through an environmental psychological lens, cafes can provide a place of solitude without loneliness, providing the push for productivity and social engagement without direct communication (8). Cafes can therefore meet the goal of providing what the individual might want to seek out in the moment, whether that is uninterrupted work, brief and casual conversations, or more specifically, a meeting place for friends (14). Overall, cafes can meet various psychological goals to foster healthy mental wellbeing, and create a space to explore themselves. Whether it's a coffee by yourself in a cafe or socialising with others, the sensory and social environment plays a key role. Yin Tran, owner of Upside Café, shows the importance of a cafe’s unique and authentic vibe in building loyal communities. Emma Felton and Susan Bastian say that the emotional impact of the entire café experience, ambience, music, staff interaction, and even scent shapes consumer behaviour and overall satisfaction. Psychologically, research does support that people build positive perceptions of places if a range of their senses are engaged in a positive way, especially smell and taste (20). Beverage choices like matcha also serve as emotionally and identity driven selections, showing how modern cafés have become essential emotional ecosystems (8). Research demonstrates that consumers are driven more by emotional reward than price, where purchases in a cafe are often linked to self-narratives and identity, such as “I am a matcha person” (4). Overall, it is important to consider psychologically how cafes can contribute to society and wellbeing. To summarise their purpose clearly, it is important to look at them through the lens of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (21). Cafes can meet physiological needs at the basic and core level of Maslow’s Hierarchy, providing food, drinks and a space for rest. Additionally, they can provide a space for stability and safety, where humans can return to predictable social structures and comfortable environments to relieve the pressure of their day (21). Following this, they can meet belongingness and love needs by finding a social space to connect. The self-esteem of the individual can be boosted through perceived productivity in an open space, value as a regular customer, and positive memories occurring with an external social space (22). Lastly, cafes can provide a space for self-actualisation, where personal growth, reflection and creativity can be promoted (22).

The Practical Need for Cafes

In contemporary urban settings, cafes serve practical needs alongside cultural ones. This is often linked to many new housing structures being small apartments, and even the need for remote work (23). These have increased the need for neutral and comfortable public spaces which people can access to use for a range of different needs (24). Research shows that cafes are often used as informal offices, study spaces and meeting points, and for blending public and private life (8). As cities grow to be more diverse and bigger, coffee shops need to adapt to becoming multi-functional spaces that reflect urban shifts in demographics and mobility. These also need to extend to changing to match different social behaviours, whether that be new social norms or working environments. Research demonstrates that the shift towards our modern era has seen eating out moving from being a necessity to a leisure activity, influenced by social and cultural factors (19). In some regions, cafes also serve as political and cultural areas for hosting events, discussions and activism, especially in regional and rural Australia (15). When considering the context of Australia, Australians consider coffee an integral part of daily life, for both consumption and socialising (24). Beyond their social and cultural roles, practically, cafes are also key contributors to the local economy. Successful and new cafes can offer employment opportunities and support surrounding small businesses. Cafes can enhance foot traffic and create a sense of social vibrancy, attracting consumers to retail areas for higher engagement (25).

Additional Factors that Contribute to a Cafe’s Success

Beyond different social perspectives, there is a range of other factors that contribute to consumer engagement and loyalty. These overall contribute to the success and longevity of the cafe. Research demonstrates that the visual and sensory design of a cafe, such as its lighting, decor, sound and spatial layout, has an effect on consumer experience and behaviour (26). This clearly demonstrates that cafes are not just about the food and beverages they create, but the environment they establish that provides comfort and connection. An article from Sciencedirect shows that aesthetic elements such as lighting, music, scent and colour often influence the customer’s perception more than the actual quality of food, encouraging a longer stay and better satisfaction (19). Studies show that well-designed lighting enhances the overall mood and comfort of the cafe, whilst encouraging customers to stay in the space longer for a more enjoyable experience (27). In an interview with Susan Bastian, Associate Professor of the School of Agriculture, Food and Wine at the University of Adelaide, she stated that environmental context shapes consumer experience, particularly in cafés. This includes overall ambience, social interaction, and emotional tone (S. Bastian on April 16 2025)

Social media platforms have also increased the role of interior design with “Instagrammable” cafes featuring neon signs, oversized chairs and bold palettes becoming a key marketing strategy (28). This aligns with the new trend of minimalism, where cafes that embody this look may attract consumers who use this aesthetic in their own social media platforms (29). TikTok has also played a similar role, fueling interior design such as warm, cool and neutral colours (30; 28).

Additionally, research does suggest that gender plays a role in what factors influence consumer engagement. Studies have shown that females tend to be influenced by the sense of scent, whereas males tend to choose cafes with louder and more apparent music (29).

Community focused designs such as chalkboard menus, indoor plants and mismatched mugs, which show warmth, can create emotional warmth (31). The addition of a customer loyalty card can also add to the overall community connection and re-engagement (31). Therefore, these thoughtful design choices foster a sense of belonging and familiarity, which encourages customers to return not just for coffee alone.

Dr. Felton’s research shows the significance of visibility and access in determining a cafe's success, such as foot traffic, which often follows online talk and word of mouth (32). Interviews with cafe owners such as Yin Tran (The Upside Cafe) reinforce this by highlighting that an eye-catching interior encourages social sharing and repeat visits. High foot traffic increases the likelihood of unplanned visits. This can boost daily sales, but also it can increase the cafe’s visibility within the community. This can lead to increased customer growth and a stronger presence in the community.

As noted in interviews with café owners, a venue’s “vibe” must feel genuine and consistent, from the way staff interact with customers to the background music and furniture choices (T. Oswald on March 19 2025; Y. Tran on April 24 2025; G. Chee on May 10 2025). It is important that all of these elements match in a similar theme, also. Yin Tran says that a space should feel intentional and comfortable, creating a sense of place that people want to return to. Minimalist aesthetics, as seen in cafés like Homeboy, embody a feeling of timelessness (T. Oswald on March 19 2025). This can offer a sensory escape from overstimulating urban environments and the pressures of the modern world (33). Simplicity and warmth can help the consumer to form an emotional connection between the space and themselves, which can promote long-term loyalty (33).

Further, emotional responses to a café environment influence spending behaviour, as Professor Susan Bastian suggests. Professor Bastian states that when consumers resonate with the ambience of a space, they are often willing to pay more for products, even if the food or drink remains the same. This highlights how mood, comfort, and context shape decision making. Consumers are not only buying coffee, they are buying into an experience that aligns with their identity and emotions. This is why design trends continue to evolve, expanding into trending and playful interiors that attract youth culture and social media attention. Cafes that succeed understand how aesthetics, emotional tone, and psychology connect to form an atmosphere people want to be part of and return to (33).

Coffee, food and menu factors that influence success

Besides key factors of cafe design, location, sociological influences and the anthropological lens, the provision of food and drinks is at the heart of a cafe’s function. Australia’s cafe culture, which combines excellent coffee, unique food choices and community, has become a globally recognised trend. The focus on ethical sourcing and in-house brewing emphasises sustainability and workmanship, which are essential to its success (34; 35; 36). In addition to their brew, contemporary cafes set themselves apart with visually appealing, plant-based and seasonal menus that showcase local foods and align with dietary health guidelines (37; 38). Cafes incorporate elements like oat milk, compostable cups and local produce to the growing demands of consumers throughout the world who are becoming more conscious of where the products are from (4; 39). This has been pushed by social media, especially with visually appealing food and beverages emerging as important factors in cafe discovery and consumer engagement (1).

Coffee culture is ingrained in Australian culture and considered a significant part of daily life. The quality of coffee is held to high standards, with a strong emphasis on locally roasted beans, organic produce and the work of skilled baristas (40). Unlike other countries dominated by large chains, Australian cities are known for their independent cafes with quality coffee and unique menus supporting local producers.

Additionally, owner engagement and cultural flexibility are critical to a cafe's success. This changes depending on the culture of the social environment in which the cafe is created.

Starbucks failed in Vietnam, which was caused by its lack of regional relevance, along with an incompatibility with local taste, emphasising the significance of community understanding (41; 42). Cafe owners like Yin Tran express how innovative food offerings such as fusion breakfast and matcha based drinks appeal to a range of age groups and reflect changing tastes, especially in multi-cultural societies. A study from Walden University shows that a growth strategy emphasises both owner-led innovation combined with consumer responsiveness (43). This is because of their abundance of specialty cafes and thriving culinary cultures, cities like Melbourne and Sydney are now considered global standards (44). The future of cafe culture depends on their capacity to combine local flavours, trending aesthetics and design with global standards as evidenced by the growth of Australian-styled cafes (45).