International Coffee Forum 2026. Gran Caffè Gambrinus is the event's official partner

BAR & WINE - In Naples, on the exact corner where Piazza del Plebiscito intersects with Via Chiaia, Gran Caffè Gambrinus has been a defining feature of the city's cultural landscape and daily life since 1860. Founded as "Gran Caffè," the establishment was renovated in 1890 in Art Nouveau style by architect Antonio Curri, featuring splendid frescoes and paintings by the greatest 19th-century Neapolitan artists.

During the Belle Époque, the Gambrinus—which also served as a café chantant—became the city's intellectual salon. Among its marble tables, one of the masterpieces of classic Neapolitan song was born: in 1892, Gabriele D'Annunzio, challenged by the poet Ferdinando Russo, composed the verses of 'A vucchella, later set to music by Francesco Paolo Tosti. The venue's rooms also witnessed heated debates between Ferdinando Russo and Salvatore Di Giacomo, and also hosted Oscar Wilde, Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, Ernest Hemingway, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Benedetto Croce. It was at the Gambrinus that Matilde Serao and Edoardo Scarfoglio founded Il Mattino.

This golden age was interrupted in 1938, when the “Caffè” was transformed into a bank.

After the war, only two rooms remained of the old café on Via Chiaja.

The Gambrinus's rebirth is thanks to the Sergio-Rosati family's management, which has lasted over 50 years. This management first reclaimed the rooms on Piazza Trieste e Trento in 1980, and then, in 2000, the beautiful rooms overlooking Piazza del Plebiscito. Finally, in 2025, the Salone degli Specchi on Via Chiaia was added.

The Gambrinus's fame is also consolidated through its proximity to the institutions, as it is frequented by personalities from the world of politics (from the Presidents of the Italian Republic to foreign Heads of State), and from the worlds of culture, art, and entertainment.

Today the structure is part of the prestigious Association of Historic Places of Italy and employs dozens of specialized workers, divided between the laboratory and the dining room.

The gastronomic offering is based on the pillars of traditional Neapolitan pastry making: babà, sfogliatelle ricce and frolle, and pastiera, accompanied by the serving of unbeatable coffees and the ancient social practice of "caffè sospeso."

In recent years, the owners have developed their own coffee roasting line, selecting and roasting blends for both in-house consumption and for sale in beans and ground form for home use.

This commitment to artisanal rigor and the promotion of coffee culture has led Gran Caffè Gambrinus to be selected as an "Official Partner" of the INTERNATIONAL COFFEE FORUM 2026, the prestigious international conference dedicated to the coffee industry scheduled to take place in Naples on October 1 and 2, 2026. As part of this collaboration, the press conference presenting the event will be held on Monday, September 28, at 11:00 a.m. in the historic café that graces the heart of the Neapolitan metropolis with its rooms and delicacies.