Caffè Trieste is an internationally known coffeehouse, retail store, and former franchise in San Francisco. The original cafe, opened in 1956, was the first espresso-based coffeehouse on the West Coast of the United States. Caffe Trieste is considered a San Francisco institution and a local hub for poets, writers, and beat culture. History In 1951, Giovanni Giotta (aka "Papa Gianni," 19202016) and his family emigrated to the United States from Italy. He had been born and raised in the small fishing town of Rovigno D'Istria, Croatia (a part of Italy before World War II and Italian-speaking part of the former Habsburg Austria-Hungary), and had been living Monfalcone, Italy from 1947-51. When Giotta first came to San Francisco, he experienced financial difficulties. He approached the priests at Saints Peter and Paul Church for help. As he explained, "We had nothing, no place to stay, no bread to eat. The father put us with a family and found me a job.” He worked as a window-washer and was known to sing while working. In the United States, Giotta missed the espresso and the coffeehouses of Trieste in Italy. A cozy central European Habsburg coffeehouse culture had established itself there. American coffee culture of the 1950s focused on instant coffee that people made at home; people would purchase pre-ground beans that typically lacked flavor. By contrast, Trieste had a rich cafe history. It had been a part of both the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Italy, and was known for its blend of Italian, Austrian, Balkan, Greek, Venetian, and Jewish cultural influences. It was also known for its literary residents, such as James Joyce and Italo Svevo. Finally, the city was famous for its coffee. In 1719, Trieste had become a "free port" under Hapsburg law, and it became a key point in the trade of coffee beans from the Middle East to Europe. Cafes began to sprout up in Trieste as early as 1748; some historic cafes, such as Cafe Tommaseo (founded in 1830) and Caffè degli Specchi (founded in 1839) still exist in the twenty-first century. Coffee brands, such as Hausbrandt (founded in 1892) and Illy (founded in 1933) were also established in the city. In 1956, Giotta received the opportunity to take over Piccola Cafe, a small business located at 601 Vallejo Street in the North Beach. He renamed his new business Caffè Trieste, after the city of Trieste. The cafe was