Caffe Mediterraneum facts for kids
Caffè Mediterraneum, often called Caffè Med or just "the Med," was a famous café in Berkeley, California, USA. It was located on Telegraph Avenue, close to the University of California, Berkeley. The Med was a very important place in the history of Telegraph Avenue. Many guidebooks in Europe called it "the gathering place for 1960s activists who helped create People's Park." Even in 2009, a guidebook described it as "a relic of 1960s-era café culture," meaning it was a cool reminder of that time. You could find it at 2475 Telegraph Avenue.
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A Look Back: The Med's Story
The Caffè Mediterraneum started as a small coffee shop in a bookstore in 1956. It was first called Il Piccolo. In 1957, it got its new name, the Med. It quickly became one of the oldest coffeehouses in the whole Bay Area. In fact, it was the oldest one in the East Bay part of the Bay Area.
The Birth of the Caffè Latte
The Med is famous for something special: the invention of the caffè latte! One of the owners, Lino Meiorin, was a trained Italian barista. When customers first tried his strong Italian cappuccino, they often asked for more milk. Lino would tell the barista to add more "latte" (which means milk in Italian). Eventually, he decided to put a bigger drink on the menu. It had the same amount of espresso but more steamed milk. He called it a "caffè latte," and that's how this popular drink got its start!
A Hub for Change in the 1960s
During the 1960s, the Med was a lively place filled with all kinds of people. It became a meeting spot for Beat Generation artists and thinkers. People who were working for social change, like those involved in the Free Speech Movement, also gathered there. It was a place where important ideas were shared and discussed.
The Med even played a part in two famous pieces of art. The poet Allen Ginsberg often visited the Med. Many believe he wrote parts of his famous poem Howl right there. Also, a scene from the 1967 movie The Graduate, starring Dustin Hoffman, was filmed at a table inside the Med. You could even see Telegraph Avenue outside the window in the movie!
Changes Over Time
After the 1960s, some people felt that Telegraph Avenue lost some of its exciting energy. But the Med stayed a busy place for talking and enjoying coffee until the 1990s. Then, new owners took over, and some employees felt the café became less welcoming.
However, in 2006, the Med got new owners again. It once more became a popular spot for activists who wanted to make the world a better place. Sadly, on November 30, 2016, the Med closed for renovations. As of 2020, the building where Caffè Mediterraneum once stood is now a hot pot restaurant called Boileroom.
