Sunday, October 11, 2026

Question: In 1952, the owner of San Francisco’s Buena Vista Café teamed up with an international travel writer to recreate a hot, cream-topped whiskey-and-coffee drink one of them had tasted overseas. The café is credited with introducing what now-classic drink to America?

Answer: Irish coffee. Although the drink was created in Ireland, San Francisco’s Buena Vista Café is credited with introducing Irish coffee to America. On a November night in 1952, owner Jack Koeppler challenged travel writer Stanton Delaplane to help him duplicate the Irish coffee served at Ireland’s Shannon Airport. The recipe they perfected is still poured at the café today.