It’s your average Saturday morning. I’m strolling to one of my regular coffee shops for an iced Americano, but something feels off. The energy’s different. The sidewalk is packed with people, all dressed up and dancing. If I hadn’t had my headphones on I would have heard the noise from blocks away, but that’s why I wear them in the first place. After a few moments it clicks; I know exactly what I’ve stumbled into.
Yerevan, a city that never lags behind with social media trends, has also embraced the internet’s latest craze: coffee raves.
These spaces, once considered sanctuaries for remote workers and casual coffee drinkers, have now transformed into the city’s “it” spots for morning parties, where coworking corners double as dance floors.
While the exact origins of coffee raves remain unclear, their rise can be traced to late 2024 through experimental cafe events in European cities like Amsterdam and London. The trend has evolved into a global phenomenon that’s redefining how people socialize and experience cafe culture. Now in Yerevan, you’re likely to encounter these coffee raves at local spots every other weekend.
Although called coffee raves, these events are less about coffee and more about recreating a rave atmosphere—just during daylight hours with lattes and matchas in hand.
While it’s too early to predict if this trend is here to stay, daily customers who look like they’ve just lost their quiet space and frequent police shutdowns might indicate that not everyone in the city is vibing with it.
Unlike European cities with their well-established cafe cultures and purpose-built outdoor spaces, cities like Yerevan are still developing their cafe scene. When coffee raves pop up without proper planning, they can unintentionally disrupt the community. Many of these small cafes serve as quiet workspaces for remote workers and are located on the first floors of residential buildings. So, if you’re turning up the volume while people are trying to enjoy some peace at home, it can quickly lead to complaints—and even a visit from the police.
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the challenges of coffee raves beyond just questions of practicality. Let’s start at the very beginning. Although they share a name with traditional raves, these morning gatherings differ fundamentally from their nighttime counterparts. Classic raves are known for their all-night marathons that stretch into the next day, while coffee raves exclusively take place in the morning. The contrast extends to their core substances—where traditional raves might involve alcohol or other stimulants, coffee ravers are all about sober sips to match a wellness-first mindset. While these differences don’t tell the whole story, they clearly place these events in very different categories.
It would seem that coffee raves have essentially taken the most socially acceptable, aesthetic elements of rave culture—minus the chaos—and blended them with contemporary trends: overpriced beverages, cafe culture, and a healthy(ish) lifestyle. This transformation shifts the focus from the experience itself to its aesthetic appeal. They are designed to look good, feel trendy, and play well on social media.
What makes coffee raves such a hit in Yerevan? Perhaps it’s because they steer clear of the negative stereotypes associated with traditional raves, making them more socially acceptable. It could be the setting or timing. Or maybe it’s the innocent nature of coffee raves that puts people at ease, like experiencing a gentler version of a traditional rave.
Despite Yerevan’s vibrant nightlife and growing underground techno scene, it’s difficult to say whether rave culture has truly caught on with the wider public. But isn’t that precisely the point? Rave culture has never been about mainstream appeal––it thrives on its niche, underground status. It exists purely for the experience, not for validation, and most certainly not for social media presence. Unlike newer trends, it was never meant to be aesthetic or performative—it simply exists. When morning coffee events claim connections to rave culture, they should share more than superficial similarities. And no, I don’t believe that throwing on edgy outfits and playing popular techno tracks is enough to place them in the same category.
Coffee raves haven’t exactly revolutionized the city’s daytime scene––morning events and early sessions have long been part of the landscape, like J Space’s Sunday Brunches or Rambalkoshe’s Breakfast Sessions, where people would also gather to listen to music while sipping on their coffee. Yet coffee raves stand apart, with differences that go beyond time and venue. Whether it’s their broader appeal or maybe it’s the difference in intention, the exact nature of their uniqueness is hard to pinpoint.
In a time of fleeting trends, it can be tricky to distinguish between genuine cultural movements from temporary trends. Which makes me wonder: are we genuinely part of a cultural shift or just being distracted by the new trends and promotion of a supposedly healthy lifestyle?
While traditional raves aren’t necessarily healthier, they’re grounded in ideology, intention, and cultural significance––elements that coffee raves lack. A lasting movement requires a foundation: core beliefs, motivations, and goals that give it purpose.
Coffee raves might have found a better fit as a branch of broader rave culture rather than a separate phenomenon. However, their evolution in Yerevan has carved out a distinct identity, separate from the usual techno scene and organized mostly by cafes and other local venues.
I acknowledge the importance of rebranding and appreciate how coffee culture evolves as a mirror of society. This is especially true in Armenian society, where soorj (coffee) has long been a staple in our homes. But just because this movement is trending on social media doesn’t mean it’s the only way to combine modern culture with coffee.
Why not embrace these trends through cozy coffee sessions accompanied by classical Armenian music? Why not create unique brews inspired by different diasporan Armenian communities? Why not experiment with trendy coffee recipes by adding homemade compotes from local fruits—ingredients already found in our kitchens and diets. We don’t need to chase trends when we can elevate what we already have, and enjoy something authentically our own.
