THE MERCHANTS’ COFFEE- HOUSE
One of the most celebrated coffee houses was built in 1773 under the name of the City Tavern—one of the oldest and most famous Philadelphia establishments. The City Tavern was regarded as one of the the finest coffee houses in America.
The City Tavern served as a meeting house prior to the Revolutionary War. Many prominent figures of the day, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Paul Revere, visited regularly. In the summer of 1774, the First Continental Congress held meetings there.
After the war, in 1785, it became known as the Merchants’ Coffee-House.