Cafe Barbera
Italian coffeehouse franchise with global reach since 1870.
Café Barbera is an Italian coffeehouse and fast casual dining franchise registered with the International Franchise Association since 2015. It operates franchises in Europe, the UK, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and South America. The first Cafè Barbera opened in 2004 in Dubai and is named after the first Café Barbera founded by Domenico Barbera in 1870 in Southern Italy. It is considered one of the oldest companies in Europe and is still managed by the Barbera family.
Quick Facts
- Industry
- Coffee house and fast casual restaurant
- Founded
- 1870, franchise founded in 2004
- Founders
- Domenico Barbera (1870), Enrico Barbera (franchise founder)
- Headquarters
- Naples
- Country
- Italy
- Key people
- Enrico Barbera (CEO), Elio Barbera (MD)
- Products
- Coffee
- panini (sandwich)
- pizza
- pasta
- salads
- appetizers
- pastries
Facts from the source article.
Did You Know?
- The first Cafè Barbera opened in 2004 in Dubai, and the first franchisee location opened in Dubai in 2009.
- In 2019, Forbes Middle East featured Cafe Barbera in its March issue as one of the fastest growing Italian coffee brands in the Middle East.
- By the end of 2025, there were around 30 coffee houses in the Middle East region.
Franchise operations
Café Barbera joined the International Franchise Association in 2015. Its coffee houses can be found across Europe, South America, the UAE, the UK, Greece, Egypt, Ghana, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Romania, Morocco, Jordan, Georgia, Indonesia, Mauritius, Djibouti, and the Philippines. The brand set up its first UAE location in Dubai in 2004, and by 2020 it had ten outlets there. Brazil saw its first franchised Café Barbera open in 2013, with multiple sites running by the end of 2015.
Africa welcomed its first shops in 2013 as well. In the Middle East, several stores launched in 2014, and the region counted roughly 30 outlets by the close of 2025. Pakistan got its first four locations in 2018. Between 2016 and 2019, new stores appeared in the Middle East, the UK, Somaliland, Jordan, the UAE, and the United Kingdom.
Forbes Middle East highlighted the chain in its March 2019 issue, calling it one of the fastest-growing Italian coffee brands in the Middle East. From 2020 onward, expansion plans target the UK, Romania, Greece, Georgia, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Qatar, Mauritius, the Maldives, Kenya, Palestine, Djibouti, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who founded Cafe Barbera?
Cafe Barbera was founded by Domenico Barbera (1870), Enrico Barbera (franchise founder).
Where is Cafe Barbera headquartered?
Cafe Barbera is headquartered in Naples, Italy.
More in Coffeehouses and Cafés in the United States
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