When traveling in a foreign country, you'll find that most café have specialties that set them apart from their neighbors. One might offer a wide range of beers or liqueurs; another might run toward art exhibits or pool tables, or even live music in the evening.

The classic European café was established to serve coffee of various kinds -- indeed, the word café means "coffee" in many languages. In the US, the term has been appropriated by general-purpose small restaurants; the nearest thing we have to classic cafés are coffee houses like Starbucks.

Although there are always exceptions, keep in mind the fact that most American cafés are open only for breakfast and lunch -- that is, from about 6 AM-2PM. That being the case, you should time your meals accordingly if you depend on cafés for one or more meals.