Barista, barista, (anti-)capitalista? White masculinity, coffee connoisseurship and the urban cafe

This article examines the relatively recent cultural figure of the barista in different media representations ranging from webcomics to fan fiction with a focus on television. Shows like Portlandia (IFC, 2011–18) and Girls (HBO, 2012–17) serve as demonstration of the barista’s cultural significance in gentrifying urban environments. This article argues that the barista functions as a cultural symbol of urban masculinity, navigating the intersections of gender, race, class and neo-liberalism. This analysis positions the barista as related to the hipster, gentrifier and craftsman. Media representations capitalize on the barista’s appeal; and the specialty coffee industry further glamourizes this role, investing it with a subcultural cache that transcends its economic precariousness. By tracing the barista’s evolution across media and its embeddedness in the changing landscapes of labour and urban space, the article illuminates how this figure reflects and perpetuates dominant cultural narratives in the contemporary city.