Caffè Lena

Located in Saratoga Springs, New York, Caffè Lena is one of the oldest continually running coffee houses in the United States.^[1] Founded in 1960 by William and Lena Spencer (née Nargi),^[2] it claims to be the oldest folk-oriented coffee house, in the U.S.,^[3] featuring acoustic concerts and cultural events showcasing folk music, traditional music, and singer-songwriters of a wide range, including artist Bob Dylan, who performed for two consecutive nights at the cafè in 1961, a year prior to the release of his debut album.^[4]

Caffè Lena

Location	Saratoga Springs, New York
Coordinates	43°04′50″N 73°47′00″W
Type	Coffeehouse, non-profit
Opened	1960
Website
http://www.caffelena.org/

During the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020–2021, Caffè Lena began streaming live music on a donation based pay scale, featuring the music of folk musicians like Kate McDonnell and Natalie Haas.^[5]

Since Lena Spencer's death on October 23, 1989 (she was born on January 4, 1923),^[6] Caffè Lena has been a not-for-profit organization.