It isn't only coffee that inspires conversation. It might be anywhere that people are gathered for purposes of open discussion: coffee shops, tea houses, hookah huts, good meals... George Nemeth found an interesting quote on Inspiring great discussions with respect to hookah smoking.
"One of the oldest traditions of the Middle East is the art of hookah smoking. The hookah, also referred to as a narghile or narghila, shisha or sheesha, water-pipe, and hubbly-bubbly, has long inspired great discussions of politics, religion, and the daily happenings. In social gatherings, the passing of the hose is remarkable- a narghile is placed in the center of a group and smokers pass the hose to the next in the circle, all the while exchanging words and sharing ideas in a playful mode..."