A new friend who I met at coffee has pointed out
that meeting new friends at coffee shops is the main way that many people
make new friends these days.
The classic safe places to meet new friends are rather weak in urban environments: churches, casual parties and politics (the latter includes too many flakes, bores and fanatics.)
People I meet at casual parties have virtually never turned into friends. The parties are ends in themselves.
I've met three-quarters of my new friends over the past two decades in coffee shops.