Italian Coffee Culture

Italians take their coffee very seriously, and whilst we're in Italy we took the liberty of putting together a brief guide of the dos and don'ts of coffee culture in Italy. 

In Italy, excellent coffee is everywhere. You don't need to go to speciality coffee houses or cafe for a proper cup of coffee. Italian Coffee is also regional, each region favours- with specialised drinks. So, when you are in Italy, always ask to try the local coffee drink! It’s a great introduction to little-known sides of Italian coffee culture.

Instead of cafes, the daily ritual of getting your favourite coffee to go in a morning, in Italy, the daily ritual involving going to the bar for a coffee. Of the 2,509 Starbucks Coffee Shop in Europe, as of early 2021, there are only 11 in Italy. 

There's no small, medium, large in terms of Coffee cup sizes in Italy. There's a one size fits all for drinks. There are specialised cups of espressos, lattes and cappuccinos, this determines the size of the beverage. 

Cappuccinos are only drunk in the morning, such milky drinks are generally consumed before 11 am in Italy.  Espressos are drunk after meals such as lunch or dinner.

You'll received a glass of water when you order a coffee in Italy, the water is meant to be sipped before the coffee is drank. The water acts as a palette cleanser, so you can fully appreciate the full aromas of the coffee. 

Also served with your espresso is a teaspoon- the espresso should be stirred (although take care not to bang the teaspoon on the wall of the cup) and never lick the spoon- it's considered bad manners.