While, in terms of its coffee consumption, Italy only ranks sixteenth in the world, coffee is still considered the national drink. And this is in a country whose wines are considered, along those of with France, the most desirable on the planet. While coffee did not originate in Italy, what has become known as the “coffee culture” did. Coffee, unlike Italian wine, is a drink in which even those of modest income can indulge. And indulge they do.
Italians will even forego an after dinner coffee at a favorite restaurant in favor of having one at a favorite coffee bar. And they have many coffee bars from which to choose, so only the best ones survive for long.
If you are visiting anyone of Italy’s estimated fifteen thousand coffee bars, there are a few things of which you should be aware in order to blend in with the regulars.
First, even though it might not have the same relaxed atmosphere as the table area of the bar, you will save serious money by drinking your coffee at the bar. You will see many Italians quickly downing their breakfast cappuccinos right at the bar, because the tourists sitting at the tables are being charged up to four times as much for the same drink.
And it is the usual practice for you to order and pay for your drink, and then give the barista your receipt. It is rather like paying for your gas before you pump it–eliminating the temptation to stiff the coffee bar.
If you want to look like a real coffee aficionado, ask for “caffe” when ordering espresso, and forget about savoring it when you get it. Espresso is a two, or at the most, three, swallow drink.
Order regular coffee only after a meal, never by itself, except at breakfast. Coffee ordered later in the day should be requested black, and if you want to avoid snickering, order your cappuccino before 11:00 AM. You won’t be sacrificing too much; there are enough variations on espresso and other coffee drinks to keep you happy.
As the old saying goes, “When in Rome…”
