The title of this blog article sounds very pretentious, I know. I’m sure you’ve been south of the Alps a lot of times and have managed to get the caffeinated drink. In this blog post, I would like to explain to you the comprehensive protocol for how to order coffee in Italy.

So why this text? On the one hand, I want to share with you some of the things I notice during my sporadic trips to Italy as an Italian expat living abroad for over 20 years; on the other hand, I find it helpful to behave like the locals in order to make contact with them more easily and not be immediately labeled as a tourist.

Believe it or not, there is an extensive protocol for ordering coffee in Italy. Since I left Italy when I was twelve, it’s understandable that I wasn’t interested in coffee and its unspoken rules of behavior. That’s why it was all the more exciting for me to observe how my fellow countrymen order which coffee and when, because the whole procedure was not a matter of course for me.

There is something very folkloric about the many rules of how to behave, which are just part of everyday social behavior in Italy. In fact, there is a completely different code within one’s own four walls, also because coffee is usually prepared in a coffee pot (in Italian: bialetti, caffettiera or moka). Their options are limited, and so they usually serve either moka coffee straight or with milk, regardless of the time of day.

Below are my observations, which can also serve as a flexible guide to ordering coffee in Italy like an Italian – or an Italian woman.

The origin of my interest in coffee

The internalization of coffee culture among young people in Italy takes place during their teenage years. In the course of my observations, I was able to identify two behaviors among my Italian peers that only develop during adolescence: meeting friends for aperitifs and going to the most popular cafés in town and drinking coffee like the adults there.

I was never exposed to this socialization in Germany, so I hardly knew anything about Italian coffee etiquette. My few experiences with coffee as a child were limited to slurping cappuccino milk foam, which often led to me ordering cappuccinos in the afternoons when I was ten and eleven (no wonder I ended up in Germany years later).

It wasn’t until I started studying agricultural science that my curiosity about coffee was piqued, when I took a course on the cultivation of coffee and cocoa. I was quickly fascinated by the science behind the production of a seemingly simple hot beverage!

Breakfast in Venice

Are you in Venice and looking for a recommendation for a good café with delicious food? Here are my favourites and helpful information to enjoy the best coffee in the lagoon city.

The coffee varieties in Italy

Let’s start with the coffee (drink) options in Italy. If you like to drink coffee in the many chain stores like Starbucks, Coffee Fellows, etc., you are used to an extensive coffee menu, often with up to twenty items.

In most Italian cafes, however, the selection is much smaller. The following drinks are the most common.

Caffè

A simple espresso served in a thimble-sized cup. Sometimes espresso is served in a glass, partly because of the emphasis on presentation and partly because it cools faster and is easier to drink. It comes with a tiny spoon and sugar, and if you’re really lucky, a little cookie.

The word “espresso” is not normally used by Italians to order coffee in Italy – it is the name given to the process of making coffee on the large portafilter machines, not the drink itself. That’s why Italians simply say “un caffè“.

Caffè doppio

A word about double coffees: If you want a double espresso (“caffè doppio“), I recommend ordering two single caffès instead. First, the locals don’t tend to drink a double espresso, and second, the double takes twice as long in the cup; I prefer to drink two freshly made Italian caffés.

Caffè lungo

A caffè lungo contains a little more water: this softens the intensity of the espresso and I can sip it a little longer. This coffee also comes in a tiny cup, but it is now full to the brim.

Caffè ristretto

A caffè ristretto is the opposite of a caffè lungo: a condensed coffee that tastes anything but mild. Hardly any water is used – good for the environment! – but the caffeine concentration is very high. It’s not for me.

Caffè decaffeinato

The decaffeinated coffee is suitable for those who do not want to give up a good coffee, but prefer to drink it decaffeinated.

Caffè d’orzo

Caffè d’orzo, Italian for “barley coffee” and often shortened to simply orzo or barley coffee, is a decaffeinated, roasted grain beverage made from ground barley. It is an espresso-like beverage that, when made directly from roasted barley, is easily prepared in typical espresso machines and coffee makers.

In Italy, Caffè d’Orzo is prepared in traditional Italian espresso machines in cafes. At home, Italian families tend to make it with an orziera, a special moka pot designed for barley.

Despite the name, Caffè d’Orzo contains no coffee, only barley, and is gluten-free.

Caffè macchiato

A caffè macchiato is basically an espresso with a shot of milk foam. Of course, it’s served in a small cup.

Caffè Latte

A caffè latte is coffee with milk, i.e. coffee in a large cup with cold milk.

Cappuccino

Probably the Germans’ favorite drink on vacation, no matter where they are. A cappuccino is the perfect combination of espresso and frothed whole milk.

It is served in a standard cup: There are no large or small cups, except in places frequented by tourists. The coffee is poured into the cup first, followed by the milk. Since the milk foam is a little heavier than the cream of the espresso, it lifts it up and offers the opportunity to use the combination of white background and light brown surface as a drawing surface.

The real art is to create a semi-solid and uniform foam. The enthusiasm and passion for latte art is so great that annual latte art championships are held all over the world.

Latte macchiato

This is the reverse version of a cappuccino: milk with a shot of espresso. What is important here is the order in which the milk and coffee are mixed. In Italy, the milk foam is poured into the glass first – yes, latte macchiato is always drunk in a glass – and then the coffee.

And what about all the flavours and plant-based milks?

Meanwhile, in Italy, it is not only easy to find plant-based milk substitutes, but they are completely accepted. Soy milk froth is also almost indistinguishable from cow’s milk froth; only the barista will know your secret.

If you want some sugar in your coffee, just use sugar. Hazelnut, vanilla and other artificial flavors are the domain of Starbucks and Co.

And finally: Caffè corretto

You may be pleased to learn that the only acceptable way to dilute your own coffee is by adding schnapps.

If that’s your thing, ask for a caffè corretto. But even here there are some rules. The two main alcoholic drinks used to enhance coffee in Italy are brandy and grappa.

A few words of caution. First, brandy comes in its own full-sized glass, which you usually dip into your coffee. Second, caffè corretto is often drunk in the morning.

When do I drink coffee in Italy – and what kind?

Knowing which coffee to choose is only half the battle. It is still important to know which coffee is appropriate when. You probably know that ordering a cappuccino after lunch is the fashion equivalent of wearing socks and sandals. (But a cappuccino is always delicious, no matter what time of day.)

A very simple rule of thumb is: in Italy, don’t order coffee in Italy with milk after lunch. By and large, this is the only rule that is followed from Sicily to South Tyrol.

However, it is not forbidden to order a cappuccino in the afternoon. However, it is like being a tourist in a foreign country who does not know the place.

Do you want to learn Italian while enjoying a coffee in Venice, Florence or at your favourite Italian cafè?

Here are my top tips for ordering coffee successfully and like a local

How can I order coffee in Italy?

What’s missing is the actual order.

Italians still drink their coffee in (new) old-fashioned bars and have not yet acquired a taste for hip 21st-century coffee shops. Such bars are easily recognized by the fact that they are lined with people sipping a tiny cup of strong coffee.

Many bars do not offer table service. That’s why it’s important to jump into the fray; gesture, raise your hand, get the attention of the barista or waitress, wait to make eye contact, and shout your order confidently.

How to pay for coffee in Italy

I know, I know. You think: Claudio, you’re crazy. I know how to pay for a coffee, and in Italy it’s no different than in Germany. But it’s not that easy in Italy.

In many Italian bars, when you order coffee in italy, you get a little slip of paper that serves as your bill. Then you get your order, and when you’re done, you pay the bartender or cashier.

In some cases, however, you pay in advance when you order. If the pub is a bit bigger, you order your drinks at the cash register, pay the cashier and then go to the bar with the receipt and tell the bartender what drinks you want if they are not listed on the receipt.

How do I know if I have to pay at the bar or the cashier? I have a simple tip for this: I usually stand there for a minute, watch the locals order, and do the same. Worst case scenario, you order your drink and are told you have to pay first.

How I drink coffee in Italy

Let’s recap: You know what coffee you want to drink and you’ve already figured out when and where to pay. With coffee in hand, you want to sit down and sip your drink, correct?

Wrong, because coffee for Italians is a quick drink that you take standing up at the counter. For me, enjoying a coffee is often a moment to relax, savour the delicious taste and observe the people around me. While many cafés in Italy offer a place to sit down, especially in tourist areas, this is not the way of the locals.

At the bar or counter is the life of the people on the go, indulging in a little caffeinated indulgence between one appointment and another. Sometimes, however, I see older people sitting at a small table in a corner, either having animated discussions about the football match in progress, or keeping a meaningful silence and sipping their very Italian coffee.

Conclusion

It is considered unacceptable to mix coffee and milk after lunch, but it is perfectly fine to have a shot with breakfast. Great!

Order coffee in italy, pay for coffee in italy, finally caffè corretto, when do i drink which coffee. drink coffee in italy, coffee types in italy with frothed milk. Caffè espresso: classic and simple italian. Caffè Macchiato: Espresso with frothed milk. Cappuccino: the most famous Italian drink. double espresso with frothed milk. Latte Macchiato: single espresso with milk in a glass. Caffelatte: cappuccino without foam. Caffè Decaffeinato: decaffeinated coffee. Caffè Lungo, caffé doppio, Caffè Marocchino. Caffè Corretto: with a shot of alcohol – grappa, sambuca, brandy.
On the travel photography blog of Claudio Salvati Photography.

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