Drinking Coffee in Rome
Curious to know drinking coffee in Rome and where Romans go for their caffeine fix?
Coffee itself can be traced back hundreds of years, with the first European coffee house opened in Venice in 1683. Espresso is a relatively recent invention created in 1903, by an Italian businessman named Luigi Bezzera.
When the world seemed to be turning to the modern inclination of wanting everything done better and faster, Bezzera created a machine that added intense pressure to the brewing process and extracted more flavor from the beans at the same time. Thanks to the quick brewing process, the liquid that resulted from using this “Fast Coffee Machine”, took on the name espresso, which is Italian for “fast”. It signaled a permanent change to the way Italians drink coffee.
The places labeled “bar” in Italian cities are where Italians associate with a café. When you enter the bar, the first thing you need to do is find the till, where you pay and take your receipt to the coffee bar.
Un caffe is the classic choice for most Italians on any occasion, but the list below highlights the large variety of types to choose from.
Types of Coffee in Rome
- Caffè ( In Italy the word “caffé is an espresso )
- Caffé Macchiato (An espresso served with hot milk ) Cappuccino (An espresso with steamed, frothy milk added)
- Caffé latte (A shot of coffee with a lot of milk and served in a tall glass)
- Caffé Corretto (An espresso with a shot of the liquor. (grappa, Sambuca, or Baileys Irish Cream)
- Caffé Americano (A shot of espresso with hot water added and served in the larger cup)
- Caffé Lungo ( Long coffee)
- Caffé Freddo ( Espresso refrigerate)
- Caffé HAG ( The most popular brand of decaffeinated coffee in Italy)
- Granita di Caffé ( Iced coffee with fresh panna (cream) )
- Caffé’ con Panna ( An espresso with fresh-whipped cream on top)
When you order your coffee, you are also given a complimentary glass of water.
The Moka is the Mr. Coffee of Italy and is the most popular home method.It is a steel coffee maker that is put on a stove and makes coffee by boiling water to force steam through the grounds.
Where to drink coffee in Rome
Antico Caffé’ Greco
Famous for being one of the three oldest cafes in the world, since 1760. This café’ has a very classical atmosphere with attracting famous guests including Casanova.
Via dei Condotti, 86
Tazza d’Oro
Founded in 1946 by Mario Fiocchetto. Very popular with locals, with their brand name is seen in coffee shops all over Italy
Sant’Eustachio Cafè
On the opposite side of the Pantheon from the Tazza d’Oro cafe, this establishment, has producing coffee on the premises since the 1930′s.
Piazza Sant’Eustachio, 82
La fiorentina
La fiorentina café was opening in 1942 by Luigi della Maggiore, known as “Marino” and has been has been satisfying Romans with their coffee and hundreds of delicious cakes and desserts , in a variety of shapes, colours, and flavours. Favourites include The chantilly cream cakes, maritozzi, tiramisu, and Crostata di frutta
Via. Andrea Doria, 24
Tips for drinking coffee in Rome
- You will always see Italians standing at cafes, rather than sitting, due to the the sitting charge charge.
- You will never see Italians drinking cappuccino after noon, as they believe that the dairy upsets the digestion