A Sip Into the Italian Coffee Culture
- Lexi Carson
- Jun 10, 2023
- 4 min read
Coffee is a necessity in many people’s diets. The beverage prepared from roasted coffee beans is a popular choice. Regardless of the country, state, or city it’s a drink that's consistently in high demand. However, the geography one is in, does affect the quality they receive. In some places, the caffeine level can be higher and lower, the drink can be served either hot or iced and it can be more prominent in the culture of the respected place one is at.
The Culture
In Italy, coffee is a staple beverage in one’s daily routine. Coffee is so popular with the culture of one’s diet that the majority of the population consumes it. Yes, that’s right. Most people in Italy drink coffee on the regular.
“A study conducted by the Chamber of Commerce of Milan and the ICO (International Coffee Organization) for World Coffee Day looked at Italians’ buying habits, choice of beverages and preferences for their preparation. The figures included an unexpected finding: 97% of all Italians drink coffee in one form or another!” according to Covim.
The daily consumption of the beverage is in the following variations: espresso, americano, cappuccino and caffe latte.
One doesn’t need to wait for the morning hours to order it either. Coffee can be ordered at a café—typically at any time in the day.
However, it can also be served at restaurants. It’s not unusual for your server to ask you if you want the beverage after your meal. This is because coffee is paired well with desserts.
Espresso powder is known to intensify the flavor of sweets, making the taste more rich.
Even though it may keep you awake for a while longer, Italians don’t seem concerned about that.
The Taste
While coffee is a strong drink regardless of where you order it, it can be even more strong depending on what country one’s in.
In Italy, coffee is more intense because of how it is brewed. This all has to do with espresso and how that is made.
According to For the Feast, “espresso is brewed by expressing or forcing out a small amount of nearly boiling water under pressure through finely ground coffee beans. It has a rich flavor with a thicker consistency and is the base for other drinks, such as a Latte, Cappuccino, and Macchiato.”
Some choices of coffee may be available after dinner, but others will not. The reason for this is that Italian coffee drinks will consume a lot of milk in them, which sometimes isn’t the best thing.
For the Feast went on to say, “typically, you would not order a Cappuccino, Caffe latte, or Caffe Macchiato after 10:30 a.m. and especially not after a meal. The Italians believe that too much milk on your stomach mid-day or after a late night meal is not good for digestion.”
A local Florence barista, Matteo Ameto, has made coffee for the past seven years. He says the taste is so strong because of how the machine brews the coffee beans.
“The machine takes about 20 seconds to brew an espresso. It’s a really quick process,” Ameto said.
Out of all the years Ameto has made coffee he's found one drink to be ordered more frequently than others.
“I make cappuccinos the most,” Ameto said. “They pair the best with most meals.”
The Accessibility
In the Italian country it’s easy to find a café on what seems like every street. Every block you walk down will undoubtedly have a restaurant. And what will be on the menu? Coffee.
The convenience of being able to order a coffee at any given time of day or where makes this drink so accessible to customers. Ordering a coffee to go is also a possibility.
But, the bill usually comes after you’re done drinking the beverage.
“Italians rarely linger over a coffee. Instead, they line the bar, chug down their coffee in two or three sips, and then they’re on their way. An espresso is a quick caffeine refuel. Although it is not immediately obvious, in some busy Italian bars you pay first at the cash register (cassa). Ask for the coffee that you want and hand over your money in exchange for a receipt,” according to The Flashpacker.
The Flashpacker, “in other Italian bars, you order first and pay later. When you have finished your coffee, hand over your receipt and pay the cashier or the barista.”
Seems easy enough.
A recent addition to the Florence community is Hershey Chenn. She moved to Italy a year ago from Bali.
She said the culture here is different than what she’s used to but she's learned to embrace it.
“I love being able to get a coffee at all times of the day,” she said. “It helps give me a boost of energy before I work my night shifts.”
How’s it distinctive?
However, something that is a rare occurrence in Italy is iced coffee.
More often than not, one will not be able to order this at a restaurant or café. And if you try to order it, it’s most likely going to be hot coffee poured over ice.
So forget about Starbucks cold brew and give hot coffee a try when in Italy.
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