Understanding Coffee Culture in Italy ☕
If you’re ordering two or more, you’ll hear Italians say “cappucci,” not “cappuccini” for the plural
Note: This article was written by a previous contributor - Rachel Vermiglio Smith. Rachel graduated with a degree in Italian language and literature. After falling in love with Italian art as well, she went on for a master’s in art history with a focus on the Italian Renaissance. You can follow her on Instagram @theitalianista.
Before we can even begin to talk about coffee, let’s just get one thing straight.
Coffee in Italy is espresso (soft sounding “s”) not eXpresso. It’s a common mistake. I’m not judging you, but it’s one that makes Italians cringe, and if you love the stuff, it’s only polite that you get the pronunciation right from the beginning.
Now that that’s cleared up, let’s talk about that delicious dark master, AKA, caffè. I know I’m not alone in my love, but having lived here for years, I’ve developed quite the espresso addiction.
I can easily put away 2-4 shots of the stuff a day and still sleep like a baby at night. But, if there is one thing all this caffeine has taught me, it’s that the coffee culture in Italy can be confusing and downright intimidating to foreigners.
But don’t fear! I’m putting my addiction to good use, helping you all become coffee pros for your next trip.
Below are the major types of coffee enjoyed in Italy and when to drink them. Let’s start with the morning.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Italian with Cher to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.