How To: Drink Coffee Like an Italian

It’s 2 o’clock in the afternoon and the only thing that’s going to get you through the remainder of day is an extra shot of espresso. You trudge to the nearest Starbucks—which is just three blocks away yet seems entirely too far. You finally get to the Starbucks, wait in line, and order a non-fat venti vanilla latte with an extra shot of espresso, for good measure. In America, this is the norm, but in Italy—where coffee is as much a part of the culture as the pasta and wine—everything you just did is so very wrong.

If you are planning a trip to Italy and want to sip espresso like the locals, here’s what you need to know.

In Italy, going to a bar at 7AM is completely appropriate.

"Bar" is simply the Italian word for what we call a cafe.

In Italy, you pay for your drink and then use the receipt to order it.

When entering the cafe, you should walk directly to the cash register and tell the cashier what you are ordering and pay for it. Then, you will need to go to the coffee counter elsewhere in the shop, place your receipt on the bar, and soon a skilled Italian barista named Mario will come over to ask you what you want. When placing the receipt on the counter, it is customary to leave a small coin (ten euro cents will do) to "hold the paper down" for the barista. It's a small way to tip in Italian culture and also helps get the attention of the barista when there are many patrons waiting for their drinks.

In Italy, do not order a cappuccino, latte, macchiato, or any other milk-based beverage after noon.

Italians only drink milk-based coffees in the morning. Lattes and cappuccinos are breakfast items in Italy and you will stand out like a sore thumb if you order a cappuccino at 2 o’clock in the afternoon. However, it is fine to order an espresso any time of day, morning or night.

In Italy, you’re expected to drink your coffee while standing at the bar.

If you want to sit and stay a while, make sure you do not order your coffee at the cash register. Instead, take a seat right away at a table inside or out. A server will come over to take your order. Be aware that when sitting, your coffee will be more expensive than if you were to order the same thing at the cash register and stand. The extra cost is the service charge and is included in the higher price of the drink, or as a separate charge all together (and possibly both). This charge does take care of tipping, however. Tipping is not required in Italy, though it is a common practice to round up to the nearest euro or so.

In Italy, there is no such thing as a "to-go" cup.

In the U.S., you would be hard-pressed to walk down the street in any major city without spotting at least ten white paper cups with that green medallion and brown paper sleeve. If you ask, some places may have a plastic Dixie cup you can take with you, but I have only seen this happen once my entire time in Italy. But if you are that desperate, you might do well to learn a thing or two from the laid back Italians while you’re visiting.

In Italy, when ordering an espresso, most Italians order an "espresso con zucchero," or espresso with sugar.

Sugar is often thought of as very American. We are often criticized for the amount of sweetener we use in our coffee and the amount of sweets we eat. What you must understand, however, is that it’s not that Italians don’t like to sweeten up their espresso (On the contrary! They do it more often than we do!) but the amount of sugar needed to sweeten a small espresso compared to the amount needed to sweeten a venti Americano from Starbucks is much less. This can also be seen with the size of our breakfast muffins compared with their small croissants. The Italians are a perfect example of "everything in moderation."

In Italy, there is no such thing as drip-coffee.

To get a traditional drip-coffee in Italy you must order a café Americano, or simply and Americano. You’ll find that absolutely no Italians ever order them because drip coffee is flavorless compared to the more traditional Italian options. And be prepared, even if you do order the Americano drip-coffee, you may just end up with a traditional Americano after all because most cafes in Italy do not brew coffee at all and only use espresso machines.

In Italy, there is no such thing as iced coffee.

Now you would think with all the espresso-based drinks it would be easy to get an iced-latte at least, but think again. Iced espresso beverages are unheard of. If you’re lucky, you may stumble upon a place that is able to blend their drinks with an ice, sort of like a frappuchino. Or I’ll do you one better. If you’re in the mood for something cold, order a granitta (note: these are not available at all cafes). Granita is shaved sweetened coffee-flavored iced topped with a dollop of whipped cream and is one of the most amazing things you will ever taste!

In Italy, espresso comes a hundred different ways, and it’s important to know the differences.

For instance, while Starbucks has popularized "macchiato" as a large sugar beverage, in Italy, a macchiato is just espresso with a dollop of milk. That’s it. Small and traditional. Here is a list of some other espresso options to help you better understand the Italian menu options:

Caffè: An American espresso (though espresso also translates).

Doppio: Double espresso.

Ristretto: Espresso made with less water to concentrate the flavor and caffeine.

Americano: American coffee.

Macchiato: Espresso "stained" with steamed milk on the top.

Caffè Latte: Espresso with steamed milk.

Caffè Corretto: Espresso "corrected" with grappa or cognac.

Cappucino: Espresso (or coffee) with foamed milk.

Caffè Freddo: Iced coffee (though it may look very different from the iced coffee you're thinking of).

Caffè Hag: Decaffeinated.

Caffè Marocchino: Espresso with a dash of hot milk and cacao powder.

Caffè Shakerato: Espresso shaken with sugar and ice. It is shaken vigorously until a froth forms.