Do people drink cappuccino all day or just certain times of the day? What about espresso? How easy is it to get a "regular" cup of coffee? Is it called Cafe Americano?
My husband is a coffee drinker, but he doesn't want to make a fool of himself. Help him please... :-)
Ron in Rome has an excellent article on this very subject on his blog.
Andrea - A basic rule in Italy is to never drink cappuccino after you've had tomatoes. That is, after lunch.
But, really, the answer is, no one cares.
But, you'll have a hard time finding a regular cup of coffee except at McDonalds or Starbucks.
Thanks guys. I had my husband read/watch the video on Ron In Rome's site and now he is on his own!
I thought I had read somewhere that they didn't have Starbucks in Italy. Hmm....
Now, where can I get iced tea?
Kidding...
Generally, Italians view cappucino as a breakfast drink and espresso as an anytime drink. But being polite hosts and since you are paying, places will serve you whatever you want whenever you want.
Most (almost all) spots will not have a brewed coffee like what Americans are used to. Cafe Americano is basically a normal size serving of espresso presented in a larger cup with a pot of hot water on the side to dilute it.
In my experience, whenever I've asked for a Cafe Americano, the restaurant has served this in a normal size cup and added the hot water already. I've never had hot water served "on the side".
A similar drink is Cafe Lungo ("long") which uses an espresso machine to make a single or double shot of espresso with more water.
A few other points for your husband to note.....
Coffee is generally ordered and paid for at the Bar, and then the receipt is given to the person that actually makes the coffee.
Coffee is generally consumed at a neighborhood Bar (the word "Bar" in Italy has a different meaning than we're used to). Pastries, Sandwiches and other items are sold also, as well as liquor.
If he orders "un cafe" (which is what most Italians order), he'll probably get espresso in a demitasse cup.
Italians don't usually drink Capuccino after about 11:00 or so (but there are always exceptions).
Also note that he'll pay for EVERY cup. It's rare to find free refills, except during breakfast at B&B's or Hotels.
Seating at the Bar is generally cheaper, while seating at sidewalk tables usually costs more.
Cafe Americano doesn't quite "taste" the same as normal drip coffee, but it's the most similar so he'll have to tolerate the difference during the trip.
If your husband wants to be "adventurous", he might try Cafe Corretto, ("corrected") which has a shot of Grappa (or other liqueur) added to the coffee!
Cheers!
If your husband is a coffee drinker, he will love Italian coffee. A regular coffee there is an espresso. American (read "atrocious") coffee is never served. There is no such thing as a "latte" (which in Italian means "milk") and we have never seen such abominations as flavored coffees.
Andrea,
When you are ordering gelato, tell your husband to check out the Cafe flavor. It's my favorite, and the best ones are when they have the broken coffee beans in it!
Have a Great trip!
No worries; since I'm traveling with you (wink), I'll take it upon myself to take excellent care of his cafe needs...Now, just when are we leaving?!? ;-)
I often hear people say that Italians never drink capuccino after lunchtime but I see it all the time. Drink whatever you want, whenever you want, as long as you're paying nobody will care.
Sant Eustachio is a ripoff, you're paying like 3 times the price of an espresso for the famous name. You should never pay more than E1.50 for an espresso, not even in Rome. It's like going to Venice and paying 17 euros for a Bellini at Harry's Bar when you can get one for a few euros pretty much anywhere else.
Cappuccino is considered a morning drink, but you can get it any time. The "Americano" is just a watered down version of espresso and won't have the taste you are used to or are probably looking for. If you yearn for true American style coffee, then I suggest that you buy some Starbucks "Via" instant coffee packets (they don't have Starbucks in Italy) and take it to Italy with you. It is good stuff and easy to make. Just ask for a cup (8 oz.=240mL) of hot water to mix it with.
Matt L.,
How cute!
Great question, and as others said, the rules include no cappuccino after noon, and -- another one -- no coffee alongside/before dinner (only after)! I've addressed these rules, as well as other etiquette mistakes to avoid (there are many), in my blog post Eleven Etiquette Mistakes Not to Make at an Italian Meal.
Before my trip, I studied up on Italian customs, dining etiquette, even took a short language course, all in the name of appearing as the knowledgeable American traveler. So I never ordered cappuncino outside of breakfast. Until one evening, exhausted, at a restaurant in Venice, the old woman who owned the place asked me after dinner "Uno cappuccino?" and I instinctively replied "Si." Then she patted my head and said, in English, "Darling child." (I was 36 years old.) They won't hurt you if you "order wrong." They'll just have a quiet chuckle at your expense. Laugh with them and enjoy.
Your husband may never want Starbucks again after his Italian coffee experience. We got hooked on cafe macchiato. The cups are small, but it's wonderful. And, you pay first and take the receipt to the guys at the bar. The menu is usually above the register. Cafe D'Oro near the Pantheon is great.
I've had a couple of experiences of getting my "cafe americano" as a shot of espresso in a regular sized cup with a little pitcher of water to adjust it to my liking. (That was when I didn't feel like either an espresso or a capuccino.) It's actually the best tasting option if you want what's closest to American coffee, since you can control your own strength. And I'm considered a coffee snob, so I know my coffee taste.
I had one of the cutest experiences related to coffee in Italy in one of those train station cafe/bars in a small town -- don't recall where, somewhere near Lucca or Chiusi. The attendants had uniforms with little frilled aprons and caps, like a '50s diner.
After I bought my ticket at the counter I asked the barista in very bad sign-language assisted Italian if I could take it with me, as we needed to run to our track. Once she figured out what I was asking, with an "aha" look on her face, she proudly gave me my espresso in a Pepsi cup. I grazied my way out the door and enjoyed my espresso with bits of floating, melted wax from the Pepsi cup, having just enjoyed some of the best non-language communication and customer service. Still one of my fondest travel memories.
Don't you love Italy?
