How to order coffee in Italy

There's nothing more Italian than going to a Bar in Italy for a quick caffè that's downed in a nano second or,sitting at a small caffe table sipping a cup of warm frothy milk with the subtle bitterness of espresso ground coffee in between bites of a cornetto filled with jam. Now that's Italian living.

How to order coffee in Italy requires a little bit of familiarity with cultural etiquette and terms. First, let's get one thing straight: don't call it espresso, call it un caffè. Now we're on the right foot.

Why? Because caffè is the word that indicates the coffee grind is espresso, that rich, dark slightly bitter liquid with a crema on top. The intensity comes from the way the flavor is carefully extracted.

Okay, it's time to get a grip on terms that will be useful on your cooking vacation in Italy🌞

- Caffe’ - espresso in a small caffe cup, with or without sugar

- Cappuccino -a single espresso and topped with warm frothed milk, served in a larger, rounder coffee cup . Drink in the morning up to 11am and save yourself the embarrassment of acting like a foreigner

- Caffe’ Macchiato - espresso served in an espresso cup with a touch of frothed milk

- Caffe Latte - espresso served in a glass with a lot of heated milk

- Latte Macchiato - warm milk served in a glass with a touch of espresso , either short , medium , or long . You decide

- Caffe’ Americano - a little hot water with espresso added and hot water on the side, added as desired to dilute the intensity, plus milk on the side

Hope this raises the bar for your enjoyment when you order your next Italian Coffee!

If you find yourself in Castiglione del Lago in want of some caffe, please visit Sergio & Daniele the owners of

Alise' Cafe', Via della Stazione,5 across from the Castiglione del Lago train station, (PG), Umbria

closed mondays. open 7am - 10pm Sept thru May, and 7am - midnight, June - August

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