Caffès (also referred to as bars or caffetterias) are found in every village and town in Italy. They are usually family-run and are the center of life in a neighborhood, serving coffee drinks, tea, juices, sodas, alcohol, and some food. They make you feel at home, as well as giving you the best coffee of your life.
Our favorite caffe in Spoleto, Caffè degli Artisti
When we are in Italy, we visit caffès several times a day. They are one of our favorite things about traveling in Italy.
Steve saying goodbye at Caffè degli Artisti on our last day in Spoleto
Note that the Italian spelling, caffè, is different from the French spelling, cafe. If you see a sign for caffetterias don't confuse this with the American "cafeteria" which is more closely related to the Italian tavola calda.
To Save Money Drink Your Coffee Standing at the Bar
The price of drinks in a caffè is regulated by the local government. The list of official prices is always on display. Be aware that these prices apply to items consumed while standing at the bar. The prices for those same items increase, sometimes dramatically, when you sit at a table. In a larger tourist center, like Venice, the price of a coffee taken at a table could be 5 times the price at the bar. In smaller towns, the extra charge is small and sometimes there is no extra charge.
I will never forget the expensive espresso we had on St. Marks Square in Venice in 1996. We sat down at an outside table and ordered. The bill was 35,000 lire (about $18) for two espressos - our personal best!
Order Your Coffee
There are two ways to order and pay for your drinks in a caffè. Have a good look around when you go in to figure it out.
1. Order and pay at the bar. In smaller towns the caffès all work the same way. Stand at the bar until it is your turn. There may be other people standing there - some drinking their espressos, some waiting to pay, others waiting to order. You are served in the order in which you arrive. Never interrupt the bartender; he will speak to you when he is ready. When it is your turn, the bartender says "dica", which means "tell me". Tell him what you want. You do not pay until you have finished your drinks. If you want to sit at a table outside, tell him that. The drinks may be brought out to you. Otherwise, he puts your drink in front of you on the counter.
When you are ready to leave, move over to the cash register. The bartender rings up the order and, if he knows you do not speak Italian, hands you the printed receipt so you can read the total. Do not hand him the money directly, instead put your money on the plate that sits on the counter beside the register. He puts your change there. Remember to say "grazie, arrivederci".
2. Pay at the cashier, order at the bar. Larger caffès have a separate cashier. Go to him first, tell him what you want, and pay. Take the receipt to the bar and put it down on the counter with a small coin to "weigh it down". This is the tip for the bartender.
These bars are typically busy. Stand and wait until your turn comes. The bartender takes the coin and receipt, reads the receipt and tears it at the top (to indicate that it has been used). Repeat your order to him (the receipt does not always indicate which drink you ordered). He makes the drinks and places them before you on the bar.
Standing at the bar at a busy Autogrill caffe
If You Want to Sit at an Outside Table
Sometimes you don’t want a quick coffee standing at the bar, you want to sit outside in the sun and watch the local goings on.
In smaller caffès, order at the bar and them him you are sitting outside. In a larger caffè the waiter takes your order. When they bring your drinks, they either hand you the receipt and ask you to pay immediately (this is the custom in busy tourist areas) or discreetly tuck it under the ashtray and leave it for you to pay when you are done.
What’s For Breakfast?
When you walk into a caffè in the morning, you see a display of pastries. In larger caffès, they may have a large selection on shelves behind glass. In smaller caffes, they may have a box on the counter. In any case, the price for any type of pastry is usually the same. You point at the one you want and the bartender picks it up with a paper napkin and hands it to you.
The most popular breakfast pastry is cornetti, the Italian version of a croissant. They are filled with jam (marmellata), custard (crema) or honey (miele) or have no filling (semplice or senza niente). Wholewheat cornetti may be available.
Caffe breakfast - espresso and cornetto - and receipt
Once, in Perugia, I asked for a croissant with panna (it was on the menu) just to see what it was. They took a large croissant and cut it in half like a sandwich. Then they went over to the whipped cream machine (used to top gelato) and put about a cup of whipped cream in the croissant - like a whipped cream sandwich! Kind of disgusting.
Sweeten that Coffee
Italians love sugar in their coffee. Before 2004 there would be a large bowl of sugar on the bar counter. Now you find a bowl of sugar packets. When the coffee is served, the bartender pushes the sugar bowl towards you. If you are served outside, you get at least two sugar packets with your espresso. You won’t always find sugar substitutes so if you use them it is best to carry a few packets with you.
We don’t take sugar in our coffee and have had bartenders comment on this.
The Caffè Menu
For a basic cup of espresso, order "un caffè”. You might want to say "un caffè espresso" so they know you want an espresso. Sometimes it is assumed, because you are a tourist, that you want an American-style coffee. If this is what you want, ask for "un caffè americano" for an espresso with extra hot water.
Coffee Drinks
Caffè - one shot of espresso, served in a small cup. If you want it weaker (with more water), ask for a Caffè Lungo - a long coffee. If you want two shots, order a Caffè Doppio, but this is not commonly done in Italy. Instead, return later for a second caffè.
Caffè Macchiato - espresso with a touch of milk (translates as "stained coffee").
Caffè Decaffinato - decaffeinated coffee (also called by the brand name "Caffe Hag").
Caffè d'Orzo - barley coffee, a non-caffeine coffee substitute. You can also have a Cappuccino d'Orzo.
Note: Milk, and drinks with milk, are not normally consumed by Italians after mid-day. Something to do with digestion. For some reason this doesn’t apply to gelato (some flavors have dairy).
Cappuccino - espresso topped with hot milk and foam. The term cappuccino refers to the brown and white colors of the robes of the Capuchin monks. In some areas, a cappuccino is called a Cappuccio.
Caffè Latte - espresso with hot milk. Note that in North America a Latte is the term for this, but in Italy a Latte is hot milk only. This is not a popular drink in Italy and some regions have different terms - Latte e Caffè (as on the photo of the menu below), Latte Macchiato (milk stained with coffee).
Caffè Freddo - iced coffee (seasonal), usually served with lots of sugar.
Caffè Shakerato is a more elaborate version of a caffe freddo.
Caffè Corretto - a shot of liqueur (usually whisky or grappa) is added to your espresso to "correct" it.
Caffe Macchiato - espresso with a little milk
Other Hot Drinks
Tè - a cup of hot tea. For herbal tea order Tisana or Camomilla (chamomile tea).
Cioccolato - hot chocolate (seasonal). Caffès serve hot chocolate in the winter. It is very thick and not overly sweet (you add sugar).
Fruit Juices, Pop and Water
Spremuta di Frutta - fresh-squeezed fruit juice. Spremuta di Arancia is orange juice.
Succo di Frutta - fruit juice, usually from a bottle or can.
Aranciata - orange carbonated drink. You will find other pop like Coke, Pepsi, etc. Schwepps Limone is not-too-sweet fizzy lemonade.
Acqua Minerale - bottled water, plain (naturale) or with gas (con gas or gasata). Frizzante for light sparkling water.
Alcohol Drinks
Vino - wine. Or Vinsanto, a sweet dessert wine that might come with hard cookies that you dip in it. Order Prosecco for a sparkling wine.
Birre Spina - draft beer (on tap). Order Birre Nazionale for beer from Italy.
Cocktails - American-style cocktails. An Americano is a popular cocktail made with Campari.
Aperitivo - Aperitifs are appetite-stimulating beverages ordered at a caffè before dinner. They are usually served with snacks - peanuts, chips or crackers. Campari, very bitter but refreshing, is a popular aperitif. Ask for campari and soda. Nearly every caffè has an Aperitivo della Casa (house aperitif) which is a more fancy drink.
Aperitivo Analcolico - Non-alcholic aperitif. These are bitter and very good. Popular brands are Crodino (orange in color), Bitter Rosso (red in color, the brand is SanBitter), Bitter Bianco (clear), and San Pellegrino Bitter.
Digestivo - Drinks taken after a meal to promote good digestion. You either have this at the restaurant, after your dessert, along with your espresso or you go to your local caffe on the way home and have a last drink. Amari is a popular digestivo. Cynar is a drink made from artichokes and is used as an aperitif or digestive.
Grappe - grappa is a strong drink, like a schnapps, made from grapes. It is clear and strong. One time at a vacation rental in Chianti, a young American man traveling with his wife and children was asking us all kinds of questions (because this was our second trip and it was his first). He asked "What's the deal with grappa?" I don't know why, but we loved this question and repeat it to each other frequently when in Italy.
Resources
Thread on forums - non-alcoholic beverages
Part of the menu from Caffe degli Artisti, 2017
Caffe menu in Positano 2017
Our favorite caffe in Spoleto, Caffè degli Artisti
When we are in Italy, we visit caffès several times a day. They are one of our favorite things about traveling in Italy.
- Start the day at a caffè for breakfast - espresso and a cornetto.
- Mid-day drop into a caffè for a panino to get you through to lunch.
- Mid-afternoon, head to the caffè again for another espresso.
- Before dinner, drop into your local caffè for an aperitivo, to stimulate the appetite.
- You might return to the caffè after dinner for a digestivo, to help digest dinner.
Steve saying goodbye at Caffè degli Artisti on our last day in Spoleto
Note that the Italian spelling, caffè, is different from the French spelling, cafe. If you see a sign for caffetterias don't confuse this with the American "cafeteria" which is more closely related to the Italian tavola calda.
To Save Money Drink Your Coffee Standing at the Bar
The price of drinks in a caffè is regulated by the local government. The list of official prices is always on display. Be aware that these prices apply to items consumed while standing at the bar. The prices for those same items increase, sometimes dramatically, when you sit at a table. In a larger tourist center, like Venice, the price of a coffee taken at a table could be 5 times the price at the bar. In smaller towns, the extra charge is small and sometimes there is no extra charge.
I will never forget the expensive espresso we had on St. Marks Square in Venice in 1996. We sat down at an outside table and ordered. The bill was 35,000 lire (about $18) for two espressos - our personal best!
Order Your Coffee
There are two ways to order and pay for your drinks in a caffè. Have a good look around when you go in to figure it out.
1. Order and pay at the bar. In smaller towns the caffès all work the same way. Stand at the bar until it is your turn. There may be other people standing there - some drinking their espressos, some waiting to pay, others waiting to order. You are served in the order in which you arrive. Never interrupt the bartender; he will speak to you when he is ready. When it is your turn, the bartender says "dica", which means "tell me". Tell him what you want. You do not pay until you have finished your drinks. If you want to sit at a table outside, tell him that. The drinks may be brought out to you. Otherwise, he puts your drink in front of you on the counter.
When you are ready to leave, move over to the cash register. The bartender rings up the order and, if he knows you do not speak Italian, hands you the printed receipt so you can read the total. Do not hand him the money directly, instead put your money on the plate that sits on the counter beside the register. He puts your change there. Remember to say "grazie, arrivederci".
2. Pay at the cashier, order at the bar. Larger caffès have a separate cashier. Go to him first, tell him what you want, and pay. Take the receipt to the bar and put it down on the counter with a small coin to "weigh it down". This is the tip for the bartender.
These bars are typically busy. Stand and wait until your turn comes. The bartender takes the coin and receipt, reads the receipt and tears it at the top (to indicate that it has been used). Repeat your order to him (the receipt does not always indicate which drink you ordered). He makes the drinks and places them before you on the bar.
Standing at the bar at a busy Autogrill caffe
If You Want to Sit at an Outside Table
Sometimes you don’t want a quick coffee standing at the bar, you want to sit outside in the sun and watch the local goings on.
In smaller caffès, order at the bar and them him you are sitting outside. In a larger caffè the waiter takes your order. When they bring your drinks, they either hand you the receipt and ask you to pay immediately (this is the custom in busy tourist areas) or discreetly tuck it under the ashtray and leave it for you to pay when you are done.
What’s For Breakfast?
When you walk into a caffè in the morning, you see a display of pastries. In larger caffès, they may have a large selection on shelves behind glass. In smaller caffes, they may have a box on the counter. In any case, the price for any type of pastry is usually the same. You point at the one you want and the bartender picks it up with a paper napkin and hands it to you.
The most popular breakfast pastry is cornetti, the Italian version of a croissant. They are filled with jam (marmellata), custard (crema) or honey (miele) or have no filling (semplice or senza niente). Wholewheat cornetti may be available.
Caffe breakfast - espresso and cornetto - and receipt
Once, in Perugia, I asked for a croissant with panna (it was on the menu) just to see what it was. They took a large croissant and cut it in half like a sandwich. Then they went over to the whipped cream machine (used to top gelato) and put about a cup of whipped cream in the croissant - like a whipped cream sandwich! Kind of disgusting.
Sweeten that Coffee
Italians love sugar in their coffee. Before 2004 there would be a large bowl of sugar on the bar counter. Now you find a bowl of sugar packets. When the coffee is served, the bartender pushes the sugar bowl towards you. If you are served outside, you get at least two sugar packets with your espresso. You won’t always find sugar substitutes so if you use them it is best to carry a few packets with you.
We don’t take sugar in our coffee and have had bartenders comment on this.
The Caffè Menu
For a basic cup of espresso, order "un caffè”. You might want to say "un caffè espresso" so they know you want an espresso. Sometimes it is assumed, because you are a tourist, that you want an American-style coffee. If this is what you want, ask for "un caffè americano" for an espresso with extra hot water.
Coffee Drinks
Caffè - one shot of espresso, served in a small cup. If you want it weaker (with more water), ask for a Caffè Lungo - a long coffee. If you want two shots, order a Caffè Doppio, but this is not commonly done in Italy. Instead, return later for a second caffè.
Caffè Macchiato - espresso with a touch of milk (translates as "stained coffee").
Caffè Decaffinato - decaffeinated coffee (also called by the brand name "Caffe Hag").
Caffè d'Orzo - barley coffee, a non-caffeine coffee substitute. You can also have a Cappuccino d'Orzo.
Note: Milk, and drinks with milk, are not normally consumed by Italians after mid-day. Something to do with digestion. For some reason this doesn’t apply to gelato (some flavors have dairy).
Cappuccino - espresso topped with hot milk and foam. The term cappuccino refers to the brown and white colors of the robes of the Capuchin monks. In some areas, a cappuccino is called a Cappuccio.
Caffè Latte - espresso with hot milk. Note that in North America a Latte is the term for this, but in Italy a Latte is hot milk only. This is not a popular drink in Italy and some regions have different terms - Latte e Caffè (as on the photo of the menu below), Latte Macchiato (milk stained with coffee).
Caffè Freddo - iced coffee (seasonal), usually served with lots of sugar.
Caffè Shakerato is a more elaborate version of a caffe freddo.
Caffè Corretto - a shot of liqueur (usually whisky or grappa) is added to your espresso to "correct" it.
Caffe Macchiato - espresso with a little milk
Other Hot Drinks
Tè - a cup of hot tea. For herbal tea order Tisana or Camomilla (chamomile tea).
Cioccolato - hot chocolate (seasonal). Caffès serve hot chocolate in the winter. It is very thick and not overly sweet (you add sugar).
Fruit Juices, Pop and Water
Spremuta di Frutta - fresh-squeezed fruit juice. Spremuta di Arancia is orange juice.
Succo di Frutta - fruit juice, usually from a bottle or can.
Aranciata - orange carbonated drink. You will find other pop like Coke, Pepsi, etc. Schwepps Limone is not-too-sweet fizzy lemonade.
Acqua Minerale - bottled water, plain (naturale) or with gas (con gas or gasata). Frizzante for light sparkling water.
Alcohol Drinks
Vino - wine. Or Vinsanto, a sweet dessert wine that might come with hard cookies that you dip in it. Order Prosecco for a sparkling wine.
Birre Spina - draft beer (on tap). Order Birre Nazionale for beer from Italy.
Cocktails - American-style cocktails. An Americano is a popular cocktail made with Campari.
Aperitivo - Aperitifs are appetite-stimulating beverages ordered at a caffè before dinner. They are usually served with snacks - peanuts, chips or crackers. Campari, very bitter but refreshing, is a popular aperitif. Ask for campari and soda. Nearly every caffè has an Aperitivo della Casa (house aperitif) which is a more fancy drink.
Aperitivo Analcolico - Non-alcholic aperitif. These are bitter and very good. Popular brands are Crodino (orange in color), Bitter Rosso (red in color, the brand is SanBitter), Bitter Bianco (clear), and San Pellegrino Bitter.
Digestivo - Drinks taken after a meal to promote good digestion. You either have this at the restaurant, after your dessert, along with your espresso or you go to your local caffe on the way home and have a last drink. Amari is a popular digestivo. Cynar is a drink made from artichokes and is used as an aperitif or digestive.
Grappe - grappa is a strong drink, like a schnapps, made from grapes. It is clear and strong. One time at a vacation rental in Chianti, a young American man traveling with his wife and children was asking us all kinds of questions (because this was our second trip and it was his first). He asked "What's the deal with grappa?" I don't know why, but we loved this question and repeat it to each other frequently when in Italy.
Resources
Thread on forums - non-alcoholic beverages
Part of the menu from Caffe degli Artisti, 2017
Caffe menu in Positano 2017
Confused yet? 
