The Best Coffee Cities In Italy: The Ultimate Guide

The best Italian coffee cities in Italy have a diversity of cultures, histories and aromas that make this guide a requirement for your next visit to Italy.

Knowing what to expect in an Italian coffee shop can make your visit so much more enjoyable. If you are familiar with the difference between Italian regions and cities, you are more likely to have a stress free, authentic experience like a real Italian.

There aren’t a lot of rules and it doesn’t mean you won’t make any mistakes, but that will be the fun part. Even after living in Rome for more than three years, I was recently surprised by a question from a barista that made me question my understanding of coffee culture here in Rome.

Some cities have amazing histories, traditions and drinks that are all their own. Other cities actually have their own type of coffee maker that is specific to them and still others pair their coffee with a specific bread that only they are known for.

Lastly, you’ll want to experience some of the antique coffee bars in some of the bigger cities. These will transport you back to a time of poets and intellectuals debating the future of our collective countries and world. It’s more than just a cup of joe, it’s history.

The History And Styles Of Coffee Around Italy

Coffee In Rome for Tourists

If you spent any time looking into Italian coffee, it might seem a bit overwhelming, but fear not. There is no need to find the “best” coffee in Rome because that doesn’t really exist.

What does exist are quite a few variations of the amazing way Italians, and in this case Romans, select, roast and enjoy their coffee. The goal should be to try as many different roasters as possible in Rome and find something you find enjoyable. This is, of course, different for everyone.

Given Rome’s long history, you might imagine the history of coffee in Rome is equally interesting, and you would be right. The roasters and the bars in Rome that go back decades are a great place to start.

One of the amazing things about the coffee culture in Rome is how it is both consistently a high quality coffee, but with roasting variations that make each espresso potentially a unique experience. With different coffee roasters, some international, some national and still others local, the delicious options can make every morning special.

The morning trip to the local bar for a quick espresso and pastry is as unique in Rome as it is common in Italy. The different coffee roasts available, the different pastries (and names) that you can enjoy as well as the beautiful and historical coffee shops in Rome offer an exciting experience to the first-time visitors.

For more information on Coffee in Rome, check out this supporting article: “Coffee In Rome for Tourists: The Beginners Guide”.

Coffee In Florence For The Curious

To explore the coffee culture of Florence, it is important to understand how locals, tourists and students alike get their coffee fix in this beautiful city. We will help you understand the style of coffee in Florence, as well as some of the iconic coffee bars to keep an eye out for.

While the actual ordering of coffee in Florence isn’t very different from other cities in Italy, one important element to keep in mind is the setting. If you choose to enjoy an espresso outdoors in the shadow of the Duomo, don’t be surprised if you will be paying a premium price for it. Some people forget where they are and are outraged by what would be a ridiculous price for coffee, but really aren’t in Piazza della Signoria.

Similarly, I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying a cappuccino in different museums around Italy, and I highly suggest it. Relaxing with a macchiato in the presence of a masterpiece in Florence can not be replicated, so do it while you can. And if you are wondering: yes, there is a cafè in the Uffizi where you can get a coffee.

The coffee culture in Florence doesn’t differ much from that all over Italy. If you feel comfortable ordering a macchiato in Rome, you should feel equally comfortable ordering the same in Firenze.

For more information on Coffee in Florence, check out this supporting article: “Coffee In Florence For The Curious: The Beginners Guide”.

Coffee In Milan For Noobs

In contrast to the deliberate pace of southern Italy, the frenetic energy of Milan is reflected in its coffee culture, the businesses that realized the dream and the coffee roasters that call it home. Our essential guide will be invaluable to anybody new to the city, it’s coffee culture or even Italy in general.

Milan is home to the most iconic brands of espresso machines, like Gaggia, Rancilio and La Pavoni. Their list of products, that range from large commercial espresso machines, to professional grinders to home espresso makers are the definition of coffee culture that started in Milan but has spread all over the world. 

Coffee culture in Milan can be viewed as more “Progressive” than in other parts of the country, where traditions are respected and expected to last. Milan, and to a lesser extent Rome, are open to new ideas, processes and most importantly, tastes. 

As mentioned, Milan is experiencing a craft coffee explosion. Smaller roasters that aren’t tied to traditional tastes and experiences can be more daring with their offerings. They are open to try the new specialty coffee offerings because taste, as opposed to tradition, is more important in the business hub.

For more information on Coffee in Milan, check out this supporting article: “Coffee In Milan For Noobs: The Essential Guide”.

Coffee In Venice For Beginners

Of all the cities in Italy, Venice is the one that is most closely tied to the history of coffee in Italy. During the 17th century, Venetian merchants took the curious powder with them from what was the Ottoman Empire and brought it back to Venice. 

Venice was the first major trading port who imported coffee into Italy and Europe, which led to the popularization of the Viennese coffee houses,which were supported by the Royal family. These became popular and spread throughout Italy with some of the most historic in Venice.

Soon after its arrival, it was marketed as an “exotic” new beverage and the merchants began selling it exclusively to the elite. However, coffee faced suspicion for its stimulating effects, as well as its origins in the Arab world. The clergy condemned it, but when Pope Clement VIII actually tasted it, he declared: “we should cheat the devil by baptizing it.”

In this article, we will discuss the Venetian coffee culture, history and iconic bars that define what it means to have an espresso in Venice.

For more information on Coffee in Venice, check out this supporting article: “Coffee In Venice For Beginners: The Essential Guide”.

Coffee In Naples For Beginners

Due to its rough and tumble reputation, many people avoid Naples when they come to visit Italy. This is definitely a mistake because this amazing city has so much more to offer than being a pitstop on the may to the Amalfi coast. 

The coffee culture in Naples is well-defined and worth the time needed to experience the boldly roasted coffee, amazing caffès and even their own unique stovetop coffee maker. 

Stay on the popular and well lit paths around the city and you will definitely find some amazing caffès, but if you are bold and willing to wander down a random dark alley, you will be able to enjoy a coffee that rewards you with a flavor as strong as your intentions!

What is certain is that in Naples people began to appreciate the bitter drink only at the beginning of the 19th century. It was then that the alleys of Naples were enriched by the cries of the itinerant coffee sellers who traveled the length and breadth of the city equipped with a container of coffee and one of milk, and a basket with cups and sugar, to offer a quick breakfast to the most hurried Neapolitans. 

For more information on Coffee in Naples, check out this supporting article: “Coffee In Naples For Beginners: The Ultimate Guide”.

Coffee In Trieste For The Uninitiated

In Italy’s unofficial coffee capital of Trieste, and much like the rest of the country, the day begins in the local coffee bar. In Trieste, the experience is familiar, but with differences that the uninitiated might not realize at first glance.

With this quick guide, you will be ready to order your coffee like a true Triestini and know what to expect in return. Then you might better understand why the people of Trieste are said to drink twice as much coffee as other Italians while being home to some of the most important Italian coffee brands in the world.

We first learned about the coffee culture in Trieste from its coffee festival. Each October, there is the Trieste Coffee Festival, when roasteries open for tastings, restaurants create dishes spiced with coffee and there’s a competition to name the city’s best barista.

For more information on Coffee in Trieste, check out this supporting article: “Coffee In Trieste For The Uninitiated: The Essential Guide”.

Palermo Coffee for Tourists

Coming to Sicily is an amazing experience that I have had the opportunity to do a couple of times over the years. One of my fondest memories of our second trip to the island was when the train was loaded onto a boat to be carried over the straights of Messina.

Once everything was loaded, we were allowed to leave our cabins and stroll around the ferry, which was a really unique experience and one I highly recommend. The most surprising part was the popularity of the espresso machine on the top deck. Imagine seeing the straights in the middle of the night, but first needing a jolt.

While the tourist trade in Sicily continues to grow, I would say that it still is a place for truly “local” experiences. Checking out the coffee bars, listening to the dialect and having that tingling feeling of being out of place is unmatched. With our guide, I hope you will give Sicily, and more specifically Palermo, a chance to dazzle you.

For more information on Palermo coffee, check out this supporting article: “Palermo Coffee for Tourists: The Essential Guide”.

Torino Coffee For Beginners

Italian coffee culture is an important part of daily life in Torino and experiencing the same love of coffee at home can bring your dreams back to the peninsula. Torino (Turin), Italy, a city in the Piedmont region, was known as the Detroit of Italy due to being the home to FIAT, Lancia and Alfa Romeo car manufacturers.

When you combine that with the city also being home to one of the largest global Italian coffee producers in the world, you get a city that runs on gasoline and caffeine unlike anywhere else in Italy. Our guide, best for first-timers, will get you started on the road to enjoying some of Torino’s best coffee. 

The amazing history of Torino will be a factor in the development of a unique coffee culture. We’ll recommend a couple bars that you might want to check out, as well as other coffee culture elements that are foundational to the city.

For more information on Torino coffee, check out this supporting article: “Torino Coffee For Beginners: The Definitive Guide”.

Genoa Coffee for Beginners

Exploring the coffee culture of Genoa, Italy will bring you face-to-face with its history, unique flavors, and iconic bars. This is important for first time visitors to the city because your time there is probably limited (given the smaller size) and you don’t want to waste any opportunities to enjoy delicious coffee.

I mention wasting opportunities because that is exactly what we did on our first trip to Genoa. We poorly planned the visit, which typically includes reviewing guides like this, and watching travel videos. Without this prep work, we entered Genoa blindly.

Our big mistake was with the coffee. We assumed we could have what the hotel offered and get more when we were out. What turned out to be the worst cup of coffee I had drank in quite a while greeted us every morning for breakfast. Once we made the adjustment and skipped the hotel breakfast, we were much happier and I recommend you do the same.

For more information on Genoa coffee, check out this supporting article: “Genoa Coffee for Beginners: The Essential Guide”.

Wrapping Up Our Trip Around Italy