Is The Best Specialty Coffee In Rome Found At Faro?

ByBeppe Castro

If you are looking for the best specialty coffee in Rome then you need to consider an espresso break at Faro Caffè for a truly unique Roman coffee experience.

Best Specialty Coffee In Rome - Cappuccino

For the longest time my favorite Italian coffees have been the larger roasters, like Kimbo, illy or Lavazza. From time to time, however, I like to try a specialty coffee to see if there are any new flavors I should be aware of. Learning about an artisan coffee shop like Faro is just the type of specialty roaster I like to check out, so I did.

My Experience At Faro

The caffè is on the northern side of Rome, not far from Porta Pia and the Borghese Gardens and only a 30 minute bus ride, so I headed out on my way one sunny weekday morning. I was not surprised that the bar was crowded with every table, inside and out, taken. I was able to find some space at the bar, so I grabbed a cappuccino and relaxed.

The barista knew immediately that Italian wasn’t my mother tongue and started speaking in English, but I powered through with my intermediate Italian, making mistakes, and I placed my order. They quickly served me the cappuccino with a sparkling water chaser, and I enjoyed every sip. The coffee had a great flavor, but not too bitter, although admittedly in a cappuccino much can be hidden in the milk. 

I really enjoyed myself while I sipped the delightful coffee in the midst of the chaos, but I think next time I will try to arrive a little earlier and get a seat. I can imagine the experience would be that much better if I didn’t need to keep my head on a swivel to ensure I wasn’t in anyone’s way at the bar.

Best Specialty Coffee In Rome - Pastries

Does The Faro Coffee Shop Have Food?

The menu at Faro changes every month, and it is available for brunch from 8:00 AM until 12:30 PM, and for lunch 12:30 PM until 3:30 PM. For Brunch, the menu (currently) includes:

  • Yogurt with Granola & Fruits
  • Toast with Butter and Jam
  • Toasted Ham and Cheese Sandwich
  • Club Sandwich
  • Eggs with Meat,Vegetables or Fish

For lunch, (again, the menus change but currently) you can enjoy:

  • Salads
  • Roasted Vegetables
  • Pasta with Meat or Vegetables
  • A Fish of the Day

You should be aware that there are no reservations available for Breakfast or on the weekends. Reservations can only be made for lunch, Mon-Fri.

Best Specialty Coffee In Rome - Savory Snacks

What Coffee Is Rome Famous For?

I wouldn’t say there is a specific coffee or roaster that Rome is known for, but there are a couple of coffee shops that are well known. The oldest and most famous coffee shop in Rome is a caffé near the Spanish Steps called: Antico Caffè Greco. This is a more traditional coffee shop where you can get all the classic coffee drinks, like: cappuccino, espresso, caffé macchiato and even a caffè corretto.

What Town In Italy Has The Best Coffee?

Every city in Italy has its own favorite coffee and you should try one on every visit. Very generally speaking, the coffee is roasted darker and more bitter the further south you go. The northern roasters have a smoother taste and roasters favor the Arabica beans. For me, the coffee in Rome and further south is my favorite, but there is a very big variety of coffee experiences across Italy, so be sure to try them all.

Best Specialty Coffee In Rome - Cappuccino and Spoon

What Is The Best Italian Coffee?

The fact of the matter is that all coffee roasted in the Italian style and brewed in a commercial espresso maker is amazing. The best is strictly defined by your tastes because there is so much variety in roasting across Italy that to compare one against the other does a disservice to such an amazing drink.

My favorite coffee is Kimbo’s Espresso Napolitano, but I also drink it black and I love bitter coffee. Others might prefer a smooth Arabica only coffee, like the great offerings from illy. Start with what is closest to you and go from there. When we lived in the US, Lavazza and illy were easy to find, but we started selling other Italian coffees online because there are so many other great ones.

What Is Considered Speciality Coffee?

The definition of Specialty Coffee can either be super pompous, like this definition from the Specialty Coffee Association:

“Specialty coffee can consistently exist through the dedication of the people who have made it their life’s work to continually make quality their highest priority.”

Or it can be understood to mean smaller batch roasting with more attention to the beans and roasting processes than is possible with an industrial roaster. It is like anything else that is trying not to be industrial, like a craft beer or a bespoke suit. If this is important to you, there is plenty of Specialty coffee all across Italy and the world, and Faro is just one example.

Best Specialty Coffee In Rome - Great Service

How Much Is A Cup Of Coffee In Rome?

Coffee in Rome is quite affordable, with an espresso setting you back between €1 and €1.20, and a cappuccino between €1.20 and €1.50. You might find one slightly cheaper or a bit more expensive, but these are definitely exceptions to the rule. Also, these are the prices for drinking at the counter, so if you want to sit at a table, you can expect to pay a bit more for the comfort.

What Is The Most Popular Coffee In Rome?

Without a doubt, the most popular coffees are an espresso, a cappuccino and a macchiato. There are many more varieties of espresso coffee you can check out, but these three are the most popular. Don’t forget, cappuccino is strictly for breakfast, so don’t order it after 11:00 in the morning. After that, stick to espresso.

Best Specialty Coffee In Rome - Entrance

More Coffee Bar In Italy Experiences

If you are convinced that this coffee shop in Rome near the Colosseum, Bar Monti, is right for you, then I would suggest learning more about the Italian coffee bars and delicious opportunities to experience them, check out some of our other posts:

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