Coffee is just as important to Italians as pizza and pasta. While espresso is the go-to coffee for most Italians, different regions around the country specialise in their version of the caffeinated drink. Here are 5 coffees to try when travelling around Italy.
No trip to Sicily is complete without trying a granita di caffè. This is a cold coffee, making it a refreshing way to start a summer’s day. It is essentially a semi-frozen coffee slushie that is topped with whipped cream and usually paired with a brioche bun. One of the most popular places in Sicily to try a granita di caffè is at Bam Bar in Taormina.
More commonly known as a dessert, but still rich with coffee so we’ll let it pass. While affogato is not specific to Florence, they do specialise in it. Vivoli Gelateria found viral fame on social media for its take on an affogato – super creamy gelato is spread into a pre-chill cappuccino cup, leaving a square in the middle where a shot of espresso is poured directly from the nozzle of a coffee machine. Bellissimo!
Of course, Italy’s most famous chocolate city has a unique drink that combines coffee and chocolate. Bicerin is a traditional hot drink that is made with Italian drinking chocolate, espresso and finished with foamy milk.
Essentially coffee mixed with beaten egg, caffee ‘allo zabione is a traditional coffee drink in Bologna. Sugar and spice (like cardamon pods) are added to give it a sweet and spicy, Italian-style eggnog-like taste.
This might not be the kind of coffee you start the day with. A blend of anise, rum and brandy is heated with steam with sugar and lemon and then poured into a glass. Warm coffee, usually espresso, is added slowly so that it doesn’t mix with the liquor, but rather sits on top of it. To finish off it is topped with milky foam. It’s usually served in a glass so that the drinker can clearly see the three layers.
