7 Ways To Order Coffee in Italy

In Italy, you may frequently find yourself at a bar before noon. Not because you’re getting crunk under the Tuscan sun (no judgement), but because in Italian, the word bar is associated with coffee. If you find yourself at one of these bar italiani, here are seven Italian coffee orders to help you jump right over that language barrier and get your caffeine fix faster than you can say buona mattina.

1. Un caffè macchiato: ALERT for those of you not in the know, this particular turn of phrase will not get you your Starbucks-style macchiato with five pumps of caramel and enough milk to nurse a baby. What it will get you is a cute little espresso cup filled with… espresso, and a little dollop of steamed milk on the top. That’s because in Italian, the verb macchiare means “to stain,” so if you order a caffè macchiato, that’s all you’ll get. A stain.  For those of you who would like to drink out of the cute little espresso cups but don’t want the full-force taste of espresso (which can be overwhelming to many a palate), a caffè macchiato is a great foray into tiny-cup culture.

2. Un latte macchiato: Maybe you’re getting the hang of this verb macchiare and can already figure out what a latte macchiato is. If not, un latte macchiato is a nice big cup of steamed milk stained with a shot of espresso. This is more in line with the “lattes” and “macchiatos” in the good ole’ USA and will taste just like home (but probably better because you’re in Italy taking in la dolce vita).

3. Un cappuccino: Like pecorino, gelato, and prosciutto, cappuccino stays the same wherever you go. One note on the difference between un cappuccino and un latte macchiato: un cappuccino has a much higher ratio of milk foam to actual milk. This is reflected in the name, since cappuccino means “little hat.” If the delicious taste doesn’t get you to drink one, the adorable imagery of that name just might. 

4. Un caffè ristretto: This is for those of you who love that strong espresso flavor and want it even stronger. Ristretto comes from the verb ristringere which means “to concentrate,” and the flavor of this coffee order is the perfect way to taste the meaning of that verb.

5. Un caffè lungo: If you like the taste of espresso, don’t like milk, and still want a ~shot~ at participating in tiny-cup culture, perhaps un caffè lungo is right for you. To make a lungo, the barista pulls the shot for a longer (lungo = long!) period of time, thus using more water for a less potent shot of espresso.

6. Un caffè americano: At the end of the “how much hot water can we put in a shot of espresso” spectrum is un caffè americano. This is the closest equivalent that many espresso-based bar will have to your regular American drip coffee. It’s one shot of espresso and a nice helping of extra hot water added after the shot is pulled (unlike a lungo which is made entirely by using the espresso machine) to water things down. Nowadays, if you find yourself in a hipper (read: very hip) part of town, you might just be able to swindle yourself un pour-over, which is exactly what you think it is.  

7. Un affogato: This isn’t really a coffee that you might order at breakfast, but it’s definitely the most fun coffee on this list. That’s because un affogato is really just gelato, aka ice cream, with a shot of espresso poured on top for good measure. As magical as it sounds, it’s even more magical to eat. That being said, the word for this particular order comes from the verb affogare which means “to drown,” so if you don’t like the mental image of your ice cream drowning, maybe skip this one.

Italy is the birthplace of espresso, and you should definitely try some while you’re there. Don’t be put off by the beautiful barista in front of you, waiting patiently for you to butcher is mother tongue. Instead, go prepared and use this guide to get exactly what you want. If you want to learn more about this bella lingua be sure to check out the courses offered at JP Linguistics. In bocca al lupo!

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