Ordering coffee in Italy

How do you order a coffee in Italy?
Will you be able to get away by mixing a few semi-Italian terms coined by Starbucks such as "Venti", "Misto" or "Frappuccino"? Not really...

As you may expect, there are a vast array of choices for coffee in Italy. In Trieste, the city where I come from and where the famous Illy brand is produced, you can find more than 60 different kinds of coffee. That said, the original Italian coffee is what Italians call caffe' espresso (or simply caffe').

Here are some of the most common types of coffee you can order at a Bar (that's how coffee shops are called in Italy):

• Caffe' espresso (or simply caffe’) is very concentrated as it is made with less water.
• Caffe' lungo is made with more water even though the amount of coffee is always the same. The caffe' lungo is still served in small cups.
• Cappuccino is an espresso with milk served in a large cup and with foam on top. The Italian cappuccino is smaller than the American one.
• Caffe' macchiato is an espresso with a drop of milk and foam on top.
• Latte macchiato (not to be confused with caffe’ macchiato) is a glass of milk with a drop (stain) of coffee.
• Caffe’ latte is a foamless espresso to which some warm milk has been added.
• Caffe' americano is a very diluted espresso served in a large cup.
• Caffe' corretto is an espresso with a shot of liquor (usually Grappa or another liquor of your choice).
• Caffe' Hag is a decaffeinated espresso

And now, a little test for you: What's the name of the three coffee in the photo above?

p.s. Get ready for Italy with our eBook! We feature 350+ tips and 190+ pictures to get you immersed in the real Italian culture.

How to make an Italian coffee (video)

Our podcast fan Roberta D. asked us if we could cover the topic of making coffee at home. So my wife Francesca and I decided to create this short fun 1 min video that explains how you can use a Moka pot to make a real Italian espresso on your own. Enjoy!

- Can't see the video? Watch it from YouTube
- iPod version (MP4 - 5Mb)
- Zune version (WMV - 4Mb)

P.S. If you like this video, please leave us a comment here or on YouTube. We love feedback!

A memorable Venetian coffee

Napoleon called the Piazza San Marco "the finest drawing room in Europe." Imagine to be part of this enchanted picture, sitting right in front of the cathedral, ordering a coffee while listening to a live orchestra. The Caffe' Florian is all that. Opened in 1720, this is Italy's oldest Cafe'. If you are traveling on a budget, you may wish to hold off on this unique experience. A simple coffee with whipped cream is $12, and the 'music supplement' is $6 more. That's what I call a memorable Venetian coffee...