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Cafés in Italy are called bar. They are usually small, chaotic and family-run. Having a coffee al bancone - at the counter - is a sacred Italian rite. Everyone has its own favourite for each moment of the day. Saying "Prendiamoci un caffè un giorno di questi" to someone means "Let's catch up someday", even though you both know it's never going to happen.
You can have your coffee in tazza calda, in a hot cup, in vetro, in a glass cup, or con latte a parte, with cold milk on the side. Read this list of the most common types and choose your favourite!
Caffè normale [kaffɛ'normalɛ] Classic Italian espresso. Usually served with a little glass of water (a big one in the South) to drink before the coffee to cleanse your palate. The blends used to make it are very different between Northern and Southern Italy. In the North it contains more Robust, while in the South with more Arabic.
Caffè macchiato [kaffɛ'makkiatɔ] An espresso with a little bit of milk. It can be served with either cold milk, in which case it is called a macchiato freddo, or hot milk foam and it becomes a macchiato caldo.
Caffé marocchino [kaffɛ'marokkɪno] The name means Moroccan coffee. Each bar has its own different recipe, but, in general, it's an espresso with foamed milk and cocoa powder. In Southern Italy it's also called espressino [espresːinɔ]
Caffè doppio [kaffɛ'doppɪo] Doppio means double, so it's two caffè normali in one.
Caffè lungo [kaffɛ'luŋgɔ] It's something in between an espresso and an Americano. It has more water than a caffé normale.
Caffè ristretto [kaffɛ'rɪstretto] The opposite of caffè lungo: a normal caffè with a little less water. Ristretto in Italian means tight.
Caffé shakerato [kaffɛ'ʃekeratɔ] The word shakerato comes from shake. Shake together espresso, ice and sugar and you're ready to go.
Caffè corretto [kaffɛ'korrɛttɔ] An espresso with the addition of sambuca or grappa. Very common in the North.
Caffè con ghiaccio [kaffɛ'kongjatʃtʃɔ] Very common in Apulia in the summer. An espresso with sugar and a cube of ice.
Caffè d'orzo [kaffɛ'dɔrtzo] Made from barley, it doesn't contain any caffeine.
Cappuccino [kapputʃtʃinɔ] I'm sure you have already tried this one. The perfect mix between espresso, steamed milk and foam.
Latte macchiato [lattemakkjatɔ] A cup of hot milk with a bit of coffee.
Caffelatte [kaffelatte] Like a cappuccino with more milk.
Crema di caffè [krɛmadikaffɛ] Usually bar make this one only in the summer. It means coffee cream and it is made with cream, coffee and sugar. Taste is similar to coffee milkshake.
Caffè ginseng [kaffɛdʒɪŋsɛŋg] Ginseng flavoured coffee. Very sweet.
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