I don’t know about you, but I LOVE coffee. And who doesn’t, really? Warm, comforting, and on occasion life-giving, coffee is an essential part of American life. In Italy, too, coffee is revered as one of the holy grails of the country’s culinary finesse. Italians take their coffee just as seriously as Americans do, if not more.
So you would think that two countries that love the hot brown caffeinated drink as much as they do would have a lot in common. But finding common ground between the U.S. and Italy when it comes to coffee is not as easy as you may think (pun intended). Caffè. Coffee. You don’t need to speak Italian to see the glaringly obvious translation. But the similarities end there, because while “caffè” and “coffee” have the same meaning, they actually describe two completely different things.
Let me break it down for you.
Drinking caffè in Italy: served in a teeny tiny shot glass or porcelain tazzina (small cup pictured above) full of highly concentrated espresso, to be consumed in five minutes or less while standing at the counter (pictured below). While it’s possible to make special requests on how your coffee is prepared, low-fat or soy milk are rather unpopular.
Drinking coffee in the U.S.: served in a large paper cup, to be consumed throughout the day or while chatting with friends at the coffee shop. Can be prepared however you like it, with flavored syrups, low-fat or soy milk, or over ice.
Luckily for me – and all you American coffee lovers as well – it’s possible to bridge the gap between American and Italian coffee cultures.
Sciascia Caffè, located in the Prati neighborhood of central Rome on Via Fabio Massimo does just that, combining the artistry of Italian coffee with the inviting coziness of your favorite American coffee shop hangouts. It’s the perfect place to meet up with friends for a sit-down coffee, or if you prefer to do as the Romans do, you can have a zippy caffè con cioccolato (espresso with chocolate) at the bar. Either way, the warm, casual ambience, great value, and outstanding quality of Sciascia make it one of my personal favorites, and far and away one of Rome’s best coffee spots.
See GT Food & Travel’s Best Coffee Bars in Rome for more coffee suggestions.