At the bar and the caffè: Italian coffee culture

In Italy, a bar is not a place for alcohol, or not only. It is a café where people stop for a quick coffee and a pastry on the way to work, again after lunch and sometimes at other times. Knowing how the bar works, and what to say, is one of the most useful things you can learn on a trip.

How a bar works

Many bars have two prices: one at the counter (al banco), and a higher one if you sit at a table (al tavolo).
In busy city bars you often pay first at the cash desk (la cassa), then take the receipt (lo scontrino) to the counter and repeat your order.
Locals drink coffee standing up, in a minute or two.
Italians order a cappuccino in the morning only. Ordering one after a meal marks you as a tourist, though nobody will refuse you.

The coffees

Italian	What you get
un caffè	a single espresso. This is the default.
un caffè doppio	a double espresso
un caffè macchiato	espresso with a drop of milk foam
un cappuccino	espresso with steamed milk and foam
un caffè latte	a larger, milkier coffee in a glass or cup
un caffè lungo	an espresso made with more water
un caffè corretto	espresso with a shot of liquor, often grappa
un caffè decaffeinato	decaf

Italians say un caffè when they mean an espresso. If you ask only for un latte, you will get a glass of milk.

Ordering

Pastries and snacks

In the north, a croissant is called un cornetto. In some regions you will hear una brioche instead, and in Sicily a brioche is also the sweet bun eaten with granita. Ask the person behind the counter if you are not sure.