Coffeehouses were already popular in Constantinople by 1550. And by 1632 there were 1,000 public coffee houses in Cairo. In 1645 coffee-drinking was already known in southern Italy. From Italy, coffee made its way to France where it was introduced in 1650. The first coffee house in London opened in 1652.
But it took until after the Turkish siege of 1683 for the Viennese to know what to do with the coffee beans they found. Finally someone popularised the custom of adding sugar and milk to the coffee, allowing coffee shops to open across Vienna. Soon drinking Viennese-style coffee spread across central Europe, and it has been a beloved drink ever since.
So Vienna as a European coffee centre is perfectly understandable, ever since the Austrians accidentally learned to adore Turkish coffee beans. But why Italy? Two separate explanations have been offered:
a] Italians have loved coffee ever since the coffee bean first arrived in Venice in the C16th, brought directly from Egypt and not via Vienna. A flourishing trade between Venetian and Arab merchants meant a wide variety of goods could be imported, especially the very expensive coffee beans.
b] The Jewish kabbalists in Safed had to study Torah all night during Tikun Lel Shavu‘ot. Since at least one coffee-house was documented as existing in Safed by 1580, it made sense that the Italians would have copied the idea for their own nocturnal studies.
But coffee in Italy was initially considered sinful and was deemed to be an Islamic threat to Christianity. Pope Clement VIII (1592-1605) was about to ban the drink as heathen, but was encouraged to sample the drink first. He loved the unique taste and aroma, and decided that it would be a great sin to ban coffee. Thus it was declared a Christian beverage, eventually leading to the first Italian coffee house - in Venice in 1640.
Just while I was pondering the Italian history of coffee, an article arrived from Michelle Hammond, the Senior Editor of The Escapologist. Since I am an espresso fanatic, this article could not have been better directed.
I get there at 10am, in time to see the gorgeous people from the nearby shops… Gucci, Pucci, Prada, Max Mara, Armani, Fendi and, of course, Cavalli. The Florence-born designer bought the café in 2002 and painstakingly restored it to its former glory. Caffe Giacosa offers some of the best people-watching anywhere. Customers glide in (fresh off the pages of Vogue), greet friends, chat with the handsome barista, drink their espresso and head back to work.
On one visit, I spoke to a group of elegant older ladies I often see there. They laughed as they told me they had been enjoying their coffee at Caffe Giacosa all their lives. They now greet me with a smile and a wave each time I see them. You can sit here for hours and watch the world go by, or make like a local and enjoy a coffee and a delicious pastry for less than $4.
When I’m in Rome, Caffe Greco on Via Condotti, near the Spanish Steps, is where I head for my caffeine fix. Established in 1760, and named for its Greek owner, it’s the second oldest café in Italy. It’s long been a place for artists and writers to gather. I like to stand at the bar and watch the baristas, in their smart white shirts and black jackets, make my coffee — which costs less than $2.
When I want to treat myself, I make the move from the bar to the beautiful inner rooms. Here the walls are lined with paintings and photos of famous guests, including Casanova, Goethe, Keats, even Buffalo Bill! Coffee and cake will set you back $26, but the gorgeous surroundings make it worth-while. Even a trip to the elegant bathroom is an experience.
Beating Rome’s Caffe Greco to the title of oldest café in Italy is Venice’s Caffe Florian, running continuously since 1720. You’ll find it in the magnificent Piazza San Marco, in front of the golden church. But you won’t find $2 coffee here; it’s very expensive but it’s also an unforgettable experience. Casanova was a regular here, as it was the only coffeehouse that allowed women. No doubt he sat in one of the sumptuous rooms to impress his conquests. On my last visit, I enjoyed an affogato/gelato soaked in espresso.
![]()
Back at my local café in Bagni di Lucca, Annalisa single-handedly serves a packed bar every morning. My coffee arrives just as I like it within minutes. Once you become a regular, your special choice of coffee will appear without you even having to ask. The ordering system can be a little confusing in Italy. In many places, especially in larger towns, you will be expected to pay for your coffee and pastry at the cash desk/cassa before you approach the barista. So cruise past the pastry counter to make a selection before paying.
An espresso is usually just called a cafe, a cappuccino is just as it is in Australia, and a flat white is a cappuccino senza schiuma/without foam. Latte is warm milk, so order a cafe latte. Once you have paid at the cassa, take the docket you are given to the barista and order.
Coffee is an experience in Italy. Find your nearest bar, become a regular and watch the passing parade. Do visit the iconic and pricier places too. Sit there and soak up the atmosphere. It will be great fun, so much more than just coffee.
Thank you Michelle and Debra. I will add one more important point myself. After WW2 Italian immigration to Australia increased dramatically, including large numbers of agricultural workers from southern Italy. The number of Italians in this country, and their Australian-born Italian-speaking children, peaked in 1970 at c800,000. Pelligrini's Espresso Bar, Don Camillo Restaurant and Legend Café laid claim to being Melbourne's first real espresso bars, opening their doors in 1954, 1955 and 1956 respectively. Leo's Spaghetti Bar opened just as the Olympic Games were held in Melbourne in 1956 and was frequented by every Italian athlete and official. As was Mirka's Café.
But it took until after the Turkish siege of 1683 for the Viennese to know what to do with the coffee beans they found. Finally someone popularised the custom of adding sugar and milk to the coffee, allowing coffee shops to open across Vienna. Soon drinking Viennese-style coffee spread across central Europe, and it has been a beloved drink ever since.
a] Italians have loved coffee ever since the coffee bean first arrived in Venice in the C16th, brought directly from Egypt and not via Vienna. A flourishing trade between Venetian and Arab merchants meant a wide variety of goods could be imported, especially the very expensive coffee beans.
b] The Jewish kabbalists in Safed had to study Torah all night during Tikun Lel Shavu‘ot. Since at least one coffee-house was documented as existing in Safed by 1580, it made sense that the Italians would have copied the idea for their own nocturnal studies.
But coffee in Italy was initially considered sinful and was deemed to be an Islamic threat to Christianity. Pope Clement VIII (1592-1605) was about to ban the drink as heathen, but was encouraged to sample the drink first. He loved the unique taste and aroma, and decided that it would be a great sin to ban coffee. Thus it was declared a Christian beverage, eventually leading to the first Italian coffee house - in Venice in 1640.
Just while I was pondering the Italian history of coffee, an article arrived from Michelle Hammond, the Senior Editor of The Escapologist. Since I am an espresso fanatic, this article could not have been better directed.
Dear Helen and Joseph,
The first time I visited Italy, I was only 15. Not yet a coffee drinker, I was amazed by the locals, who would flock to cafés and espresso bars every single morning. Unlike Australians, who typically gulp down cups before work or at their desk, Italians savour their coffee. In Italy, drinking coffee is a national pastime. So if you ever find yourself in this amazing country, where do you go for the best brew? Happy living! Michelle Hammond.
“Where to Find the Best Coffee in the World”
By Debra Kolkka
in The Escapologist, November 15th, 2016
In Italy coffee making is an art form, and the Italians have perfected it. Florence is home to one of my favourite cafes in all of Italy, Caffe Giacosa. Established in 1815, it’s a Florentine institution. It was popular with the Florentine elite in the C19th and it’s always my first stop after arriving in Florence.
![]()
The first time I visited Italy, I was only 15. Not yet a coffee drinker, I was amazed by the locals, who would flock to cafés and espresso bars every single morning. Unlike Australians, who typically gulp down cups before work or at their desk, Italians savour their coffee. In Italy, drinking coffee is a national pastime. So if you ever find yourself in this amazing country, where do you go for the best brew? Happy living! Michelle Hammond.
“Where to Find the Best Coffee in the World”
By Debra Kolkka
in The Escapologist, November 15th, 2016
In Italy coffee making is an art form, and the Italians have perfected it. Florence is home to one of my favourite cafes in all of Italy, Caffe Giacosa. Established in 1815, it’s a Florentine institution. It was popular with the Florentine elite in the C19th and it’s always my first stop after arriving in Florence.
Cappuccino and pastry
I get there at 10am, in time to see the gorgeous people from the nearby shops… Gucci, Pucci, Prada, Max Mara, Armani, Fendi and, of course, Cavalli. The Florence-born designer bought the café in 2002 and painstakingly restored it to its former glory. Caffe Giacosa offers some of the best people-watching anywhere. Customers glide in (fresh off the pages of Vogue), greet friends, chat with the handsome barista, drink their espresso and head back to work.
On one visit, I spoke to a group of elegant older ladies I often see there. They laughed as they told me they had been enjoying their coffee at Caffe Giacosa all their lives. They now greet me with a smile and a wave each time I see them. You can sit here for hours and watch the world go by, or make like a local and enjoy a coffee and a delicious pastry for less than $4.
When I’m in Rome, Caffe Greco on Via Condotti, near the Spanish Steps, is where I head for my caffeine fix. Established in 1760, and named for its Greek owner, it’s the second oldest café in Italy. It’s long been a place for artists and writers to gather. I like to stand at the bar and watch the baristas, in their smart white shirts and black jackets, make my coffee — which costs less than $2.
When I want to treat myself, I make the move from the bar to the beautiful inner rooms. Here the walls are lined with paintings and photos of famous guests, including Casanova, Goethe, Keats, even Buffalo Bill! Coffee and cake will set you back $26, but the gorgeous surroundings make it worth-while. Even a trip to the elegant bathroom is an experience.
Beating Rome’s Caffe Greco to the title of oldest café in Italy is Venice’s Caffe Florian, running continuously since 1720. You’ll find it in the magnificent Piazza San Marco, in front of the golden church. But you won’t find $2 coffee here; it’s very expensive but it’s also an unforgettable experience. Casanova was a regular here, as it was the only coffeehouse that allowed women. No doubt he sat in one of the sumptuous rooms to impress his conquests. On my last visit, I enjoyed an affogato/gelato soaked in espresso.
Caffe Giacosa in Florence
Back at my local café in Bagni di Lucca, Annalisa single-handedly serves a packed bar every morning. My coffee arrives just as I like it within minutes. Once you become a regular, your special choice of coffee will appear without you even having to ask. The ordering system can be a little confusing in Italy. In many places, especially in larger towns, you will be expected to pay for your coffee and pastry at the cash desk/cassa before you approach the barista. So cruise past the pastry counter to make a selection before paying.
An espresso is usually just called a cafe, a cappuccino is just as it is in Australia, and a flat white is a cappuccino senza schiuma/without foam. Latte is warm milk, so order a cafe latte. Once you have paid at the cassa, take the docket you are given to the barista and order.
Coffee is an experience in Italy. Find your nearest bar, become a regular and watch the passing parade. Do visit the iconic and pricier places too. Sit there and soak up the atmosphere. It will be great fun, so much more than just coffee.
Debra Kolkka
**
**
Thank you Michelle and Debra. I will add one more important point myself. After WW2 Italian immigration to Australia increased dramatically, including large numbers of agricultural workers from southern Italy. The number of Italians in this country, and their Australian-born Italian-speaking children, peaked in 1970 at c800,000. Pelligrini's Espresso Bar, Don Camillo Restaurant and Legend Café laid claim to being Melbourne's first real espresso bars, opening their doors in 1954, 1955 and 1956 respectively. Leo's Spaghetti Bar opened just as the Olympic Games were held in Melbourne in 1956 and was frequented by every Italian athlete and official. As was Mirka's Café.