Ordering coffee in Italy might not be as simple as queuing up at your local coffee shops. The first reason is that Italians are unfamiliar with queuing. And the second one is that it is always cheaper to order your coffee at the bar and drink it while standing up. There likely isn’t a menu of the coffee drinks available anywhere in Italy, you won’t recognize many names of types of Italian coffees. So in this article, I offer this handy little guide for you to order coffee in Italy.

1. Caffè

While caffè literally translates to coffee, a caffè, served in a tiny cup and drank all throughout the day, is also a shot of espresso in Italy. When ordering, you should order a caffè and not an espresso.

You can also order caffè corretto, which is a shot of espresso added with a shot of liquor, such as grappa, cognac, or sambucca. However, you can ask for any liquor you like. A shot of Irish cream added is a good option.

2. Cappuccino

Cappuccino might be the most famous coffee in Italy. It’s basically ⅓ espresso, ⅓ foam, and ⅓ steamed milk.

Italians eat and drink everything in a certain order and at certain times due to how it affects digestion. For example, with all that foam and milk, they consider a cappuccino a meal itself and won’t drink any cup after 11 a.m. However, you can enjoy a cappuccino in Italy whenever you want.

3. Macchiato

A macchiato is like an espresso mixed with a cappuccino with a slightly foamy child. It’s an espresso with a little hot milk and it is also served in a little cup like an espresso. Italians think that a macchiato can be taken at any time of the day because it isn’t as frothy and milky as a cappuccino.