Waking up after your first night in the Eternal City you open your eyes to some warming streams of sunshine… While stretching, you breathe in the Italian air full of anticipation and excitement for what the day will bring and the things you will see. Of course, such a day packed with excitement will require quite some energy – which is why you can’t wait to swing your legs out of bed and grab breakfast!
Mmh cappuccino… Italian baristas are real artists, feeding your eyes and tummy!
But as we Germans say, “Different countries, different customs.” Having grown up in Germany and having spent a good time in the States, it was a challenge adapting to Italian breakfast culture. Indeed, when I was told we would go out to a “bar” for breakfast my face must have assumed quite a strange expression. I was soon taught that what Italians call a “bar” is actually a “café” while the equivalent of the English “bar” is called a “locale” (read low-kah-lae) in Italian.
So we took off to the bar, and I was looking forward to having my first Italian breakfast – after all, my preferred meal of the day. We arrived at a little hole-in-the-wall, looking rather dingy and dusty, and all kinds of sensory impressions reached us from the inside: people almost yelling, laughing; the air heavy with a scent of coffee and sugar, and a warm wave embracing us, finally inviting us to come inside.
The barista, not at all what I knew from a famous brand-named coffee chain in the US, was dressed in a kind of uniform, looking stylish while clinking, clanking and yanking at a huge machine that continuously emitted small whistles, puffs of steam, and finally a thick black liquid – real Italian espresso.
A professional espresso maker for professional Italian espresso
I longingly eyed the glass counter that displayed heaps of deep fried and baked goods, filled with an Italian brand-named chocolate cream, the yellowish crema pasticcera (made with eggs, milk, sugar and flour), peach, cherry and berry marmalades, and covered with glazed or sprinkled sugar. Before I could order anything at all (imagine my disappointment when I was pulled away from there!) I learned my second lesson: in Italy you need to pay first, then you can eat. We obediently waited in line to pay (“due cappuccini e due cornetti” = two espresso with milk and foam, and two croissants) only to then fight for a spot at the counter and order, pushing others away without even taking a second look at them. Another unspoken rule? Put 10 cents on the receipt you’re showing – you might get served quicker.
A freshly brewed espresso and a sugar-dusted cornetto… it’s breakfast time somewhere!
Italians then usually have their breakfast right on the counter, and I have two theories as to why they do it: 1) They don’t feel like they have any time to waste, as they need to confront the tremendous amount of traffic to get to wherever they need to go. 2) Sitting down and eating in peace costs at least 2 Euros per person, depending on the “bar” (this is the case in all restaurants and gelato stores – be prepared to be chased off the chairs!).
Well, now that you know the basics I hope you’re ready for your own first-hand experience. Close to all our apartments you’ll find at least one bar that offers amazing breakfast – and always remember that the ones filled with locals are the best!
If instead you prefer having breakfast at home – we’ll be happy to do the shopping for you. Just send us your grocery list and we’ll make you an offer!
