In Italy, a Cappuccino is Only for Breakfast? What’s the Deal?

An afternoon cappuccino might get you some strange looks

What is Italy known for? The food, the wine and the amazing coffee, right? At least one or three coffee bars are tucked away in the corners of nearly every piazza (square). The rich aromas wafting through the air. One thing I noticed was that typically Italians don’t sit to enjoy a mug of their favorite roast or take it to go. They order their caffè (espresso), sip it up within 2 minutes while standing at the bar, and are quickly on their way. No sitting to savor it, it’s all business like. A quick shot to get through the next few hours of the workday.

This isn’t just a morning ritual. No. They return several times a day to get their quick shot, chat with the barista, and a chuckle with a guy at the end of the bar who’s having a glass of wine or a spritz. There’s always one. All of this happens in about 5 minutes. And yes, I used the word bar do describe a coffee shop. In Italy, a coffee shop is called a bar, where also alcohol is served. Along with a coffee, the pastries are delicious too. My favorite is the sfoglia alla mela (apple pastry). It looks like an apple turnover. Yum!

It took me a while to get used to drinking an espresso. At first, it’s very strong and I ordered it by mistake. My idea of enjoying coffee is sitting down with a nice full mug of brewed coffee that I can sip on for at least 30 minutes. It’s my morning ritual, that I don’t usually repeat throughout the day. This type of coffee in Italy is called a caffè americano. It’s basically an espresso with hot water. Sometimes it is served with the water already added, but often it’s served separate. So, you can add as much or as little hot water as you want.

Even though I explained above how the typical Italian quickly drinks an espresso at the bar while standing, plenty also order a drink and sit at a table, inside or outside of the bar depending on the weather.

Fancy a cappuccino after lunch? You might get some strange looks if you order a cappuccino after 11am. Italians generally drink them only in the morning. In Italy, milk is reserved for breakfast. A drink with milk is too heavy for the afternoon. It’s practically considered a meal in itself. These are the unwritten rules, but my husband and I order a cappuccino any time of day. Rebels, I know. We recently posted a video on our YouTube ordering coffee at a bar in Italy. A cappuccino, in fact. Check it out.

Thanks for reading! If you want to read or hear more about traveling in Italy from me, please follow me @fiveinitaly. I post on Medium, Instagram and travel videos on our YouTube channel.