I don’t know how I’m ever going to go back to Starbucks again…
I’m a coffee lover. I have been ever since I relied on it so heavily when I was studying late into the night in veterinary school.
My first experience ever with an Italian-style coffee shop occurred around 2006 in Philadelphia in a small shop called “La Colombe” in Rittenhouse Square Philadelphia. A friend encouraged me to check out this cool new shop and since I was constantly on the look for somewhere new to cram countless amounts of veterinary material into my brain and coffee into my veins, I decided to check it out. I walked in and was immediately confused. Instead of a big counter with a menu behind it and people sitting at tables with computers and books (i.e. Starbucks), I felt like I had walked into an old beautiful estate, with a high wooden beautifully polished counter, china cups on the bar, people sitting at small tables with a friend deep in conversation and mostly I noticed he deep aroma of freshly brewed coffee.
A dire il vero (to tell you the truth), I walked right back out. I didn’t know what to order. I didn’t think I could/should study there, and I was generally overwhelmed. I went back to my Starbucks-like coffee shop down the street and wouldn’t think too much again about La Colombe for a number of years.
I always think back to that first experience with La Colombe because if I had had any appreciation for the Italian way, I would have understood and embraced the entire setup. There is a coffee shop here on every block, which they call a ‘bar’. It always has the same basic structure. It typically has an old-style feel and is inviting and warm. You are quickly greeted with a “Buongiorno”, followed by a “Dimmi” (tell me). Italians know what they want to order (without a menu) and the coffee is quickly placed on the bar for you to drink and leave or for you to take to a nearby small table, where you are welcome to stay for as long as you would like, chatting with friends or reading the newspaper. An espresso is generally 1€ (same for an americano if you prefer the extra water), maybe 1.30€ for a cappuccino, and 2€ if you need a little more and order a double macchiato (two shots of espresso with a bit of foamed milk). Every Tuesday and Thursday, I meet with the same group of women to have coffee after a yoga class. We stay for an hour chatting, while I enjoy one of the best cappuccinos I have ever had at a quiet little bar (it’s not hip or trendy like US coffee shops). At the end, I leave my 1.30€ and go.
I would also note here that because you find multiple coffee bars on every street, it is an ideal spot when you are moving around to use the bathroom. For 1€, you and/or your kids can use a nice clean bathroom and you get an espresso out of the deal. They also almost always have small sandwiches and simple cocktails if you are looking for something more.
It is a normal Italian practice to generously offer a coffee to those around you. When I was getting to know some of the parents on Ali or Kai’s soccer team, they were always quick to offer me a coffee while we were waiting for the game to start. It’s an activity that can and does occur multiple times throughout the day. When you go to the coffee shop in any small town, you often see gatherings of older folks at any time of the day. It’s a part of the daily culture here and it is so easy to enjoy.
I did come back to La Colombe years later, but after they had “American-ized” and started opening several other shops in Philadelphia and then in Chicago (where we moved in 2009). They now had menus, a smaller “bar”, and lots of inviting spaces to sit and study. On a recent trip back to Chicago, I tried to recreate my Italian coffee shop experience at La Colombe in the West Loop and it was an utter failure. I ordered a macchiato, which was oversized and full of too much milk. I tried to stand at the bar and enjoy my drink, but was constantly pushed out of the way by a crowd of people grabbing their lattes in to-go cups. I also tried my usual grande latte at Starbucks. It was $5.50, too hot, burnt-tasting and full of milk.
Going back will be an adjustment.
Also, check out our write-up of the Lavazza Museum. It’s one of our favorite museums in the area and is a fascinating place to interact with the story of coffee in Italy (even the kids love it).
The Avventura 