Rome Capoccia, but only later Florence. Yet, until about ten years ago anyone would have bet on it Milan. The lively, dynamic Milan is always attentive to new customer needs, capable of opening up to current trends and welcoming every possible stimulus from colleagues abroad. Instead, the little one Florence she beat everyone: she’s there capital of quality coffee in Italy. After all, she always has been.
Florence, the capital of good coffee in Italy
Luckily, we are talking about three cities on the front specialty they have grown a lot. But, despite the improvements of each, there is no match, especially considering the difference in size: the Tuscan capital reigns supreme, not only for the quantity of signs – in proportion to the size, of course – but also for type and variety of offer. It is the paradise of all those who have learned to know and love specialty coffee abroad: almost all the sophisticated Florentine coffee shops have ainternational soul well delineated (sometimes even the property itself is, as in the case of the marvelous Melaleuca, among the most beautiful establishments), a relaxed atmosphere, a contemporary environment. A slim and versatile menu, capable of satisfying the stomach and palate at any time, with scrambled eggs, babka, croque monsieur and English breakfast, to be eaten with flat white, cappuccinos, double espresso, cortado, V60.
The bar on Via de Neri that paved the way
TO Artisan company (of the entrepreneur and bartender Francesco Sanapo) certainly deserves great credit, that of having been among the pioneers of this concept of coffee shop in Italy: today the company has six locations, but its greatest recognition is that of having paved the way for many colleagues, leaving space for competition: indeed, encouraging it. Florence is not Alone Company, no more. And also The Wasps (where you can have a delicious brunch at the small outdoor tables, a corner of London in via Ghibellina), Manly The Office (the bet of a bartender who cut his teeth in Australia), Well Coffee (first a bar of a small family hotel, today a large modern café), Cries (roasting company that set the example in Italy) and many others.
The Coffee Corner, Ostia
The specialties in Milan and Rome
Milan and Rome follow in the running. From the first, let’s face it, we expected something more: there is no shortage of valid brands, there are many professionals (there is also a large consultancy company for bars that want to improve their offer, Mezzazza) but certainly such an important and lively city from a catering point of view can still do a lot. Rome has perhaps put an extra gear, also modifying many neighborhood barin more popular and populous, peripheral and traditionalist areas (this is the case of The Coffee Corner in Ostia, an old bar from ’98 that has completely changed its offer), and by bringing the specialties to small bakeries (think of Lievito Francesco Arnesano or Forno Conti), ice cream parlors (Otaleg in Monteverde is doing a great job), places where drinks usually play the role of “supplementary” elements. Now, however, let’s not stop: there is still a very long way to go.
