How to order a coffee in Rome
In most neighbourhood bars, you walk in, stand at the counter ("al banco") and order from the barista, who makes your coffee and sets it in front of you with a glass of water. You pay at the end, or beforehand if the bar has a till: in very touristy bars (near the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain or Piazza Navona), you pay at the till first, then hand the receipt ("scontrino") to the barista. Coffee at the counter costs roughly 1.20 to 1.50 € depending on the place; served at a table, it is more expensive, sometimes double, because service is charged. Always look at the displayed price list.
Romans drink a coffee in the morning at the counter with a cornetto (croissant), another after lunch, and a last one in the afternoon. Tipping is not expected: at most, leave a few cents on the counter.
Coffee vocabulary
- Un caffè: an espresso, short and strong. This is what you will be served if you ask for "a coffee".
- Un caffè lungo: an espresso lengthened with water. Un ristretto: shorter and stronger.
- Un macchiato: an espresso "stained" with a drop of foamed milk; say "macchiato caldo" or "freddo" depending on the milk you want.
- Un cappuccino: coffee and foamed milk. It is ordered in the morning, until about 11 am: asking for one after a meal surprises Romans, but nobody will refuse you.
- Un caffè corretto: an espresso "corrected" with a little alcohol, often grappa.
- Un caffè shakerato: an iced, shaken espresso, served in summer in a cocktail glass.
- Un caffè americano: an espresso lengthened with hot water, close to filter coffee. Beware of "latte": on its own it simply means a glass of milk; ask for a "caffè latte" for coffee with milk.
- Una granita di caffè: coffee granita, often with cream, very popular in summer.
Sant'Eustachio il Caffè: near the Pantheon
Sant'Eustachio il Caffè (piazza Sant'Eustachio 82), 2 minutes' walk from the Pantheon, has existed since 1938 and presents itself as one of the best cafés in Rome. Its "gran caffè" is made with the sugar already mixed in the machine, following a secret recipe. If you prefer it bitter, ask for it "amaro" or "senza zucchero" before it is made. It is served at the counter; there is also a terrace, which is more expensive.
The café is next to the church of Sant'Ignazio and Santa Maria sopra Minerva, and is easy to visit between two churches.
Tazza d'Oro: the roastery next to the Pantheon
La Casa del Caffè Tazza d'Oro (via degli Orfani 84), 100 m from the Pantheon, is a roastery and bar open since 1946. You drink an espresso or a cappuccino at the counter and buy beans to take home. Its summer speciality is the granita di caffè con panna, worth trying when it is hot. Prices are those of a counter bar, but the place is very busy: expect a short queue.
Antico Caffè Greco: the artists' café
The Antico Caffè Greco (via dei Condotti 86), a stone's throw from Piazza di Spagna and via Condotti, opened in 1760 and calls itself the oldest café in Rome. Its red-hung salons, adorned with paintings and busts, have welcomed Goethe, Keats, Liszt, Wagner and generations of foreign artists. It is the most beautiful setting in the city, but also one of the most expensive: a coffee served at a table costs noticeably more than an espresso at the counter. The café's situation has changed several times in recent years: check that it is open before going.
The café is close to the Keats-Shelley House, at the foot of the Spanish Steps: you can combine the two visits.
Other addresses and useful breaks
- Caffè Rosati (piazza del Popolo): a 20th-century café on Piazza del Popolo, where you can sit on the terrace after seeing the paintings in Santa Maria del Popolo.
- A neighbourhood bar: in Trastevere, Testaccio or Monti, a bar with no terrace shows lower prices than in the centre. Our guides to Testaccio and Trastevere point you to the districts where you can eat and drink like the Romans.
- Museums: the café of a museum or palace, such as that of the Galleria Doria Pamphilj, is good for a break in a calm setting.
Tips to avoid traps
- Avoid sitting at a table without looking at the price list first: that is where the bill climbs.
- At the counter, do not let the barista choose for you: say "un caffè" or "un cappuccino".
- Takeaway coffee hardly exists: you drink it on the spot.
- To avoid overpriced cafés, keep an eye on prices near the major sights. Our article on scams in Rome details the traps and the one on the budget gives you an idea of the day's spending.
A coffee route in the centre
In one morning, you can link on foot: a cornetto and a cappuccino in a neighbourhood bar, then Sant'Eustachio il Caffè, Tazza d'Oro, and finish with the Antico Caffè Greco at Piazza di Spagna. Between two coffees, pass by San Luigi dei Francesi, Piazza Navona and our guide Caravaggio in Rome. For what you will eat afterwards, read what to eat in Rome.
