I’d always heard the coffee in Naples was better than the coffee in Rome; better in fact than anyone else’s.
In Italy, food and wine is so regionalized; every area thinks theirs is the best. But it’s so true. Each region specializes in certain wines, certain pastas, certain cheeses, etc. In each area, it truly is best to eat and drink what the region dictates. Start tasting, and you too will soon realize, Italians have earned their bragging rights.
So, what is it about the coffee in Naples that makes it so special? I've just returned from a 10-day research trip to Italy. A visit to Naples and the Amalfi Coast was on my list, so I was itching to try the coffee and find out for myself. And now I know. I immediately noticed two things the baristas in Naples do distinctly differently from those in Rome:
In Italy, food and wine is so regionalized; every area thinks theirs is the best. But it’s so true. Each region specializes in certain wines, certain pastas, certain cheeses, etc. In each area, it truly is best to eat and drink what the region dictates. Start tasting, and you too will soon realize, Italians have earned their bragging rights.
So, what is it about the coffee in Naples that makes it so special? I've just returned from a 10-day research trip to Italy. A visit to Naples and the Amalfi Coast was on my list, so I was itching to try the coffee and find out for myself. And now I know. I immediately noticed two things the baristas in Naples do distinctly differently from those in Rome:
1) All the espresso machines I saw in Naples are hand-pulled rather than push button. Unfortunately, I did not snap a photo of their machines, so instead, I’m posting a photo of my personal machine. This is a hand pull (not automatic push button) machine that I have been using for nearly 30 years. (Actually, this is the second machine in 30 years. The first one bit the dust after 20 years, and I replaced it with the exact same thing.)
To be honest, I'm not sure why hand-pulling tastes better than push-button. Maybe it has something to do with the amount of pressure that builds in the machine before you pull. Regardless, everyone in Naples is pulling; everyone in Rome is pushing.
To be honest, I'm not sure why hand-pulling tastes better than push-button. Maybe it has something to do with the amount of pressure that builds in the machine before you pull. Regardless, everyone in Naples is pulling; everyone in Rome is pushing.
2) They keep their cups really hot! All the coffee bars had their espresso cups submerged in very hot circulating water. They either used tongs, or quickly stuck their fingers in there to snag a cup. These hot cups keep the coffee at the perfect temperature for drinking. Genius.
In Rome, clean cups are stacked above the machine, which is a warm place, but not a hot place. This is always my complaint when I make an espresso for myself at home; my coffee is never hot enough. By the time the espresso is done dripping into my little espresso cup, it is cooling down quickly. From now on, I'm going to preheat my espresso cups at home with hot water. This is a light bulb moment.
In Rome, clean cups are stacked above the machine, which is a warm place, but not a hot place. This is always my complaint when I make an espresso for myself at home; my coffee is never hot enough. By the time the espresso is done dripping into my little espresso cup, it is cooling down quickly. From now on, I'm going to preheat my espresso cups at home with hot water. This is a light bulb moment.
Additionally, there were some different coffee drinks available in Naples which I’d never had before. Here you see lined up and ready for the day, an assortment of plastic cups which have been pre-drizzled with chocolate syrup, Nutella syrup, etc., ready to be filled with coffee concoctions. Interesting, no?
Aside from that, I had a fantastic espresso drink called a “caldo-freddo”. It means “hot-cold”. The barista started with the perfect shot of espresso in a hot cup. He added a spoonful of sugar, and gave it a quick stir. Then….here comes the good part…..in goes a dollop of creamy loveliness from this machine. It was like a melon ball size scoop of soft serve vanilla gelato!
Lastly, a nice drizzle of chocolate syrup to top it off. It was decadently sweet, but not cloyingly so because the portion was so small; so just-the-right-size. It was creamy and chocolaty with that perfect balance of coffee in the background.
Seriously Delicious.
Yes. It is true. Naples has the best coffee...on the planet.
Seriously Delicious.
Yes. It is true. Naples has the best coffee...on the planet.
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