Café Etiquette: Ordering Coffee Correctly

To be part of the Italian coffee culture, you have to walk the walk, of course, but you also have to talk the talk. Experts from Caffè Vergnano, the standing espresso bar in Eataly in New York City, shared with us how to immerse ourselves correctly in Italian coffee culture. Check out their "Rules of Coffee":

1. Thou shalt drink only cappuccino, caffe latte, or macchiato before 11 a.m. It's Caffè Vergnano espresso all the way after this, with its full-bodied flavor and intense aroma, the gold standard of coffee.

2. Which reminds us, thou shalt not use the word espresso. When ordering your smooth rich espresso, just ask for un caffe (Vergnano).

3. Italians rarely order a double espresso. If you still feel the need for an extra jolt, just order another single. Look at you, you caffeine pro you.

4. The espresso ritual is not one to be performed sitting down, hence the standing espresso bar. Take a sip, catch up on the gossip. but make it snappy and take some handy little Caffè Vergnano capsules home with you. The capsule delivers a hermetically sealed pre-packaged dose of ground coffee, making espresso preparation foolproof. Available in four different blends: Arabica, Classic, Decaffeinated, Espresso, and how about this — it's compatible with all Nespresso machines.