caffè

The same word also means a café. While Italy boasts some of the most beautiful and historic coffee houses in the world, the average one has as much personality as a petrol station, which in a way they are; when an Italian's motor is running down, he or she pops into a caffè, orders an espresso at the bar, chucks it down, and is out the door in a couple of minutes, happy and refuelled.

It's so rare to get a really bad coffee in Italy, even in tourist areas, that it comes as a shock if you ever do. Of course some caffès have better baristas better than others, and most Italians have their favourite brand of torrefazione. Most caffès and bars prominently display which one they use—most common ones are Lavazza, which claims about three quarters of the market, Illy and Segafreddo. Illy comes from Trieste, the world's biggest coffee port.

If you just ask for a caffè, you'll get an espresso: four or five sips in a 25 ml tiny cup. If you want it decaffeinated, ask for a caffè Hag (the leading brand), or a deca, or a decafinato. If you order any kind of coffee with milk in it after noon you'll be pegged straightaway as a tourist, even if you're wearing Prada, Gucci and speak with an impeccable Italian accent.