Italian bar words and customs

Many first time English-speaking visitors to Italy are surprised to learn that the best-selling drink in the bars is... coffee. Most bar signs even make a point of advertizing which brand they use, luring in visiting Italians who prefer one over the other.

Although there are some very beautiful historic bars in Italy (usually called caffès, though), many Italian bars have all the charm of a gas station. Which in a way makes sense: coffee is the fuel that runs Italians, who tend to pop into a bar for a java jolt of espresso or other kind of coffee several times a day for about two minutes, that will keep his or her battery charged for the next hour or two.

In the morning, the average bar will have a glass case with various pastries (cornetti are classic), which make for a quick breakfast (prima colazione) or morning snack.

Besides the coffee machine and coffee grinder, a bar will have a choice of beers, soft drinks, juices, bottled water, an array of aperitivi and digestivi. People start into the former at around 11am; in winter, notably they may start the day with a boozy coffee.