The art of coffee drinking in Apulia

Drinking coffee at pretty much any time of the day is a big part of the Italian culture and considering its intense, genuine taste and the average price of 80 cents, it is very understandable why the Italians visit the coffee bars more than once per day.

Italian coffee culture

The most common way for Italians to enjoy their coffee is directly at the bar. If you decide to sit down and drink your coffee there instead, usually 1 € is additionally charged for the “coperto”, which covers the waiter's service and the table set-up. Whether you drink it directly at the bar or at a table, it is not common to leave tips in Apulia. At some more touristic places they are happy if you do it anyway, while in other places (especially in the ones with a low foreigner frequency), people get confused, since they don’t even know what your intention is when paying more money than you should. Anyway it is never expected, let alone considered rude not giving a tip.

When you order a “caffè” you will always get an espresso in Italy; this is how Italians like to drink their coffee. An espresso makes it possible to determine the true quality and offers the purest and unaltered taste of coffee. When you visit Italy in the summer and it is too hot for regular coffee, try a caffè al ghiaccio (coffee with ice cubes), which is the italian answer to the widely spread trend of cold brew coffee. For a little extra kick, you might want to try caffè corretto which is espresso coffee “corrected” with a liqueur (it is particularly good with Borghetti or Grappa) !

A typical specialty from the the Salento peninsula is the Caffè leccese. It is made out of a freshly brewed espresso refined with cold sweet almond milk and a few ice cubes, which makes it a refreshing and uniquely tasty coffee, with a sweet aftertaste. One of the most historic places where you can enjoy a Caffè leccese is the Caffè Alvino. It is located in the historical center of Lecce, at the heart of the town in Piazza Sant Oronzo. It is the perfect location to indulge into the local specialties, while soaking up the lively atmosphere of the main square. The delicious pastries and the tasty coffee are widely appreciated by the locals, as much as by the visitors of the city.

Piazza Sant Oronzo

Piazza Sant'Oronzo, 73100 Lecce LE, Italien

Caffè Alvino

Piazza Sant'Oronzo, 30, 73100 Lecce LE, Italien