AND THE CAPPY GOES TO...
After three months of trekking the tight streets of Italy...three months of cornering caffes...three months of downing deliciousness...three months of sipping slowly...three months of fantastic foam...three months of bunches of bubbles...it is time to bring you the Cappuccino Awards of Italy. Here is your comprehensive Cappuccino Guide to Italy. (Rome and north of Rome).
Best Bubbles: Sant’Eustachio—It is no question in my mind that anyone can deny the bubble bath that is the Sant’Eustachio cappuccino. Simple and delicious, I would fill my bathtub with those bubbles any day.
Where to find it: Piazza di Sant'Eustachio, 82 Rome, Italy
How much: 1.30 Euro
Best Atmosphere: Art Studio Café—Disappointed only to find this one week before returning to America, I was happy to walk into a store that doubles as an art studio where you can watch creative minds at work, listen to hip current music, and sit writing your own Cappuccino awards.
Where to find it: Via dei Gracchi, 187 00192 Rome, Italy
How much? 1 Euro at the bar. 2 Euro to sit (and you’ll want to sit to enjoy the atmosphere)
Best Cappuccino Accompanied by a Baristo: Bar del Cavalierie --Roberto may be the only Baristo who took the time to get to know me—as best he could with my broken Italian. Tears nearly left his eyes when he learned I was moving to Rome—and then again when he learned I was returning home. Roberto.is.the.man.
Where to find him and his cappuccino: Via San Gallo 35/R Florence, Italy 50129
How much: 1.10 Euro
Best Deal: Ciampini—During my seven course cappuccino crawl, I stumbled upon this little feeder caffe off it’s larger one up the street. I developed a short conversation with the baristo on how much I enjoy speaking Italian and he mocked my Santa hat. At the end of the cappuccino he blew me a kiss and told me it was on the house.
Where to find this little nook: 21 Via del Leoncino Rome, Italy
How much? I don’t know…he gave it to me for free!
Best Cappuccino with an Imaginary Friend: Piazza delle Erbe in -A square full of shops right down the street from Juliet's house in Verona, It's the perfect spot to invite her out for a discussion on love.
Where can you sit with Juliet: Piazza delle Erbe Verona, Italy
How much will a date with Juliet cost? Somewhere between 1 Euro and 3 Euro if you want to buy homegirl a cappuccino as well.
Best Surprise: Nannini—Going to Siena, I had no idea that I would be in for a cappuccino full of foam. I had very low expectations and those were much exceeded by this classy yet lovely shop in the center.
Where to find it: Via Banchi di Sopra, 24, Siena
How much: 1.30 Euro
Best Chocolate Addition: Bull Dog—All I have to say is Espresso + Chocolate + Foam + more chocolate = absolutely award winning.
AND Most Photogenic: Bull Dog
Where to find it: Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, 107 Rome, Italy
How much? 3.00 Euro
Least Photogenic: Cova—Maybe the coffee looks pretty good (I think the mug does it) but this photo was not an easy one to capture. Cova doesn’t allow photos inside (ludicrous) so they get the award for lease photogenic. LIGHTEN UP GUYS!
Where to find it: Via Monte Napoleone, 8, 20121 Milano, Italy
How much? 1.60 Euro
Best Accessorized Cappuccino: Hemingway’s. Despite my distaste for the cappuccino itself, the chocolate spoon was quite lovely.
Where to find it: Piazza Piattellina, 9 50124 Florence, Italy
How much? 4 Euro
Best on the Road: Giacosa—This could arguably be the second or third best cappuccino in all of Italy. Situated in Roberto Cavarli’s (sp) store, on a corner in Florence, it offered a mixture of espresso, wonderful bubbles, and a topping of chocolate. It was the only thing I thought about while in Florence.
Where to find it: Via della Spada, 10, 50100 Florence, Italy
How much? 1.30 Euro
Best Cappuccino To Go: Caffe Le Giubbe Rosse– at nearly 2AM this shop served me their last cappuccino of the evening in a to go cup and I was out the door and off to the Duomo to take in, as always, one of the most breathtaking landmarks in all of Italy.
Where to find it: Piazza del Repubblica
How much? Between 1 Euro and 1.30 Euro.
Most Frequented: Museum of Cappuccino (Canova)- This was my go-to spot in Rome. Offering a cappuccino double the size of most, I couldn’t help but visit here twice weekly, especially when I had not received word of another to visit!
Where to find it: Via del Babuino, 151 00187 Rome, Italy
How much? 1.30 Euro
Most Conversational Cappuccino: Bar del Cavalierie -Roberto was not only best baristo, but he served up the best conversational coffee, as I had many good talks and made many good friends with my mugs in his wonderful establishment. Always offering a hand to hold the Jolly Caffe and it’s cappuccino gets Most Conversational by a landslide.
Where to find it: Via San Gallo 35/R Florence, Italy 50129
How much? 1.10 Euro
Cutest Baristo: Bindi. On one of the coldest days of my adventure, I walked through the doors of Bindi to be greeted by the most handsome Italian baristo I had met yet. Embarrased to pull out my camera to snap a photo of him while he was working, I got only a picture of the beautiful cappuccino he crafted for me.
Where to find it: Piazzale Cadorna, 9 20123 Milano, Italy
How much? 1.20 Euro
Best Cappuccino joined by a Cookie: Caffé Venezia – On a search for the best cappuccino in all of Trento, I broke through these doors at the recommendation of my host. When I was given my cappuccino, I was happy to find a cinnamon cookie at it’s side—wonderful for dipping.
Where to find it: Largo Porto Nuova 11 38122 Trento, Italy
Best Mug: Schenardi – One of the best curves I have ever seen in a mug accompanied by a beautiful mug holder with a black and white picture of the ancient city.
Where to find it: Corso Italia 11 Viterbo, Italy
How much? 1.10 Euro
Best Alternative to a Cappuccino: Caffe al Bicherin – Though pricey, the Bicherin that Caffe al Bicherin serves up could quite possibly be the most delicious alternative to a cappuccino ever. While not good for your budget – or your health (espresso with a big layer of chocolate and cream), it is well worth the 5 euro.
Where to find it: Piazza della Consolata 5 10122 Torino, Italy
How much? 5 Euro
Best People Watching Cappuccino: Giolitti – Known mostly for their gelato, Giolittis is located in the heart of the city on a small road that leads to the Pantheon. Pedestrian traffic is high both on the tiny road and in the store, so you are bound to see and meet some characters.
Where to find it: Via degli Uffici del Vicario, 4 Rome, Italy
How much? 1 Euro
Best Size: Museum of Cappuccino-Nearly double the size of the rest of the cappuccino in Italy, this one gives you the boost you need for the entire day (which is why it concerned me when I made it my second stop on my cappuccino bar crawl!)
Where to find it: Via del Babuino, 151, Rome, Italy
How much? 1.30 Euro
Best with a Croissant: Caffe della Pace – On a Sunday morning, this makes the prefect brunch. See my article on One for the Table!
Where to find it: Via della Pace, 5 00186 Rome, Italy
How much for both to sit? 6 Euro
Best With Whipped Cream: Checco er Carrettiere – No bigger than a walk-in-closet, this stop offers a spoonfall of chocolate whipped cream to top of your cappuccino. Not usually a fan of lots of sugar, this was the perfect addition.
Where to find it: Via Benedetta 7 Rome, Italy
How much? 1.10 Euro
AND THE ONE YOU’VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR….
BEST OVERALL CAPPUCCINO:
This was a tough decision, because I am sure that I have tasted the best cappuccino in the world in Sant’Eustachio, though I didn’t make it a habit to frequent it. Two years ago, the Bull Dog had my heart, but it didn’t take my breath away this time around (though it could have been the 200 percent inflation and the removal of the penny candy in the back room). And Giacosa offered me one of the best combinations of foam and chocolate and espresso I could have ever wanted on the road. But none of these match what I have come to deem the best overall cappuccino. I had to take everything into consideration…from size, to atmosphere, to frequent visits, to the kindness of baristo. I had to choose the one that matches it’s beautiful atmosphere of statues and sculptures; the one that’s baristo has deemed me a regular and that has my cappuccino nearly ready for me before I have even said “Prendo;” the one that I frequent the most; the one that is the best size; the one that I have deemed and etched in stone as ….
The Museum of Cappuccino (CANOVA)
Where to find it: Via del Babuino, 151, Rome, Italy
How much: 1.30 Euro
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