How to Experience Naples’ Famous Coffee Culture
Coffee has always been central to the cultural and social life of Naples. In the 1800 and 1900s, most coffee roasters were on Via Roma, and every cafe had beans hand delivered throughout the city by couriers on foot. Once restricted to the grand cafes and a pastime of the upper classes, after the Second World War, prices lowered, and the milk shops of Naples slowly became coffee shops, expanding coffee culture to the middle classes.
How Neapolitans Drink Coffee
In Naples, coffee is typically drunk “al volo” (on the move). Locals order a coffee while standing at a bar. The barista first serves a glass of club soda, meant to be drunk first and cleanse the palate before the coffee. The subsequent “coffee” is a shot of exquisitely prepared espresso, with just the right amount of crema on top. Sugar is added to taste, the coffee is enjoyed while standing at the bar, and then the day resumes. Neapolitans may drink 3 -10 cups of coffee a day in this manner, at any time of day or night.
However, “American style” coffee, drunk slowly while seated, along with relaxing and conversation, is growing in popularity. Today, the centuries-old coffee culture of Naples is evolving to include more opportunities for talking and relaxing, and the coffee shops are evolving in turn.
In this new climate, old coffee shops and new traditions are merging, creating a variety of coffee experiences to be enjoyed in the city. Here are some of the best coffee shops in Naples.
Gran Caffè Gambrinus
Gambrinius is one of the most famous coffee shops in Naples. Founded in 1860, this spectacular Art Nouveau coffee house has been a part of local culture and tradition for more than a century. It has been at the center of the intellectual, political, and creative life of the city, hosting luminaries like Oscar Wilde, Ernest Hemingway, and Bendetto Croce. Gambrinus has a gorgeous selection of coffees, pastries, and ice cream, and is the most historic and grand Gran Caffe of them all.
Gran Caffe Aragonese (Vico San Domenico Maggiore).
On the quaint and charming Piazza San Domenico, Gran Caffe Aragonese is a charming spot for an excellent cup of traditional Naples coffee, or wine and cocktails and light snacks. The interior is spacious and comfortable, but, weather permitting, most visitors opt instead to sit on the terrace outside and enjoy relaxing and people watching in this popular spot.
Caffe Mexico
Caffee Mexico is a local franchise that has quickly become a favorite. They are consistently rated as having the best espresso in the city, and their locations specialize in excellent coffee, local pastries, and fast, friendly service.
It’s worth noting that, whether enjoying your coffee “al volo”, or relaxing on a terrace for a while, most coffee shops in Naples are not welcoming of a Starbucks-style laptop and work in the coffee shop culture. Starbucks itself is just now expanding into Italy, hoping to avoid a coffee culture clash, but until they do, remember that working for hours in a coffee shop, even if they offer wifi, is likely to be unwelcome.
