These Italian Coffee Roasters Are The Best In Italy

Italian Coffee roasters add a delicious taste to the culture and shouldn’t be missed on your next trip to Italy. These roasters are making Italy’s best coffee.

Italian Coffee Roasters And Beans

We have a bit of an unusual history with coffee in Italy, known as caffè. A few years back we created an e-commerce website dedicated to selling Italian coffee for people looking to explore the tastes of Italy, relive an experience from their youth or they simply wanted to learn a little more about where their family came from. It was a fun business to develop but when we moved to Italy, there were logistical reasons that forced us to shut down the business. There are other ways to buy proper Italian coffee, and I’ve provided some links below, so you should either look online or make sure to bring some coffee back home from your next trip to Italy!

Our Favorite Italian Coffee Roasters

There is an almost unlimited number of roasters (torrefazione) in Italy and they range from small artisan roasters to huge international companies, like Illy and Lavazza, that are known world-wide for their delicious coffee. However, just because some companies are huge, you should not dismiss them. I typically do this in the US with most industrial food production, but with coffee in Italy, it is worth giving them all a try to find what suits you best.

The coffees I’ll describe below are some of our favorites, but this is a very brief list and I would expect follow-up posts describing some others that we love. These are all available for consumption at home, but when you come to Italy there will be many opportunities for you to tuck into a bar and taste one of these regional, or sometimes national, delights.

The Best Coffee Roaster In Venice – Caffè del Doge

When you travel to Venice, it is hard to miss all the bars offering Caffè del Doge. It was founded in 1952 by a Venice coffee roaster and coffee lover. The roasting plant, called ExtraDoge, was located next to the Rialto Bridge and it became a hotspot for hundreds of cafés and shops in Venice. After an acquisition in 1995, the coffee was renamed Caffè del Doge and the new team grew and developed the business into more of an export-focused company.

The name was inspired by the important figures, the Doges, from the history of Venice. When you come to Venice, one of the most popular sites to visit is the Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale) which was the residence of the seat of the Venetian Government. The title “doge” was the title of the senior-most elected official of Venice and they were elected for life by the city-state’s aristocracy.

The Best Coffee Roaster In Rome – Tazza d’Oro

When you are in Rome, you will likely make a visit to the Pantheon. When you do, if you are also feeling like you need a boost, you should check out Antigua Tazzadoro and grab a quick espresso. It was established in 1944 and is the only artisan roaster remaining in the heart of the historic center (centro storico) of Rome.

The bar, or more formally La Casa del Caffè al Pantheon, was founded in 1946 as a place for tasting their different blends and is known for having what they believe is the best coffee in the world. We learned through our customer feedback that this is an example of people wanting to enjoy their Roman experiences again, but this time at home.

I recently learned about a bar in Pittsburgh with the same name, but be assured, there is no relationship with Antigua Tazzadoro in Rome.

Another Great Coffee Roaster In Rome – Sant’Eustachio Il Caffè

Sant’ Eustachio Il Caffè is located between the Pantheon and Piazza Navona and it is very popular with tourists. I mentioned the popularity with the tourists not to diminish it at all, but our company learned about this coffee not through our own experiences, but from many of our former customers asking about it.

This café, although it would more accurately be called a bar, was opened in 1938 and is located in the piazza of the same name. In addition to the coffee with very bright yellow packaging, stovetop espresso makers (moka) and coffee cups, the café also wants to educate people about coffee and offers a 10€ course that might interest you.

The Best Coffee Roaster In Naples – Kimbo

We LOVE Kimbo coffee. Make no mistake, we enjoy many Italian coffees, but we always return home to Kimbo. Historically, and for centuries, Neapolitans roasted their coffee at home or bought it from street carts, but in the 1960’s the Kimbo founders took advantage of new packaging techniques, specifically a vacuum packed canning process, to allow Neapolitan coffee to be taken anywhere and its popularity grew and their coffee became famous all over the world.

If you find yourself walking around Naples, keep an eye out for the ubiquitous bars that serve Kimbo and try a cup. I prefer mine without sugar because it not only allows for the opportunity to really taste the coffee, but also because the delicious flavors will linger in your mouth long after you are done, unless you drink the glass of water offered at a bar after your coffee.

There is a London-based wing of the company, but to be honest, I have no experience with it. On their site they mention selecting the coffee blends that are suited to the UK market, which gives me a shiver. Make sure, if you are looking for Italian coffee, that you get the Kimbo that comes from Naples and you will not be disappointed. If you are in London and you want to learn how to be a barista, there are training courses available that range in length from a couple of hours to 3 days to a Build-You-Own-Adventure type of course. That might be fun.

The Best Coffee Roaster In Trieste – San Giusto Caffè

The coffee from Torrefazione Caffè San Giusto was a great discovery of ours when we went to a coffee roasting convention in Trieste a few years back. They are a smaller roaster, but of course they want to be larger. The same family still runs the roaster and they were great to work with.

Trieste considers itself the Italian capital of coffee, however Venice and Naples might beg to differ. This town, which is famous for espresso, has developed a unique culture around coffee drinking and even ordering. Learn how and why to order “Un capo in b” which is coffee served in a small glass (bicchiere). There is much more to learn in Trieste so that you don’t stand out as a tourist!

Here are some other options:

• Capo in B: their version of a cappuccino
• Caffè Nero: a regular espresso
• Goccia in B: an espresso with a drop of milk foam in the center served in a small glass
• Deca: it’s decaffeinated espresso, so why bother!

How To Enjoy Coffee In Italy

There are times I wish we were still selling Italian coffee but it just wasn’t to be, because as I mentioned, the logistics of selling in the US while living in Italy made it untenable for a company our size. The happy memories this article evoked really motivates me to keep making new coffee discoveries and I hope you will try some as well. You might not be able to find every coffee I’ve discussed above available in the US, but there are some and when you travel to Italy make sure to stop in every small bar when the opportunity presents itself.

The Best Italian Coffee Roasters – FAQ

Here are the answers to some of your questions about coffee in Italy:

• How many euros is a cup of coffee in Italy? – The cost in Rome varies for a cup (tazzina) of espresso, but you should expect to pay around €1. You can find it cheaper and you will definitely pay more around the tourist attractions, but that is a decent starting point.
• Where to buy coffee beans? – The two places I’ve been buying my coffee are: 1) at the grocery store, of course, and 2) at the individual coffee roaster. There is one very close to my that thankfully makes a great espresso and you can take the beans home as well.
• What is the most popular brand of coffee in Italy? – The most popular coffee brands in Italy are some of the ones you can find in the US, these include: Lavazza, Illy and Caffè Vergano.

For more about Italian coffee roasters and coffee culture, take a look at some of these other posts on the subject:

• The Best Country For Coffee Must Be Italy And This Is Why.
• How Do Italians Make Coffee At Home? I’ll Show You How.
• How To Clean A Moka Pot In A Few Easy Steps.
• Coffee Bars In Italy Are A Unique Experience You Should Try.
• Gran Caffè Gambrinus Is Classic Italian Coffee Culture.
• Sant’Eustachio Il Caffè Is A Rome Coffee Bar You Should Try.
• Is La Casa Del Caffè Tazza d’Oro The Best Coffee In Rome?
• Giolitti In Rome Just Might Be My Favorite Coffeeshop.
• The delicious history of Torino, Lavazza and Coffee In Italy.