How to Order a Coffee in Italian Like a True Aficionado

26 May 2026

Author:

Berlitz

In Dubai and across the UAE and the Gulf, you’ll see these words and phrases show up in real - life conversations, study, and work.

Beware, herbal tea drinkers, chamomile lovers, and chai addicts: we are entering the realm of caffeine! Also named: Italy.

Italian Coffee Culture

You’ll notice the same devotion to great coffee in the UAE too: from small Italian - style bars in Dubai’s Jumeirah neighbourhood to specialty cafés near the Marina, Italian coffee culture has been warmly embraced here. If you’re learning Italian at a language school (for example, at a Berlitz Jumeirah Centre Italian course) or simply enjoying an espresso on Jumeirah Beach Road, this guide will help you feel right at home.

Italian Coffee Culture

Italians drink every day more than 26,000,000 coffees in the 150,000 cafés all over the country, not to mention the many many cups we drink at home, straight out of our moka, or at restaurants, offices, trains, planes, gyms, libraries, gas stations - and the list simply doesn’t stop. You’ll notice the same devotion to great coffee in the UAE too: from small Italian - style bars in Dubai’s Jumeirah neighbourhood to specialty cafés near the Marina, Italian coffee culture has been warmly embraced here. If you’re learning Italian at a language school (for example, at a Berlitz Jumeirah Centre Italian course) or simply enjoying an espresso on Jumeirah Beach Road, this guide will help you feel right at home. We drink coffee to:

wake up as part of a good morning ritual;
take a “pausa” during work;
end a delicious meal;
enjoy a chat with a friend; or
have a moment of blessed solitude.

And Italian coffee, we proudly affirm, is the best in the world. Well, while this is certainly a matter of personal taste, you should definitely include multiple coffees in your Italian experience. If you want to look at more delicious drinks besides coffee, then we have you covered for other delightful beverages in Italian here. Otherwise, start with learning how to order a coffee in Italian and discovering all the terms, expressions and habits that make up the Italian coffee culture.

How to Say Coffee in Italian

The Italian word for coffee is pretty similar to the equivalent terms in many other languages, since they all come from the Arabic word qahwa. But there are tens of variants you can actually order for your pleasure and discovery. Let’s check them out.

Types of Coffee You can Order in Italian

Now you’ve probably realized that Italians are wild for coffee. But the wildness doesn’t stop here, since many regions have their own specialties. Let’s check some of them out:

More Notable Coffee Vocab

(If you’re attending a hospitality or barista workshop in the UAE - for example Jumeirah Centre barista training or Jumeirah Centre hospitality Italian for staff - these terms are handy.)

How to Order Coffee in Italian

Now that you know all the possibilities and terms you’re going to encounter in your Italian coffee experience, let’s discover how to order coffee in Italian like a true native aficionado. Tip: in the UAE you’ll often hear baristas who understand English; trying the Italian phrasing is a great way to impress hosts at an Italian café or during a Jumeirah Centre cultural workshop.

A Short Guide to Coffee History and Culture in Italy

Let’s admit it - Italians love our traditions and specific cultural rules. Especially when they concern what we put on the table, even a café table in a nice terrazza. They make us feel safe and give us a sense of collective identity, beyond the hundreds of little things (including region, dialect, football team) that separate us. Moreover, it’s important to remember that Italy, and particularly Venice, was the gate through which coffee - an ancient beverage known and loved by many Muslim populations - entered Western Europe. In Italy, it sparked enthusiasm from the bottom to the top of society. After tasting it, Pope Clement VIII reputedly affirmed that coffee was so good that leaving its consumption to “infidels” only should have been considered a mortal sin. Indeed, the love story between Italy and coffee dates way back and has ignited a burning passion that still lasts today.

Some Coffee Rules and Customs Worth Knowing

Since almost all cafés in Italy also serve alcohol, the term “bar” has become a synonym for “café.” That’s why when Italians say they’re going to the bar, this does not necessarily mean they’ll have a glass of wine - more likely, a good cup of coffee.
In Italy, you can have your coffee standing at the counter, take it to a table yourself, or sit and be served. Prices can differ for table service. In the UAE you’ll see similar options at cafés and hotels.
Many foreigners are astonished by how little coffee there is in an Italian cup and how strong it is. But Italians like it exactly that way. The smaller, the better.
Want to really blend in? Never order a cappuccino after a meal - Italians usually drink cappuccino only in the morning.
Some connoisseurs swear that coffee tastes better in a glass cup and specifically ask for a “caffè in vetro.
One lovely tradition from Naples is “caffè sospeso” (pending coffee): you pay for two coffees and leave one for someone in need.

Now that You’re Well Awake, Keep on Learning

Inspired to learn Italian as fast as possible? Now that you got your fill of caffeine, keep on learning Italian with our free Italian blog lessons or start an Italian course to be completely immersed in the language and culture. If you’re in the UAE, consider joining local options such as Jumeirah Centre Italian classes, Jumeirah Centre conversation clubs, or a Jumeirah Centre Italian culture workshop. Many learners combine Italian language classes with practical experiences - visiting Italian cafés in Dubai to practise ordering in real life - or take barista training and hospitality Italian to start a career in F&B.

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For structured practice, Berlitz UAE can help - whether you learn at our Dubai branches (Jumeirah or JLT), study on-site in DIFC, or visit our Abu Dhabi branches in Khalidiya and Khalifa.