As a Neapolitan, I'm honored and at the same time amused any time people praise our coffee culture. The reality is that the majority of the coffee we drink here is crap (with Gambrinus being one of the worst places to have it). True, the Neapolitan and in general the average Italian coffee is an acquired taste: dark roast, flat flavor, bitter as hell. But even when you grow up with this kind of palate at one point you realize there's something wrong if people keep adding sugar to a drink that is supposed to be enjoyed plain.
Also, let's not dive into caffè sospeso habit: I believe in the past it could have been a real thing, but nowadays is just a marketing gimmick, and I wonder how many bar double up their income without actually offering a coffee to anyone.
Which I wouldn't blame: how can you survive selling a coffee at no more than 1€? It's unsustainable! But Neapolitans would revolt if it was at a higher price.
Luckily there are a few actors in the market that are slowly changing the habit of people bringing quality coffee to a well-adjusted price. But we're still so far behind compared to major cities like Rome, Florence or Milan. It will take a while before people understand it is better drinking less coffee but of a higher quality and pay more. It's also healthier.
PS: I do enjoy making a cuccuma with some specialty coffee at home 😊
I agree completely that the quality of coffee is mostly low and has only gotten lower over time. That is a whole other discussion that opens up big topics on socioeconomics in Napoli and more the sustainability of coffee in Napoli and Italy as a whole. I live in Rome and while we have a small but mighty specialty coffee movement, we have the same situation - the quality of espresso is debatable, it’s often burnt or over extracted, and not all too great.
However this newsletter is more to shed light on how Napoli differs culturally beverage wise, and has a particularly unique & beautiful relationship with coffee - one that shines light on a history often overlooked especially by visitors - due to the commercialization brought on by the north which occurred rather recently.
Of course there’s romanticism especially in the caffè sospeso tradition - but by educating we can allow people to perhaps preserve them or more evolve them so that they don’t become a sad note of the past. Perhaps I’m just a dreamer? I don’t know, it helps me escape from the reality of the dark side of the Italian food industry
Speaking of Naples and coffee, there’s this beautiful tradition called caffè sospeso. It’s a simple yet heartwarming gesture: when you order a coffee, you pay for two but drink only one. The extra one is "suspended," meaning it’s left available for someone who might not be able to afford it. Later, someone in need can walk into the café and ask if there’s a sospeso—if there is, they get a free coffee, no questions asked.
It’s a tradition that speaks volumes about Neapolitan generosity and that sense of community where even a small act, like offering a coffee, can make someone’s day a little better. The idea has spread beyond Naples, inspiring similar initiatives around the world, but it all started right there, in the cafés of Naples, over a good cup of espresso.
As a Neapolitan, I'm honored and at the same time amused any time people praise our coffee culture. The reality is that the majority of the coffee we drink here is crap (with Gambrinus being one of the worst places to have it). True, the Neapolitan and in general the average Italian coffee is an acquired taste: dark roast, flat flavor, bitter as hell. But even when you grow up with this kind of palate at one point you realize there's something wrong if people keep adding sugar to a drink that is supposed to be enjoyed plain.
Also, let's not dive into caffè sospeso habit: I believe in the past it could have been a real thing, but nowadays is just a marketing gimmick, and I wonder how many bar double up their income without actually offering a coffee to anyone.
Which I wouldn't blame: how can you survive selling a coffee at no more than 1€? It's unsustainable! But Neapolitans would revolt if it was at a higher price.
Luckily there are a few actors in the market that are slowly changing the habit of people bringing quality coffee to a well-adjusted price. But we're still so far behind compared to major cities like Rome, Florence or Milan. It will take a while before people understand it is better drinking less coffee but of a higher quality and pay more. It's also healthier.
PS: I do enjoy making a cuccuma with some specialty coffee at home 😊
I agree completely that the quality of coffee is mostly low and has only gotten lower over time. That is a whole other discussion that opens up big topics on socioeconomics in Napoli and more the sustainability of coffee in Napoli and Italy as a whole. I live in Rome and while we have a small but mighty specialty coffee movement, we have the same situation - the quality of espresso is debatable, it’s often burnt or over extracted, and not all too great.
However this newsletter is more to shed light on how Napoli differs culturally beverage wise, and has a particularly unique & beautiful relationship with coffee - one that shines light on a history often overlooked especially by visitors - due to the commercialization brought on by the north which occurred rather recently.
Of course there’s romanticism especially in the caffè sospeso tradition - but by educating we can allow people to perhaps preserve them or more evolve them so that they don’t become a sad note of the past. Perhaps I’m just a dreamer? I don’t know, it helps me escape from the reality of the dark side of the Italian food industry
Speaking of Naples and coffee, there’s this beautiful tradition called caffè sospeso. It’s a simple yet heartwarming gesture: when you order a coffee, you pay for two but drink only one. The extra one is "suspended," meaning it’s left available for someone who might not be able to afford it. Later, someone in need can walk into the café and ask if there’s a sospeso—if there is, they get a free coffee, no questions asked.
It’s a tradition that speaks volumes about Neapolitan generosity and that sense of community where even a small act, like offering a coffee, can make someone’s day a little better. The idea has spread beyond Naples, inspiring similar initiatives around the world, but it all started right there, in the cafés of Naples, over a good cup of espresso.