Use the following terms exactly as you see and hear them when ordering your coffee at the bar (caffè), and you will definitely be understood! When it comes time to order drinks at a bar, knowing barista vocabulary will save you time and guarantee you get a drink that meets your expectations. Learn more in this post, about how to order at the Bar in Italy
Listen & Read in Italian
What can you usually order in a bar in Italy?
You can definitely get a coffee, Italy’s most popular drink.
Un caffè:
When you order caffè, you automatically get an espresso
In Italy, there are many different varieties of coffee that you may order at a bar:
Un caffè ristretto: Very strong and concentrated espresso.
Un caffè doppio: Double espresso.
Un caffè lungo: Caffè Espresso with more water to make it less concentrated.
Un caffè corretto: caffè Espresso with a bit of liquor
Un caffè macchiato: Caffè Espresso with a touch of milk.
Un caffè decaffeinato: Decaffeinated coffee.
Un caffè d’orzo: The coffee substitute is made from germinated, dried, and roasted barley. You can have it strong or light.
Un caffè freddo: Iced espresso
Let’s see what else you can order in a bar
BEVERAGES: what you can order as a drink
Un cappuccino: caffè Espresso with frothed milk.
Un caffellatte: Caffè Espresso with plenty of milk.
Un latte macchiato: Hot milk with just a touch of caffè.
Super-size coffee portions don’t exist in Italy, and there is one size for a cappuccino and a caffelatte.
Un tè (tea)
Un succo di frutta: (fruit juice)
Una spremuta d’arancia: (fresh orange juice)
Un’acqua tonica: (tonic water)
Una birra: (beer)
Un’acqua naturale: (still water)
Un’acqua gassata/frizzante: (sparkling water)
You can of course order any soft drink such as coke, orange soda etc.
Food: what you can order to eat
Un cornetto: The “cornetto”, often known as brioche in Northern Italy, is a pastry speciality. It’s a half-moon sweet culinary speciality made of flour, butter, eggs, water, and sugar. This is especially for “Colazione” together with a “cappuccino”.
Paste e pasticcini: In miniature, but real little cakes: Small, but real delights, beautiful to look at and exquisite on the palate. The irresistible morsels of sweet pastry, filled with cream or any type of cream, from chocolate to Chantilly cream, from custard to coffee, lemon, pistachio and even ice cream, sprinkled with icing sugar or covered with icing.
una pasta
una pizzetta (a little pizza)
un tramezzino (sandwich) Pair of thin slices of loaf bread, between which various appetizing ingredients are placed
un panino (sandwich) Small loaf of bread, mostly round or oval, filled with cold cuts, cheeses or vegetables.
un gelato (ice cream)
How to order something at the bar
Speaking to the Barman
Mi fa un caffè, per favore?
Vorrei un caffè, per favore.
How to offer something at the bar
INFORMAL
Vuoi…? Ti va un caffè?
Prendi / Ti offro un caffe?
Che ne dici di un caffè?
Vuoi qualcosa da bere/mangiare?
Cosa prendi?
FORMAL
Vuole…? Le va un caffè?
Prende/Li offro un caffe?
Che ne dice di un caffè?
Vuole qualcosa da bere/mangiare?
Cosa prende?
How to accept or decline the offer
DECLINE
No, grazie
Mi dispiace, ho già preso un caffè.
Grazie, ma ora non posso.
Grazie, ma non bevo caffè.
Grazie, non mi va.
ACCEPT
Sì, grazie.
Sì grazie, volentieri.
Con piacere.
Grazie, prendo un caffè.
Video Dialogue Examples
How to pay in a Bar
Asking for the bill and paying
Quant’è?
Quanto pago?
Quanto Le devo?
Mi porta il conto? (if sitting at the table)
📌 The answer of course refers to how many euros you have to pay
Listen to the dialogue:
Buongiorno.
Buongiorno, vorrei un cappuccino e un cornetto, per favore.
Ecco a lei!
Quant’è?
2 euro e 80 centesimi.
ASKING IN A BAR:
| May I have… | Posso avere… |
| …some milk | … del latte? |
| …some sugar | … dello zucchero? |
| …some artificial sweetener | …del dolcificante? |
| …some butter | …del burro? |
| …some jam? | …della marmellata? |
What’s next?
You might want to keep learning Italian online with these free resources:
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