Why do Italians drink coffee after dinner? “The espresso after dinner is ordered only if the meal was heavy, and they also 'correct' the espresso by adding grappa, known as 'the corretto,'” Milos says. The habit might also have to do with the fact that Italians stay up later.
Espresso really rules in Italy and can be taken at any time of the day. It is especially popular at mid-morning and after lunch and dinner. Don't forget that espresso is customarily called caffè in Italy.
Espresso coffee is not only loved for its intense taste, for the variety of preparations, or because it is an energizing drink. In Italy, drinking coffee is a real ritual gesture that embraces both the gustatory dimension and the emotional sphere of consumers.
So, relax, having an espresso after dinner won't deny you your right to sleep; it will instead, if you believe the Italians, do wonders to your digestion. No wonder, the Italians take their usually long and celebratory dinners in their stride. They know an espresso awaits them at the end of dinner.
The classic Italian espresso drink, a cappuccino is equal parts espresso, milk foam and steamed milk. They are most commonly enjoyed before or during breakfast, but never after a meal.
In Italy, the perfect end to a perfect meal is a strong black shot of espresso in a demitasse. The strong burst of caffeine certainly helps to combat the drowsy after dinner feeling but, if you like your coffee a little larger, an Americano will also do the trick.
Thou shalt only drink cappuccino, caffé latte, latte macchiato or any milky form of coffee in the morning, and never after a meal. Italians cringe at the thought of all that hot milk hitting a full stomach. An American friend of mine who has lived in Rome for many years continues, knowingly, to break this rule.
After a traditional Italian meal or dinner you are likely to be offered a 'digestivo' aka an Italian digestive drink (digestif). Italian digestivo are alcoholic after dinner drinks, usually served in a small glass, straight, as a shot.
The French love their coffee, especially after a large meal. Rather than indulging in milky lattés and cappuccinos, enjoy short pulls of espresso (referred to in France simply as café) all day long. For a longer pull of espresso—or something more similar to an American-style coffee—order a café allongé.
Italians also enjoy an espresso after dinner if a big meal was had. What is an after dinner coffee called? Most commonly, “café noir” is commonly used to denote an after-dinner coffee. Other names for a post-dinner coffee could be a “demitasse” or a “digestif” if the coffee is mixed with alcohol.
Water is used to cleanse the palate and fully enjoy the aromatic properties of espresso. Furthermore, when drunk after coffee, the water performs the opposite task: it cleans the mouth from the bad taste left by a poor quality coffee or with some errors in preparation.
Italians drink lots of coffee – they drink it small and they drink it fast. It's a pick-me-up and a quick caffeine kick. 'Caffé' is what we'd call an espresso. It's served, not too hot, in a petite espresso cup and saucer, thick, dark and without milk and comes with a complimentary glass of water.
In Italy, if you say “caffè”, you say “espresso”! You will never say “un espresso” but simply “un caffè”. The allowed variations? Lungo or ristretto, macchiato caldo or macchiato freddo, corretto, marocchino.
Grappa. Grappa is a very popular Italian after-dinner drink. It's usually colorless, but can also be pale to deep yellow if aged in barrels.
Limoncello, the lemon zest-infused liqueur of the southern Italian coast, does double duty. It's fairly common to see it enjoyed as an aperitivo with some prosecco or sparkling water as a spritz, but it's most classically considered an after-dinner drink.
Drinking coffee after a meal will help with digestion. The caffeine in coffee makes the muscles of your intestinal tract contract more frequently. This in turn helps waste and food move along more quickly.
Don't order a cappuccino after noon…
Italians have a thing about drinking cappuccino after noon. It's just not done (some say it's because the milk and foam makes it a replacement for a meal, and all that dairy upsets the digestion). And you'll never see an Italian ordering a cappuccino after dinner.
But what is the best kind of coffee to drink in the evening? Europeans tend to order short, sharp espresso after dinner.
The short-and-sweet version is that most experts recommend setting your caffeine cutoff for 2 or 3 p.m. While there's plenty of research showing that caffeine disrupts sleep, only one study has examined how the timing of caffeine intake affects sleep.
Digestivi (“digestives,” in English) are often in the class of amari, or Italian bitters. Amari are made by infusing grape brandy with a blend of herbs, flowers, aromatic roots and bark, citrus peels, and spices.
Dinner (Cena)
A typical dinner at an Italian home is usually pasta, meat, and vegetables, and takes place around 8 p.m. Going out for dinner in Italy is a pretty big thing to do, or eat, for that matter: Several courses, wine, and a long time chatting and lingering are all part of the event.
Sugar is traditionally added to espresso by Italians, who invented the drink. Not all of them take it this way, but most of them do. Why? Because that's how you make it taste good.
First: Don't Order An Espresso
After all, isn't espresso the popular coffee drink in Italy? It is indeed. Espresso is the coffee of the land so all you have to say is, "Un caffè per favore" and you will be presented with an espresso.
So while you can always find a barista with coffee and milk – the two ingredients they need to make you a cappuccino regardless of the hour- most Italians avoid the drink after lunch. Lunches in Italy are sizeable affairs, so the idea of drinking half a cup of milk after a full meal does not sit well with most locals.
The word latte means milk in Italian; order one and that's what you'll get. A caffè latte is a glass of warm milk with a tiny droplet of coffee in it.