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Rome's coffee culture is one of Europe's most clearly defined. The Italian bar (which in this context means cafe, not pub) is a daily institution. Most Romans drink coffee multiple times a day at the same handful of bars they have used for years, ordering by routine, paying in small change, taking their espresso standing at the counter in 90 seconds. The city has thousands of these rooms, scattered across every neighborhood, and the rhythm of stopping for caffè defines the day more than any other ritual.

The bean culture in Rome runs on several historic Italian roasters (Trombetta, Sant'Eustachio, Tazza d'Oro, Hausbrandt) supplying smaller bars throughout the city, alongside a handful of celebrated coffee houses in the centro storico (Sant'Eustachio Il Caffè, Tazza d'Oro near the Pantheon, Antico Caffè Greco on Via Condotti) that operate as both tourist destinations and serious coffee operations.

The third-wave specialty scene exists but is small and concentrated in specific pockets. Faro, Pergamino, Marigold, and a handful of smaller operators have established a specialty foothold over the past decade, particularly in Prati, Trastevere, and the Pigneto neighborhood. The third-wave shops operate within the Italian bar tradition but borrow techniques (pour-over, single origin, lighter roasts) from international specialty culture. They are growing but remain a minority compared to the traditional bar.

The drink culture is precise. A cappuccino is a morning drink (most Romans will not order one after 11). The macchiato comes in two forms (caffè macchiato is espresso with a dash of milk; latte macchiato is milk with a dash of espresso). Decaf is widely available and not stigmatized. Sugar is added by the customer at the counter, often heavily.