For the love of coffee
I have measured out my life with coffee spoons.
T. S. Eliot
International coffee day happens every October, on the first day of the month. The date was agreed on by the international coffee organisation and was launched in Milan.
We often search out a special spot for coffee when travelling. Our recent trip to Venice and Milan presented two distinctly different opportunities, to enjoy a cup of Java.
The first was Cafe Florian, in the centre of Venice. Cafe Florian was established in Venice in 1720. It is the oldest café in the world, situated under the arches of the Procuratie Nuove in Saint Mark Square.
On arrival we were greeted at the door and ushered into one of the rooms in the elegant space, seated in an area, with art work in opulent gilded, gold frames all around us. A waiter greeted us at our table and presented us with our menus. We ordered our coffees, with some multi coloured macaroons on the side. The items arrived beautifully presented on a silver tray, on vintage china crockery.
The coffees were expensive. But we had a real sense that we were paying for so much more than just the drink; the setting, the history, the service, the ambience, the live pianist; it was all encapsulated in those elegant China cups. It was a unique and memorable experience for these coffee lovers. We took time to savour our surroundings, as well as the coffee.
And so from the oldest, to one of the newest additions to the coffee scene in Italy; Starbucks. The company opened its first branch in Italy in 2018. Starbucks Milan is called the Reserve Roaster, situated on the Piazza Codusio.
PKP sat with our table. I ventured into this huge, noisy space, dominated by the industrial machinery in the middle. The old machine is a nod to the history of coffee making in Italy. It’s a big operation, with 400 Starbucks baristas, roasters and mixologists creating the Starbucks experience. I joined a long queue, everyone masked and ‘socially distanced’ and after a long wait, I reached the till. No greeting. I was urged to order quickly. In the usual Starbucks style, you were told to wait at another place, while your drinks were prepared. “Next”. I moved along and queued again, hoping for something special. As we were seated at an outdoor table, the two drinks were presented in take away plastic cups. And the two drinks cost around EUR 15. It was all a bit underwhelming really.
The space is at home in Milan, Italy’s fashion and design capital. It has a fast, dynamic vibe, just like Milano. The Milan Roastery is the only one of its kind in Europe, one of just five Starbucks Reserve Roasteries in the world. I read that they serve a selection of coffees from all over the world but the staff were too busy to tell you about them.
Sitting there that day, it felt like we had travelled a million miles from Cafe Florian. The two coffee houses were opened almost 300 years apart, and offer two contrasting experiences. The biggest difference for us between the two, was the level of service offered by the staff.
And a few weeks on, in a local village in Central Italy, I reflect on those two extravagant experiences. We sip on one euro coffees, served at our table with a smile and glasses of water on the side, and happily sit in the piazza, watching the world go by (slowly).
Where would you prefer to go for coffee?
© Maggie M / Mother City Time