Ordering Coffee in Milan: The Quick Italian Ritual (Full Transcript)

[00:00:00] Speaker 1: For athletes and visitors coming here to Milan for the Winter Olympic Games who'd like to get a taste of daily Italian life, there's one key ritual and that's how to order coffee. In Italy, coffee isn't just a drink. It's a precise, everyday choreography. I'm here at Marchese, one of Milan's oldest and most famous coffee bars and pastry shops. The ritual starts before the first sip and for those unfamiliar, it can feel like decoding a cultural script. Once you enter, there's no formal queue. What you have to try and do is catch the barista's eye and say hello in Italian, which is buongiorno. Your order should be short and precise. Un caffè is an espresso. Macchiato is an espresso with a dollop of hot, foamy milk. Cappuccino is a cappuccino. Italians usually don't order that after midday. And if you ask for a latte, you'll most probably receive a glass of milk because latte in Italian means milk. If you want to have a latte, you have to say latte macchiato. If you didn't pay at the start, you settle up on your way out, usually with the exact change. And that's it. The ritual ends. It's simple, fast and rooted in community. It's not just about drinking a coffee, but it's also about the moment it creates. And for visitors coming here, mastering it is the quickest way to feel like a local.