Romans like their coffee fast, strong and scaldingly hot.
We drink it on the go, never sitting down. Down it and off you go: that's the philosophy. It's part of the way of life, a lingering aroma that wraps around people from morning until after dinner.
Plenty of Romans knock back five or more espressos a day. Bars and cafes are our temples. That's why it's hard to rank the best of them. The coffee shops we chose are all in the historic center.
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We scored each one across these categories:
1. COFFEE: Taste, aroma, temperature, how long it lingers on the palate, wow factor
2. ATMOSPHERE: Decor, colors, lighting, mood
3. FOOD: From simple croissants to snacks and full menus
4. SERVICE: Staff know-how, friendliness, that feel-at-home approach
5. LOCATION: Views, closeness to landmarks and famous spots, shopping
Here's what we found:
Sant'Eustachio Il Caffè
Coffee: 10
Atmosphere: 6
Food: 7
Service: 6
Location: 7
Total: 36
Coffee to try: Gran Caffé, an espresso with cream
Sant'Eustachio Il Caffè is the finest example of the classic Roman bar: tiny, simple, cozy.
The owners travel to Brazil regularly to pick out the best coffee beans from Mayan descendants, then ship the coffee to Rome, pack it and sell it to the public.
Everything here is made from coffee and smells of it: cookies, chocolate bars, pastries, frappes and slushies.
Serving roughly 6,000 cups of coffee a day on average, the clientele here ranges from politicians to high schoolers. Henry Kissinger and Mikhail Gorbachev both had coffee here.
82 Piazza Sant-Eustacchio; +39 06 688 02048
Bar del Cappuccino
Coffee: 10
Atmosphere: 6
Food: 7
Service: 7
Location: 7
Total: 37
Coffee to try: A hand-painted cappuccino or an iced cappuccino served in a glass
Owner and barman Luigi Santoro makes the best cappuccino in the city center: smooth, delicious and lovely to look at.
He's a bit of a coffee artist, painting flowers, apples and hearts on his cappuccinos. The cafe, small and cozy, serves up tasty pizza with pastrami, mozzarella and broccoli.
Serena Roberti, a university student, comes by in the evenings. "This place is completely relaxing, and the cappuccino is so good," she says.
Perfect for a quick bite and a stroll, it sits in the popular Jewish Ghetto along the Tiber River.
50 Via Arenula; +39 06 6880 6042
ReCafé
Coffee: 10
Atmosphere: 7
Food: 7
Service: 7
Location: 7
Total: 38
Coffee to try: Espresso with hazelnut or white chocolate cream
ReCafe is a modern urban coffee shop with striking decor and a glossy vibe right in the heart of Rome's shopping district. Its glass entrance looks out onto the Mausoleum of Augustus.
With spacious dining rooms across two floors, it's a meeting spot for young people and office workers.
An espresso topped with white chocolate cream might not look great in your calorie diary, but it's absolutely worth a try.
36 Piazza Augusto Imperatore; +39 06 681 34730
Antigua Tazza d'Oro Coffee House
Coffee: 10
Atmosphere: 7
Food: 7
Service: 7
Location: 8
Total: 39
Coffee to try: The "organic" espresso
Tazza d'Oro thrives on its location and atmosphere. Set right across from the Pantheon, it roasts its own coffee and ships it all over the world, even to Australia.
You can enjoy your coffee slushie while browsing the colorful boutique just behind the bar, which sells coffee packs and blends.
The signature blend is Regina dei Caffè (Queen of Coffee), made from eight varieties of Arabica. As customer Maria Rossi puts it, "It's the best cafe in the city because it simply tastes like home."
84 Via degli Orfani; +39 06 678 9792
Giolitti
Coffee: 10
Atmosphere: 8
Food: 7
Service: 8
Location: 7
Total: 40
Coffee to try: Espresso in a glass (a creamy espresso served in a glass, no sugar)
Owner Nazzareno Giolitti loves his espresso in a small glass cup so he can feel the temperature in his hand, see the color and make sure the crema layer has just the right depth.
At Giolitti, tourists from around the world mingle with politicians (the cafe has earned the nickname "the second parliament"), and you might even bump into President Sergio Mattarella.
During World War II it was a gathering spot for American soldiers. Today it's beloved by Michelle Obama and Sharon Stone.
The cafe is also world-famous for its award-winning gelato.
40 Via Uffici del Vicario; +39 06 699 1243
Ciampini
Coffee: 10
Atmosphere: 8
Food: 7
Service: 8
Location: 8
Total: 41
Coffee to try: Espresso or cappuccino
If you're after a cozy spot to unwind, Caffe Ciampini is it.
Run by the same family for four generations, the coffee is made from an artisan blend.
Signature treats include croissants, homemade pastries and gelato. The pistachio flavor is stunning. Whether you sit inside or outside at the tables lined up along the piazza, the atmosphere is wonderful.
29 Piazza San Lorenzo in Lucina; +39 06 687 3620
Canova Tadolini
Coffee: 10
Atmosphere: 9
Food: 8
Service: 7
Location: 8
Total: 42
Coffee to try: Espresso "marocchino" (chocolate cream, coffee, cocoa powder, cream on top)
How about coffee in a former artist's studio, surrounded by bronze and marble sculptures?
Canova Tadolini is a museum-bar filled with a loose arrangement of works by 19th-century sculptor Adamo Tadolini.
Knights on horseback, nude women, classical busts and fountains tower over leather armchairs and tables draped in white cloths. Here you sip your espresso amid 150 years of Italian sculpture. A great stop for art lovers.
150A/B Via del Babuino; +39 06 321 10702
Sabatini
Coffee: 10
Atmosphere: 9
Food: 9
Service: 7
Location: 8
Total: 43
Coffee to try: Espresso
Forget the luxury boutiques and elegant streets near the Spanish Steps: here at Sabatini you're in the heart of Trastevere, Rome's lively district famous for its nightlife.
The coffee here has an aroma that lingers on your taste buds for hours. You can grab a quick coffee at the gleaming wooden bar with its artisan floor tiles, or relax at the outdoor tables that look out onto the district's prettiest piazza.
Not too fancy, but genuinely cool. It's also a stylish "trattoria," a typical Roman restaurant where you eat like a local.
13 Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere; +39 06 581 8307
Sciascia Caffé
Coffee: 8
Atmosphere: 10
Food: 8
Service: 8
Location: 7
Total: 41
Coffee to try: Crema Caffé, whipped cream with pieces of crunchy chocolate
Sciascia is a coffee bar that's about as laid-back as a cafe can get.
From the bar counter decorated with coffee beans to the handmade drinking cups, the retro atmosphere is unmistakable.
Sciascia Caffé prides itself on making the best coffee in Rome since 1919, and the range of artisan coffee drinks served here is truly one of a kind. There's the Gran Caffé with dark chocolate syrup, the Cioccolato Freddo with strawberry, rum or Cointreau, and our personal favorite, the Crema Caffé, which is whipped cream studded with pieces of crunchy chocolate.
Via Fabio Massimo 80/a; + 39 063211580
Domiziano
Coffee: 10
Atmosphere: 9
Food: 8
Service: 8
Location: 10
Total: 45
Coffee to try: Caffè Nuazet (espresso served with pistachio gelato, cocoa powder and cream)
A prime example of how a great view can elevate your coffee.
Right across from Bernini's majestic Fountain of the Four Rivers, Domiziano is a cafe that enjoys a unique view of Rome's most striking and impressive square: Piazza Navona, home to portrait artists and craftspeople.
The owners have added variety to their cappuccinos and coffees with all sorts of ingredients, including a splash of alcohol. The Coffee Twist is a blend of coffee, cream, chocolate and Vov egg liqueur. It'll give you energy for the whole day.
"What more could you want in life: excellent coffee and Bernini!" says fan Lucia Del Piave.
88/89 Piazza Navona; +39 06 6880 6845
Canova
Coffee: 10
Atmosphere: 9
Food: 9
Service: 8
Location: 10
Total: 46
Coffee to try: "Espressino doc" (a special espresso mixed with cocoa powder and whipped cream)
The outdoor tables at Canova look out onto one of Rome's most picturesque and impressive squares: Piazza del Popolo. Inside it's all glamour, with sparkling, restored interiors, a piano bar and an inner garden.
We love the "espressino doc."
"People come here from all over the world every day because we guarantee the highest quality. Our coffee machines are checked daily, and we make sure the pressure levels are just right," says manager Adriano De Santis.
16/17 Piazza del Popolo; +39 06 361 2231
Caffé Greco
Coffee: 10
Atmosphere: 10
Food: 9
Service: 9
Location: 9
Total: 47
Coffee to try: Espresso
One of the oldest cafes in Europe, Caffé Greco sits right across from the Spanish Steps and inside the district of designer boutiques.
Here you can sit at the very same table where artists and intellectuals such as Goethe, Gogol and Andersen once gathered to trade ideas.
The place has a Belle Époque air, dreamy and inspired by classical paintings. As you sip your dark, strong coffee, you might run into Stellario Baccellieri, the cafe's resident artist, known for his frescoes.
"I drink four espressos here every day, the staff are wonderful," he says.
86 Via Condotti; +39 06 679 1700
Bramante's Cloister Café Bistrot
Coffee: 10
Atmosphere: 10
Food: 8
Service: 10
Location: 10
Total: 48
Coffee to try: Caffè Bramante (a cocktail of coffee, chocolate cream and powder, topped with cream)
Bramante's Cloister Cafe Bistrot is the only place that will serve you an espresso in a stemmed cocktail glass.
The Caffè Bramante suits this refined, artistic bistro, which boasts an enviable location: inside a cloister designed by the Renaissance artist Bramante.
If you drink your coffee in the lounge, through the window you'll catch a glimpse of Raphael's fresco "The Four Sibyls" in the adjoining church.
It's a tough call where to sit: the bar is modern and buzzing, but the outdoor tables lined up under the arcade overlooking the cloister offer a sensory experience.
5 Arco della Pace; +39 06 6880 9035
The Stravinskij Bar at the Hotel de Russie
Coffee: 10
Atmosphere: 10
Food: 9
Service: 10
Location: 10
Total: 49
Coffee to try: Espresso served with candied walnuts
This is the place to "see and be seen" in Rome: the Stravinskij Bar is an exclusive classic-meets-modern meeting spot in one of the city's finest five-star hotels, dating back to the 1800s and stylishly restored.
Brad Pitt has dropped in here, enjoying a coffee in the open-air garden with its wrought-iron tables and chairs, and in the elegant lounge bar with its purple velvet sofas and tall, bright windows.
9 Via del Babuino; +39 06 3288 8874
Rosati
Coffee: 10
Atmosphere: 10
Food: 10
Service: 10
Location: 10
Total: 50
Coffee to try: Espresso.
Tradition, location and service make Rosati the best coffee bar in Rome. It enjoys the finest view of Piazza del Popolo, with the Pincio Gardens up above. The espresso is bliss in a cup.
Wrought-iron tables outside and an elegant coffee hall with vintage wooden decor and 1920s marble floors create a warm atmosphere. There's a colorful pastry section serving one of the best tiramisus in the city.
The owners are always there to welcome you. It's right across from Canova, but plenty of coffee addicts insist the cup here is far better.
5a Piazza del Popolo; +39 06 322 5859
