Italian-American coffee shops are often the beating hearts of the Little Italy neighborhoods around the country. They’re usually quaint spaces that have been serving Italians and tourists alike for generations and are decorated in ways that honor their neighborhoods’ unique histories as well as those of Italian immigrants to the United States.
While these coffee shops can vary from state to state, there are a few items that are definitive staples, regardless of which historic Italian enclave you find yourself in. Take a look below at five items you can find in any Italian-American coffee shop.
Cannoli
A coffee shop can’t call itself Italian-American without serving cannoli. Hailing from the island of Sicily, cannoli are arguably Italy’s most famous dessert. They’re crispy tube-shaped shells of fried pastry dough filled with fresh sheep’s ricotta cream and often sprinkled with powdered sugar. In Italian, the singular version of the dessert is “cannolo” while the plural is “cannoli.” Traditionally served plain or topped on both sides with pistachio granules, dark chocolate chips, or candied fruit, the Sicilian treat has found particular fame in the United States and has been immortalized in Italian-American culture by Sicilian immigrants to the country.
Italian Butter Cookies
As the name suggests, Italian butter cookies are primarily made with butter which lends the treat a deliciously soft texture. They can be dipped in chocolate, stuffed with jam, and decorated with sprinkles for different colors, tastes, and textures. They’re the kind of cookies Italian-Americans grow up with during major holidays such as Christmas and Easter. Crumbly with a slightly sweet and salty taste, they invoke childhood nostalgia with just one bite.
Cappuccino
Italians have spent five centuries perfecting the art of brewing coffee, and it’s a sacred part of Italian and Italian American culture. Cappuccinos are certainly ubiquitous in Italian-American coffee shops, and while they’re only consumed during the morning hours in Italy, it’s common to see people sipping on them at all hours in the United States. The espresso-based drink is topped with steamed milk foam and is perfectly complimented by a side of Italian butter cookies – what could be better than dipping them into a steaming cup of cappuccino?
Caffe Mocha
Also referred to as mocaccino, a caffe mocha is a chocolate-flavored coffee usually served warm in either a tall glass or a mug. Made with chocolate, coffee, and milk – think of it as espresso-spiked hot chocolate – the sweet drink is sometimes also topped with whipped cream.
Hot Chocolate
Italian hot chocolate is among the best in the world. Made from thick and creamy decadent chocolate and often topped with a generous dollop of fresh whipped cream, it’s a perfect treat for the colder months. Due to its thick consistency, the drink is often consumed with a small teaspoon.
Asia London Palomba
Asia London Palomba is a trilingual freelance journalist from Rome, Italy. In the past, her work on culture, travel, and history has been published in The Boston Globe, Atlas Obscura, The Christian Science Monitor, and Grub Street, New York Magazine's food section. In her free time, Asia enjoys traveling home to Italy to spend time with family and friends, drinking Hugo Spritzes, and making her nonna's homemade cavatelli.