Hello coffee lovers it’s great to be part of this wonderful community and this is my first time posting in this community😃

In Italy, coffee shops, also known as "caffè" or "bar," are always vibrant with a cozy atmosphere. Locals and tourists can sit and enjoy a wide array of coffee beverages and pastries.

When it comes to pastries, one of the most popular items and my favorite is the "cornetto" (singular for "cornetti"), which is similar to a French croissant but typically sweeter and denser. Cornetti could be made plain or filled with delicious options such as chocolate, cream, or jam.

As for coffee, Italians are renowned for their love of espresso paired with sweets or pastries, this is what they usually have for breakfast. After living here for a while, I adapted and usually order a cappuccino or macchiato because they have more milk than expresso and I pair it with a cornetto. Other menu options that I also like are hot chocolate and caffè ginseng (coffee flavored with ginseng extract, often served sweetened).

There are so many reasons why I would choose a coffee shop over the tons of coffee shops in my area.

To begin with, the ambiance of the coffee shop matters a lot. For an introvert like me, I do not like crowds so in essence, I do not like so many people in the same space as me hence my choice of a coffee shop with fewer "humans". I love to be comfortable when I am having my coffee because I can stay for hours reading a book or chatting with a friend. So the less humans I see trooping in and out of the coffee shop the more comfortable I am.

The decor of the coffee shop also matters to me, I like it simple and classy and very very clean because I am a germaphobe. A dirty coffee shop turns me off more than anything.

For someone who is fairly new in the country, I would appreciate a coffee shop where the barista speaks English.
You don’t know how powerful or important language is until you go to a foreign land and you find it difficult to express yourself.

I am still learning Italian and half the time communicating with locals can be pretty difficult because my Italian sucks so when I try to pronounce some words I am often misunderstood and that can be frustrating sometimes. So for me a coffee shop where the Barista or Baristas speak English is a yes for me as it saves me the stress of having to translate in my head and struggle with words all in the name of trying to place my order.

Furthermore, I would choose a coffee shop that is located in the city center, one that is also close to my house over a coffee shop that I would have to walk several blocks to. It's easier when I can just grab my coffee and return home in no time or I can grab my coffee on my way to school. In a nutshell, the location of a coffee shop would determine why I would choose it over other coffee shops.

While there are other reasons why a coffee shop would stand out from other coffee shops in my area these are the major ones.

All images are mine and were taken with my mobile phone.