Traveling to Italy, looking for must-visit cafes

#1: Post by **LBIespresso** » May 16th, 2023, 9:39 am

I will be in Verona, Venice, and Lake Orta and am looking for any must hit coffee shops or coffee related "stuff" to see or do. Traveling with family so I will only get to indulge a bit.

Coffee Garage Bros is the only thing on my list at the moment. Hopefully you guys can add a couple of suggestions!

#2: Post by **ojt** » May 16th, 2023, 10:05 am

Hi, welcome to Verona

In Verona, in addition to Garage Coffee Bros, I would suggest you visit a new shop called Ammazza Caffè (https://www.amzcaffe.com).

- The "flagship store" of Garage Coffee is a very small shop where you can buy beans and drink coffee, and as you probably already knew they are perhaps the most notable micro roastery in Verona having won also the Italian roasting championship. They usually have both espresso and filter roast.

- Ammazza Caffè instead is a bigger shop that has a rotating / varying selection of notable (mostly European) roasters. They tend to serve very lightly roasted coffee. If you end up here say hello from their Finnish friend

- Caffè Alexander. Another local micro roastery with also a coffee shop in the center or just outside the old city center. Slightly more traditional in style than Garage. You can visit their roastery / lab on Saturday morning but it might be a bit difficult to reach without a car.

- Caffè Borsari. They at least used to roast the coffee locally, with the brand name Tubino, but I'm not sure what's the situation now. Their specialty is just a very traditional local coffee with the addition of chocolate powder if asked. Not my thing but some like it.

In Venice, apart from the usual tourist stuff like Florian, you could pay a visit to the Torrefazione Cannaregio. Not exactly a specialty coffee roaster but should be enjoyable. And outside of coffee, going more into the aperitivo culture, I suggest you visit the Santa Margherita square.

If anything else comes to mind I will add. Otherwise, especially related to Verona, you can ask me directly.

June 13th, 2023, 10:23 am

This is late but I must say, it was great to get to try these places. Ammazza is a fun shop started by guys like us. Guys with a passion for coffee even down to the to champagne cork WDT tool. A very inviting space...it would be my every day shop if I worked near by.

Garage Coffee is a much more polished experience with the roasting done by a 7th place finisher in the world roasting championship. The guji natural was so good I brought a bag home with me.

Those were my 2 favorites but best of all was getting to meet fellow HB'er Osku (@ojt). Thanks again for all of the recommendations: coffee, food, etc...

This is my second time this year traveling and getting much more than coffee local knowledge from peeps here. CareFreeBuzzBuzz was super helpful (actually with everything but coffee since that spot in AZ is a coffee desert (sorry but pun intended). and Osku on this trip.

I hope more people take advantage of this. This is a great community here. I am looking forward to returning the favor when Michael (CFBB) comes to NY this summer.

#4: Post by **Pressino** » June 13th, 2023, 1:37 pm

Ammazza is an interesting name for the place. It means "Kill!" and when I read these posts I was reminded of a cartoon I saw in a newspaper (I think it was La Repubblica) back in '86 when Michele Sindona died after drinking a cyanide laced cup of coffee. The cartoon had the caption L'ammazza! "Kill Him!", which of course was a parody of a current advertizement for the coffee sold by the firm Lavazza. I don't know if Lavazza sued the newspapper, but for a while I did try to avoid drinking their coffee in any caffe that prominently advertised the brand... I think the cartoonist was also addressing the suspicion of many Italians that his death was an assasination rather the suicide it was claimed to be.

I know that people say ammazza to mean something like "Wow!" or "Marvelous!," but it's hard for me to dissociate it from "Kill!"

Despite this, if I'm ever in Verona I might stop by for a cup of their killer espresso...though I'd be tempted to ask the barista to try a sip as well.

#5: Post by **ojt** » June 13th, 2023, 2:59 pm

Pressino wrote:though I'd be tempted to ask the barista to try a sip as well.

They are more than happy to do that

LBIespresso wrote: Those were my 2 favorites but best of all was getting to meet fellow HB'er Osku (@ojt). Thanks again for all of the recommendations: coffee, food, etc...

Was nice meeting you! Even if in a bit of a hurry

Hope you liked the recommendations.

June 14th, 2023, 9:57 am

ojt wrote:
Was nice meeting you! Even if in a bit of a hurry Hope you liked the recommendations.

My trip was 100% improved by your suggestions. Dinner for my wife's birthday at Ponte Pietra was perfect. Grazie mille! Or should I say Kiitos miljoonasti (thanks google translate).