Coffee. Bologna, Italy

October 2021

Despite Italy's reputation for excellent coffee, being a flat white sort of a girl, I'm generally not taken with Italian coffee, finding espressos too intense and cappuccinos too weak and frothy.  Pappare, in Bologna's historic centre, did come up trumps with an excellent cappuccino though.  Not only that, the display of croissants was particularly exciting, with white and dark chocolate stuffed charcoal croissants balanced by the nuttiness of sesame, alongside pistachio cream, and vegan dark chocolate and raspberry.  And there was definitely no shortage of filling.  One might be forgiven for thinking there was too much chocolate ganache stuffed in to my croissant as every bite caused another blob too ooze out, but really, can there ever be too much filling?!  They also offer hand brew coffee, as well as savoury pastries, sandwiches, and more substantial brunch/ lunch.

Find Pappare on Via De' Giudei.


Another coffee that really has to be tried once by any coffee fan finding themselves in Bologna is Aroma Cafe's zabaione coffee.  Not only has Alessandro, owner and head barista, won multiple awards, there are some really interesting coffees to try out alongside the single origins.  Zabaione caught my eye - I love coffee, I love custard and I love anything local to the country I'm in, so I just had to try it.  A bold espresso sweetened with a vibrant orange blob of the Italian dessert made from egg yolks, sugar and sweet wine, whipped in to a light custard.

Find Aroma Cafe on Via Porta Nova.



Sebastiano Caridi's Caffe Lettarario, whilst not great for coffee, is another good one for the pastry and patisserie selection, as well as for the outdoor seating in the dappled sunlight along one of Bologna's iconic porticoes.  Plain croissants, filled croissants and bicolour croissants vie for attention alongside bite sized patisserie, unusual macarons - when in Italy, coffee and parmesan is a must try, and cake jars.

Find Caffe Lettarario on Via Manzoni. 









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