CAFFÉ • BAR
An Italian Coffee Bar is driven by ritual.
From early morning to midmorning, businessmen, barbers, movie actors, and car mechanics alike stream in, with newspapers tucked under their arms. They stop first at the cassa (cashier) to secure a receipt for their breakfast. They place the receipt, anchored with a 100 lire coin tip, on the counter, waiting for the white-jacketed barista to call out their order. They drink, eat, and scan the newspaper, and are out the door again.
By late morning, many of these same customers have returned for pizza, pasta, panini (sandwiches), or for the energy boost-a short espresso.
In the late afternoon, another coffee and perhaps a torta or a couple of biscotti are in order. Of course, a glass of vino (wine), a birra (beer), or a spremuta d'arancia (fresh orange juice) can also be taken standing up at the counter or sitting down at one of the small tables.
You can watch the baristi flirt with the ladies, discuss politics, pop culture or argue about calcio (soccer), or here in Canada, about hockey.
11244 - 104 AVE • ON THE COURTYARD IN OLIVER VILLAGE
PH: 42 - LATTE
