When was the first bar born in Italy?

Today in Italy there are about 150,000 coffee bars that serve, every day, 175 cups of coffee each, counting only plain espresso. Staggering numbers that give an idea of the passion we cultivate, daily, for this hot and energetic beverage.

But if the origin of coffee is elsewhere, between Ethiopia, Turkey and Austria, when was the first coffee bar opened in Italy?

The "firsts" of coffee in Italy

Let's take a look, then, at a curious roundup of all-Italian coffee inventions and firsts, not so much real exclusives as some events from the more or less distant past that can make us proud.

The first coffee bar in Italy

Vanguard from this point of view was Venice. In fact, right under the porticos of St. Mark's Square, under the arches of the Procuratie, the first "coffee shop" was opened in 1683. Although some anticipate the date to 1640 or even 1615, credit for the inauguration and introduction in Italy of a custom that would spread to such an extent belongs to the botanical physician Prospero Alfino.

It is said that, after a long stay in Egypt, Alfino introduced the Venetians to this drink "black in color and with a flavor similar to chicory," which he proposed as a medicine.

From Venice to Turin, Genoa, Milan, Florence or Rome, the transition was almost natural and "coffee shops" spread widely, changing, decade after decade, in form and purpose. In fact, the emergence of the "bar" in Italy is with the eighteenth-century cafes, places of discussion and exchange of the intellectuals of the time.

From the first bar to the first advertisement

Venice also holds, in fact, another valuable and exclusive record related to coffee. In particular, thefirst examples of advertising of the product date back to 1716: the first estimators needed to explain to fellow citizens the qualities of the drink exported from abroad.

Successful advertising, one might say, since in 1763 there were as many as 218 establishments selling coffee in the lagoon city alone.

Coffee machines, Italian pride

While it is true that the "bar" was not invented in Italy, as the Anglo-Saxon etymology of the term also testifies, there are some coffee-related discoveries that speak the language of Dante. First among them is that of the coffee machine, which even has more than one father.

The first patent was registered in 1884 under the title "New steam apparatus for the economical and instantaneous brewing of coffee into beverage. System A. Moriondo." The inventor was, in fact, Angelo Moriondo from Turin, who presented his prototype at the Universal Exposition in Turin that same year, but never turned the idea into a real industrial and marketable product.

Which Milanese Luigi Bezzera did, however, with his 1901 prototype. The patent passed, later, into the hands of Desiderio Pavoni, who mass-produced coffee machines, one per day, in his small specialized firm until more technological automatic tools for production were actually invented as well.

And Italian "genius" also marks this transition, the work of Gaggia S.p.A. The Milanese company made the first lever-operated coffee machine in 1948, an innovation long reserved only for bars and clubs. Only since 1977, in fact, was production extended to coffee machines for domestic use.

The inventors of Moka

Moka, however, unquestionably rhymes with Bialetti. And it is no coincidence, since it was precisely Alfonso Bialetti who, in 1933, invented this particular "machine" for making coffee. Since then it has been so successful that more than 105 million examples have been made and today it is on display in the permanent collection of the Triennale Design Museum in Milan and even at MoMA in New York.

Trieste, City of Coffee: did you know?

Even more surprising is to discover that Italy is also the only country in the world that has awarded a city the title of "Coffee City." Specifically, this is Trieste, which earned this epithet because of the port's rich trade, the concentration of companies involved in production and roasting, and the city's identification with the drink.

In 1999 the University of Coffee was also founded (in Naples, but soon moved to Trieste): a center that aims to spread the knowledge and culture of coffee, preserving its tradition and quality. Today Ernesto Illy's project has 25 locations around the world, from South Korea to Egypt, and continues to deal with dissemination and education, all coffee-themed, of course.

ISSpresso, coffee in space

That Italians just can't do without coffee is a fact; what may surprise us is that this need has also stimulated ingenuity. Such an incentive that, in 2015, the company Argotec, together with Lavazza and in partnership with the Italian Space Agency, invented ISSpresso.

What is it? A capsule-based espresso machine capable of functioning perfectly in microgravity conditions such as, say, the International Space Station. The first of its kind, to know if the result is comparable with an "earthly" espresso you have to ask astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti who, during her mission, had the opportunity to try it.

The alarm clock that makes coffee? It could be reality

Called "The Barisieur," it is an alarm clock that makes coffee, and it is not a product of fantasy, but the invention of designer Joshua Renouf. It is not a product of Italian creativity, but it could really revolutionize the way we live: in fact, it is a very ordinary digital alarm clock with a coffee maker attached to it, or a teapot, which is charged at night before sleeping and automatically activated when we wake up.

The alarm clock can also be equipped with a small fridge that stores milk for those who prefer cold macchiato, and a small drawer to store sugar cubes. All we have to do is program it and enjoy a pleasant restful sleep, knowing that we will be awakened by our favorite aroma.

From the birth of the first coffee bar in Italy to the first coffee in space, we have come a long way: there are many inventions and innovations that have changed the way we enjoy coffee, bringing it closer and closer to home, or to any place where we may feel the need for it. This is why Co.ind, a company specializing in coffee production, has diversified its offerings by offering coffee in beans, pods, capsules and ground coffee: so no one is left without their espresso at the bar or in bed.