BINASCO, Italy – Rediscovering the pleasure of a coffee break, relishing the beauty of Italy’s piazzas on an idyllic tour of famous historic cafés. Coffee made exclusively with espresso machines by Gruppo Cimbali which, with its LaCimbali and Faema brands, has been a presence for decades on coffee bar counters and in coffee shops in the main piazzas of Italy’s major cities, including Milan, Venice, Florence, Pisa, Rome, Naples, Lecce and Palermo.
From North to South, through a photo gallery furnished directly and proudly by the café owners, Gruppo Cimbali aims to convey the pleasure of drinking a good coffee in emblematic cafés in Italy’s major cities that have chosen the Group’s machines to offer their customers a truly special coffee break.
An ideal journey through historic cafés that made Italy – and Italian-style espresso coffee – world-famous. But that’s not all: the central theme of this journey is a new beginning, a resurgence. Sipping a coffee in a lively café, being inspired by the beauty of our country – this is what we’ve missed most in the past year and a half.
An optimistic reopening that puts the HoReCa sector and its community front and center, including Italian baristas who have long trusted Gruppo Cimbali to give their customers not just a simple beverage, but a true taste experience. Piazzas, the beating hearts of cities, have always been meetings places, so they take us back to our old, pre-Covid habits, but with a new vision and a new perspective: amid a potpourri of people, tourists and locals alike, we can once again let the aroma of coffee guide us as we admire our cities, remembering how lucky we are to have been born and raised in a country as rich in history and culture as ours.
“We can proudly say that we have always been present in symbolic locations in Italy’s main piazzas– declares Josep Feixa, Gruppo Cimbali Italy Sales Director. “Italians and tourists are increasingly appreciating our passion for our espresso coffee culture. Tasting the most famous drink in the world and rediscovering the beauty of our country means getting back – with the necessary physical distancing – to the normality we’ve all missed so much. Knowing that the coffee drunk in cafés that are symbolic of Italian cities comes from our machines fills us with pride and enthusiasm, and only strengthens our desire to be ambassadors of espresso coffee culture around the world”.
Traveling to the best coffee roasters in Milan, Venice, Florence and Pisa
Milan – Bar Duomo, piazza Duomo (LaCimbali M100)
Our journey begins a few steps from the Duomo of Milan, where the historic “Bar Duomo – Caffè Bistrot” welcomes tourists from all over the world who want to savor an Italian espresso coffee in one of our iconic piazzas. On the counter of the early-20th-century-style café, amid polished wood and mirrors, the star of the show is LaCimbali M100, an enduring icon of coffee. An elegant, long-lasting, high-performance machine, it fits perfectly into the context and provides a unique, beloved drink day after day, improving the barista’s experience as well as the customer’s.
Venice – Caffè Florian (Faema E71, personalized)
From the Duomo of Milan, we move on to Venice and an elegant, sophisticated café. Thanks in part to the iconic Faema E71 personalized with the café’s name in its place of honor behind the counter, the historic Caffè Florian – established in 1720 in Piazza San Marco –has managed to preserve its identity despite the passing of time and history and the Venetian high water it has been exposed to over the centuries. Café tables and chairs in the Piazza, purple velvet banquettes and carved wooden tables beneath the arches, marble, gilded stucco, mirrors and paintings inside: an exclusive coffee bar and special service on silver trays create a particularly unique atmosphere.
Still today, after 300 years, Florian is an observation point in the heart of the city and a place for the circulation of ideas; at the end of the 19th century, in the Café’s Sala del Senato, an idea was formulated to hold an art exhibition that would become the most famous one in the world: the Venice Biennale. To underscore this historic association, for more than thirty years, Florian has been organizing high-level cultural events, especially in the contemporary art sector, hosting an installation created exclusively for its rooms by a nationally- or internationally-famous artist.
Florence – Paszkowski (LaCimbali M100)
From the Venetian lagoon, our ideal journey continues on to the historic center of Florence. Founded in 1903 as a beer hall by the homonymous Polish family, Paszkowski soon became a characteristic “Concerto-Café”, a prerogative that made it world-famous and that still sets it apart from other cafés in the city. A meeting place for Florentine and foreign intellectuals since it was founded (like Giovanni Papini, Dino Campana, Gabriele D’Annunzio, Eugenio Montale and many others), today the café holds court in the marvelous Piazza della Repubblica with musical evenings, events, conferences, meetings and fashion shows. Declared a National Monument in 1991, Paszkowski hosts the formidable Cimbali M100 machine, with a gold-colored body that reflects the café’s interior décor.
Pisa – Caffè dei Miracoli, Piazza Miracoli (Faema Emblema)
From one art city to another: sipping a coffee with a view of the Tower of Pisa is priceless! It’s the experience offered at Caffè dei Miracoli located in the homonymous piazza, which has been welcoming tourists and locals for a unique Leaning Tower-view coffee. The café/pastry shop, on the ground floor of the Relais b&b, serves a delicious breakfast of artisanal pastries every morning.
The historic Palazzo that hosts the Relais b&b I Miracoli was originally part of a complex in existence since the 12th/13th century. So here, in rooms that have been exquisitely restored to their antique splendor, visitors can relive a piece of Pisa’s history. With an open cloister and elegant interior tea rooms, the café features the timeless Faema Emblema.
Espresso coffee in Rome, Naples, Lecce and Palermo
Rome – Caffè Roma, Colosseo (Faema E71E)
A Roman holiday, for the love of… coffee! Just a stone’s throw from the Colosseum, Caffè Roma offers its customers café excellence in all its forms, from morning pastries to cocktails. Inaugurated in April of this year, it sets itself apart in terms of attention to the quality of ingredients. Enjoying an Italian espresso by the Colosseum is a superlative experience, made all the more special by the presence of a coffee machine – the Faema E71E – that has always met the needs of discriminating coffee specialists, sparking the interest of baristas and drinkers of the magical beverage.
Rome – Tazza d’oro, Pantheon (LaCimbali M39)
In our ideal trip to the Capital, a stop at the Pantheon is a must. Here we find the Casa del Caffè – Tazza D’oro, the only old artisanal brand that still survives in the heart of Rome’s historic center. Founded in 1944 as a coffee roaster, today the café is world-renowned: in fact, its coffee has been called “the most famous Italian espresso in the world” thanks to its unique flavor and blends that draw customers, tourists and the curious from around the globe. A journey in every cup, a new devotee with every sip. How do they guarantee this unique experience to all lovers of good coffee? With the trusty and infallible laCimbali M39.
Naples – Bar AnnaBellavita, Galleria Umberto (LaCimbali M100)
From Rome’s Pantheon to the city that has made coffee one of its fortes. Naples’ majestic Galleria Umberto I is the site of bar Anna Bellavita. Founded in 1937 near the central station, the affection and esteem of its customers led Anna Bellavita to move to the city’s historic center a few years ago, where it delights tourists and locals with house-made gelato, chocolates, pizza and gastronomy. Between one babà and the next, savor an excellent coffee made by the iconic M100, a machine that embodies and perfectly reflects the values of a company that has been a symbol of quality, dependable taste and professionalism for nearly a century.
Lecce – Caffè Cittadino, near Piazza Sant’Oronzo (LaCimbali M100)
As far as coffee is concerned, Lecce doesn’t kid around either! At Caffè Cittadino, a few steps from the central Piazza Sant’Oronzo, since 2014 customers have been enjoying cups of coffee that can truly be defined “jewels”. The café selects, roasts and blends the best coffees from around the world, to guarantee a quality experience for tourists and locals strolling along Lecce’s most famous streets. The café opens early in the morning to give all customers the chance to enjoy their fresh house-made products. A uniquely flavorful break, made all the more magical by the Pugliese city’s characteristically dazzling light.
Palermo – Caffè del Massimo, Pasticceria Ruvolo (Faema Teorema)
Our tour concludes at one of the city of Palermo’s symbolic places, the Teatro Massimo in Piazza Verdi. This piazza is a part of the city’s memory, and contributed to making it world-famous by helping to construct what we know today as the historic, cultural and artistic fabric of the Sicilian capital. Here we find Caffè del Massimo – Pasticceria Ruvolo which has been delighting the palates of tourists from all over the planet for years with traditional Palermitano and Sicilian sweets, accompanied by a very special espresso. The experience is made possible by the Faema Teorema, a symbol of Italian espresso tradition that conveys all of Faema’s passion for excellence.
Gruppo Cimbali
Gruppo Cimbali is a world leader in the design and manufacturing of professional machines for coffee and milk-based beverages and coffee shop equipment. The Group, which comprises the brands LaCimbali, Faema and Slayer, has three manufacturing sites in Italy and one in the U.S. (Seattle, where Slayer machines are produced), and employs a total of around 700 people. GRuppo Cimbali ’s commitment to spreading the culture of espresso and lending value to Italian-ness was actualized in 2012 with the founding of the MUMAC – Museo della Macchina per Caffè (Museum of the Coffee Machine), the first and largest permanent exposition dedicated to the history, milieu and culture of espresso coffee machines, located at Gruppo Cimbali’s headquarters in Binasco. MUMAC hosts the MUMAC Academy, a center for training, promotion and research.
