Shall we have a coffee? Coffee as an occasion to meet at the bar, at work and at home

Let's have a coffee: an invitation that goes beyond the drink

"Shall we have a coffee?" is a question that in Italy we hear and ask very often: among friends, among colleagues, with a neighbour or with someone we have only recently met.

In most cases it is not only about the drink. Suggesting a coffee means suggesting a moment together: a few minutes to talk, listen and exchange a few words.

Coffee suits this role well because it is short, informal and needs no particular preparation. There is no need to book, it does not take much time, and the moment can be chosen at almost any hour.

This is why we find it at so many points of the day: at the bar in the morning, in the office during the break, at home when someone comes to visit.

For many people, moreover, an invitation for a coffee is the simplest way to start a conversation or to resume a contact that has been quiet for a while.

In this guide we look at how coffee accompanies everyday meetings, at the bar, at work and at home, and what it can be useful to keep in the cupboard to offer a good cup to those who come to visit us.

These are not rules to follow, but widespread habits that everyone lives in their own way.

At the bar: coffee at the counter and a few words with whoever we meet

In many Italian cities and towns the bar is one of the most natural meeting places.

Often we go in for a quick espresso at the counter, and right there at the counter we happen to meet an acquaintance, exchange a greeting and stay a few minutes longer than planned.

Coffee at the counter has a rhythm of its own: you order, wait for the cup, drink it in a few sips. In that short time there is still room for a greeting, a question, a piece of news.

Offering a coffee to a friend or a colleague met by chance is a simple and very widespread gesture. It takes little, but it shows attention.

Then there are those who prefer to sit at a table, especially when the meeting has been arranged: a coffee with a friend we have not seen for a long time, a chat with a relative, an appointment with someone we have known for only a short while.

Here too coffee works well as a starting point: it is a short occasion, which can go on if the conversation continues, or end comfortably after a few minutes.

In Naples the social side of coffee is also linked to a particular custom, the caffè sospeso: we talked about it in our article on Neapolitan coffee.

For many people the bar around the corner is also a daily point of reference, where the barista and the other regulars are familiar faces and a greeting over the cup is part of the day.

It is not a rule, of course: some people prefer to drink their coffee at the bar in silence, perhaps reading the newspaper, and this too is a pleasant way to enjoy the break.

At work: the coffee break and the first meeting over a cup

At work too, coffee is often an occasion to meet.

In many offices, shops and workshops the coffee break is the moment when colleagues get together away from the desk: by the coffee machine, in the small shared kitchen or at the nearest bar.

In those minutes people talk about work, but not only: they exchange information, ask for advice and get to know better the people they spend a large part of the day with.

For many it is also the occasion to get to know colleagues from other departments, with whom they would otherwise have no chance to talk.

Another aspect concerns business meetings in the proper sense. It often happens that a first appointment with a client, a supplier or a possible collaborator is proposed precisely over a coffee.

The reasons are simple: a coffee is informal, it does not last long and it does not commit either side more than necessary. If the meeting goes well, it can continue; if not, the two part politely after a single cup.

Within the same company too, someone who suggests having a coffee together with a colleague is often looking for a less formal way to talk than a meeting.

Naturally not everyone lives the break in the same way: some use it to switch off for a few minutes and prefer not to talk about work, and some take the chance to make a personal phone call. Every habit is equally valid.

What all these situations have in common is simplicity: a cup, a few minutes and no need to organise anything more demanding.

At home: offering coffee to guests and what to keep in the cupboard

When someone comes to visit, in many Italian homes the first question is often the same: "Shall I make you a coffee?".

Offering coffee is a simple and very widespread gesture of hospitality: it tells whoever arrives that they are welcome and that there is time to sit down and talk.

It applies to the relative who drops by unannounced, the neighbour who stops for a moment, the friend who comes round in the afternoon.

For the gesture to work well, it can be useful to have a few things at home, chosen with a little care.

The first is a blend we like. There is no best choice for everyone: those who love an intense espresso can go for a full-bodied blend, those who prefer a softer taste for a more balanced one.

Those who use a pod machine will find in our ESE 44 mm pods section several blends, practical when one cup has to be prepared after another.

For capsule machines, among the Nespresso® compatible capsules in our range there are options with different characteristics, useful for satisfying different tastes on the same occasion.

Another useful thing is a decaf. Many guests, especially in the late afternoon or after dinner, prefer to limit caffeine. Decaf greatly reduces it, but does not remove it completely.

For those who want to avoid it, barley coffee is a traditional alternative, naturally caffeine-free. It does contain gluten, however, so it is not suitable for those who have to exclude it from their diet.

Ginseng coffee, on the other hand, appeals to those looking for a sweet, creamy drink, but many preparations contain instant coffee and therefore caffeine. We have described these and other drinks in our guide to capsule drinks other than coffee.

The cupboard is completed by sugar, perhaps together with a sweetener, and a few more cups than there are people living in the house, in case more guests arrive than expected.

Small touches for those who come to visit us

Besides what we have in the cupboard, a few small touches count, which do not take much and make the moment more pleasant for whoever arrives.

Here are the most common ones:

Asking how they like it: some drink it without sugar, some with, some want it macchiato or lungo. A question before preparing the cup makes everything simpler.

A glass of water next to the cup, as is customary in many bars: it is a simple gesture that many guests appreciate.

A warm cup: warming it slightly, for example with a little hot water, can help the espresso keep its temperature. In our accessories and cups section you can find cups, saucers and small glasses to complete the service.

Something sweet, even in a small quantity: a biscuit, a chocolate, a piece of torrone. In our delights and sugar section you will find several specialities to keep at home for these occasions.

An alternative to milk for those who prefer it: an oat or soya drink can accompany a caffè macchiato or a cappuccino. We talked about it in our article on coffee and plant-based drinks.

A look at the label when a guest has allergies or intolerances: the wording lactose-free does not necessarily mean without milk, and sweets and instant drinks may contain gluten, nuts or milk derivatives. When in doubt, it is always advisable to read the list of ingredients.

If there are many guests, as happens during the holidays, we have gathered a few ideas on the large moka, pods and capsules in our article on coffee at Christmas.

None of these touches is compulsory. They are small gestures that everyone can adapt to their own habits and to those of the people who come to visit.

Coffee at a distance: video calls, co-working and new habits

In recent years the way of working and meeting has changed for many people, and with it the coffee taken together.

Those who work from home do not have the office coffee machine at which to meet colleagues. It does happen, though, that coffee accompanies a video call: everyone with their own cup, in front of the screen, before getting into the topics of the meeting.

Some people arrange a coffee at a distance precisely to keep an informal contact with colleagues, as used to happen in the office.

In co-working spaces the coffee machine or the shared kitchen often becomes the place where people working for different companies get to know each other.

Among friends and relatives who live far away too, a coffee drunk together on the phone or on a video call is for many a way to feel close.

The form changes, then, but the meaning stays similar: a short, shared moment that needs no great preparation.

It is precisely this simplicity that makes coffee a good occasion to meet: at the bar counter, in the office kitchen, on the sofa at home or in front of a screen.

"Shall we have a coffee?" thus remains one of the simplest questions for suggesting a moment together. All it takes is a blend we like, a few extra cups and a little attention to the tastes of the person in front of us.

If you would like advice on the blend, on decaf or on the drinks to keep at home for your guests, contact us: the Maracatú team is always happy to help you choose.