The Caffè Miani Zucca In Galleria in Milan.

By Jenna Weiner

In Milan, where fashion is king and wispy models are its princesses, the all-you-can-eat buffet is the last kind of dining experience that comes to mind. Yet the two can coexist in blissful harmony, for Milan is the home of the aperitivo—a tradition that takes the concept of the buffet to an entirely new level.

“Aperitivo,” the rich uncle of the “Happy Hour,” is the beloved Milanese tradition of pre-dinner drinks accompanied by complimentary “stuzzichini,” or appetizers. Derived from the Latin “aperitivus,” or, “to open,” aperitivo is meant to open the appetite and tease the taste buds, previewing the delights of dinner.

The typical spread can be something as modest as olives, cheeses and potato chips to something as overwhelming and awe-inspiring as pasta dishes, pizza slices, bruschetta, meats, sautéed vegetables and fruit salad. Unlike the American happy hour, drinks are the regular price or slightly more — but come with unlimited admission to the food bar. The usual aperitivo starts at 6 or 7 PM and lasts until 9, and as little as one drink—alcoholic or not—can be your ticket to one of the most delicious secrets in Italy.

Do as the Milanese do…

Although it is entirely possible to make an entire free dinner of aperitivo, the real test is to act like the Milanese, who delicately graze through the line, giving the food the respect it deserves.

As an American student studying in Milan, amazed by the delicious food and blindsided by the dismal exchange rate, my fellow expats and I were not so sophisticated. We would dash to the food immediately after the waitress walked away with our drink order, returning with our hands guarding our heaps of food, poised to catch the last piece of focaccia from falling to the ground. The locals, still dressed in their crisp and stylish work attire, would watch us with amusement as they nibbled at the vegetables and cheeses, then sampled the more elaborate dishes.

After all, the Milanese have had time to perfect their technique. With roots in ancient Rome and more direct ancestors in the 1800s, aperitivo is a well-established Italian tradition, particularly in Northern Italy. The modern aperitivo began to take shape in the 1920s in Milan—the city became known as “the capital of aperitivo” as the tradition gained popularity—and consisted of drinks of Campari or similar bitters, accompanied by simple snack foods such as olives or nuts.

Since then, the food selection has exploded in size, and the drinks are no longer limited to traditional “aperitif” liquors—bitters, prosecco, martinis and white wine—though they still remain the most popular choices, with the decisive winner being the Negroni (1 part Gin, 1 part Campari, 1 part Sweet Vermouth). Through it all, the social essence of the aperitivo tradition has remained its unchangeable core.

“Aperitivo offers a moment of relaxation at the end of a day at work, where you can allow yourself the pleasure of conversation paired with the pleasure of good food,” says Grazia Mannozzi, author and professor at the University of Insubria, just outside Milan. “It is especially successful due to the pleasant climate of our country and the Italian passion for socializing,” she says, “as can also be seen in the ‘passeggiare’ tradition, in which people stroll in the piazzas and the main streets of the cities in the evening.” Mannozzi attends aperitivo approximately once a week, but says she knows of many people who attend far more frequently (“especially those without children to make dinner for!” she adds).

So many aperitivo options

The possibilities for aperitivo are endless. Walk into any neighborhood café and you’ll find a dozen tables crammed with friends and family, laughing and talking excitedly, very rarely sitting; standing for the excitement of a story, mingling with friends at other tables, passing along the bar filled with steaming plates and bowls.

Pick: Bar Tender
Piazza Morbegno (intersection of Via Varanini and Via Venini)

Bar Tender is our pick for “neighborhood bar.” Drinks are anywhere from €5.50 for a regular drink to €8 for a large drink. Service is prompt and friendly and the food selection is legendary—many Milanese claim it is the largest they have seen in the city. With various types of focaccia, pizza, and pasta dishes (and with servers that bring the plates around to the table to serve you seconds), you may find it difficult to wait until 9, when they clear the bar to make room for the delicious desserts.

Brera

Head to Brera, the artsy, bohemian district, and meander along its cobblestone streets where you’ll find friends, looking effortlessly hip with their colorful scarves, lingering over their white wine in the ivy-climbed patio cafés.

Pick: Radetzky Café
Via Largo La Foppa, 5

Drinks average about €8, and the buffet has all the elements of a standard aperitivo spread, yet nothing more. You pay, however, for the experience—considered one of the trendiest bars in Brera, this is the place to see and be seen. And its location in the primarily pedestrian-only streets of Brera guarantees that the party flows outside on warm nights, accumulating crowds of patrons drinking and smoking around the picturesque bar.

Navigli district

Care to have a drink in Venice? Take a trip to Milan’s Navigli district, where the canals—designed in 1842 by Leonardo da Vinci to import wine, food, and the marble needed to construct Milan’s elaborate Gothic Duomo—still carve through the narrow streets.

Along the still waters, lined with lights, the trendiest bars and restaurants compete for the largest and most exciting stuzzichini selections, as the university students compete with the blaring music. For an even more unique experience, step onto one of the houseboats docked in the canals, which offer aperitivo and often live music. Whether by land or by sea, most of the Navigli hot spots turn their buffets into dance floors later in the evening.

Pick: Slice
Via Ascanio Sforza, 9

Drinks are about €7, and the experience manages to combine an impressive food selection with a fun and trendy experience. You will probably not notice the burnt orange walls, animal prints and knick-knack decorations because you will be too busy filling up your plate. With standard wares such as focaccia, cold cuts, pasta, French fries, and even New York-style pizza, the word has gotten out; arrive by 7 PM at the latest before the line gets out of hand.

Piazza Duomo

For a more classic aperitivo experience, go no further than the heart of the city, Piazza Duomo. There you’ll find the more expensive bars, as they tend to cater to the large percentage of tourists who never stray from that sightseeing epicenter. But be careful—expensive does not necessarily translate into better or more food.

Inside the Galleria di Vittorio Emanuele lies Café Zucca, arguably the home of the aperitivo. A favorite hangout of Giuseppe Verdi and Arturo Toscanini after their performances at La Scala, the legendary opera house next door, “Zucca in Galleria” was owned by the Campari family, who lent their name to the traditional aperitif they invented. Consequently, Zucca is often considered the original aperitivo bar, and wears its history proudly. Though you’ll pay extra for the experience, soak up the historical ambiance as you gaze at the Duomo’s magnificent spires and pinnacles. Weaving in and out through the crowd of tourists, you’ll also hear the clicks of heels echoing along the marble floors as the shoppers pass by with their newly acquired Gucci and Prada treasures.

Pick: Caffè Miani Zucca In Galleria
In Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, in Piazza Duomo

Like few places in the city, Zucca has made a determined effort to remain in the style of the golden days of aperitivo. The keyword here is classic: classic, old-fashioned décor; classic, simple food selection (olives, potato chips and nuts); and classic, original aperitivo drinks (Negroni and the classic Milanese martini are most popular).

You can’t go wrong

With almost every bar and café in the city offering some version of aperitivo, the choices may seem overwhelming. But with obvious variations in ambiance, selection size, and prices, it is easy to select an unforgettable aperitivo experience. Just follow the pace of the Milanese in their leisurely tribute to food and friends; that is, if that new plate of risotto will let you.

About the author:
Jenna Weiner is a senior English major at Georgetown University. She is the former Editor-in-Chief and current News Editor of The Georgetown Independent, where she writes mostly feature articles. A native of Boston, Massachusetts, she travels whenever possible and lived in downtown Milan for four months.

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While walking to the office this morning, coffee splashing out of our coffee cup sip-top, we started wondering: If we were in London right now, where would we grab a morning cup of joe and how much would it cost?

When last we pounded the pavement researching hotels in London for our guide, we remembered fondly finding respite (and caffeine) in the UK coffee chains (Caffe Nero, Costa Coffee, Coffee Republic, Pret a Manger) and, yes, also in the American chains (Starbucks and McDonald’s).

Setting aside the question of the “best cup of coffee in London,” (another post entirely), where can you find the cheapest cup?

Researching this online was a no-go. Every chain has its own website, of course, but you won’t find any prices listed. This is probably due to fluctuations in pricing throughout the UK — and to prevent pesky investigators from blogging about it. So we went about our research the old fashioned way… we called ‘em on the phone. (Thank you, Vonage.)

Note that coffee prices inside London may vary for the same chain, as well. Thus, we called only coffee outlets in central London, asking for prices for a small latte and for a small Americano (”drip” coffee isn’t widely available). Keep in mind that true sizes may differ from chain to chain — even though they’re all called “small,” one chain may offer more ounces.

We also only inquired about “take away” prices — when we started asking too many questions, baristas and managers got a little nervous.

The results:

Caffe Nero - The Winner!
Small Americano: £1.30 ($2.56)
Small Latte: £1.50 ($2.95)
We spoke to baristas at two central Caffe Nero locations, both near Covent Garden, in order to verify the price. These are nearly New York prices.

Runners Up

Pret a Manger
Small Americano: £1.40 ($2.76)
Small Latte: £1.79 ($3.52)
We’re fans of these cute little outlets. We spoke to a barista at a location on Villiers Street, near the Strand.

McDonald’s
Drip: £1.59/1.99 ($3.13/3.92)
Latte: £1.59/1.99 ($3.13/3.92)
We spoke to a manager (we believe) near a location on the Strand. We asked too many questions and he hung up on us. Interestingly, McDonald’s was the only chain we called that serves drip coffee instead of Americano. Also, they don’t have “small” sizes, only “medium” and “large.” (What, no “supersized”?)

Pricier Coffee Chains

Coffee Republic
Small Americano: £1.69 ($3.32)
Small Latte: £1.89 ($3.72)
We spoke to a friendly barista at a popular location on Tottenham Court Road.

Costa Coffee
Small Americano: £1.70 ($3.35)
Small Latte: £1.95 ($3.84)
A nice guy at the Embankment Place location (near the Strand) offered these rates, although he was curious. “Are you a customer?” he asked us. Of course! (We have enjoyed a Costa cup in the past, after all.)

Starbucks - Most Expensive
Small Americano: £1.75 ($3.45)
Small Latte: £2.05 ($4.04)
The prices were given to us by a barista at a Villiers Street location, near the Strand. This confirmed our suspicions that the Seattle-based chain was, in fact, the priciest coffee-chain cup in town. Or at least, the priciest cup we called.

We didn’t have time to check in on cool independent cafes in London, but that’s another post.

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Photo courtesy of Kari Hoerchler

Where would you go if you wanted to sport crazy tights and ride Critical Mass? Or don a wool blanket while dining out at the latest ‘It’ restaurant? A place where ‘sör’ means ‘beer’ and ‘bor’ means wine?

Budapest, babája (baby)!

During a recent to trip to the Hun capital, we noticed the city under siege thanks to a few fun trends. One of the easiest places to spot the latest fashions is the Liszt tér. An artery of the Andrassy út, the tér is made up of a long strip of parkland featuring a bronze statue of Liszt, looking windblown and surrounded by airy cafés.

The ideal locale for people watching? We like to hunker down in a wicker chair in front of one of the square’s cafés. With a wool blanket, of course. That’s right Cheapos. Local women take to wrapping themselves in the colorful blankets on chilly nights, but not only that: they’re also fans of covering their gams with eccentric tights. Patterns of every stripe are represented, it seems, adding frivolity to otherwise conservative dress.

The Liszt tér eateries are optimal for observing the local peacock procession, and the food is delicious. We returned several times to Café Vian for their HUF1350 ($7) Hawaiian salad. The cappuccinos are HUF380 ($2) each and mojitos run HUF1500 ($8). The highly publicized Menza was also a treat. One Friday night we dined on veal paprika with a side order of white asparagus. The whole spread was HUF3060 ($16) including drinks.

Finally, we read in several guide books Budapest is not a bike friendly town. A confusing claim since we saw bikes everywhere and the local chapter of Critical Mass is quite active. The group, which begun officially in 2004, fights for the right to ride a bike in the congested city while calling attention to automobile induced pollution. The latest demonstration on wheels was held on Earth Day, April 22, 2007.

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Photo courtesy of SpirosK

After perusing the Kárpátia Restaurant Web site, we were halfway expecting a tourist trap. Between the beautifully decorated vaulted ceilings and the shameless plugs for Sarközi and his Gipsy Band (the in-house band) the restaurant appeared to be a traditional Hungarian cliché. Thankfully, it was all that and more.

Our meal took off with a small glass of brandy, followed by a creamy appetizer platter and the Kárpátia salad with duck breast and wild mushrooms. It began to dawn on us that our best meal in Budapest was unfolding.

My main course consisted of a Mangalica filet mignon with clove-quince apple compote. My travel companion enjoyed wild duck with balsamic vinegar and wild grapes. We savored a dry, red Hungarian house wine between bites. The meal came to a bittersweet close with poppy seed cake and Somlói galuska, a rum-scented vanilla cream cake with chocolate sauce.

At HUF16,400 (€66; $90), the final bill for two certainly worth the splurge.

We were sold on the band as well, happily shelling out HUF5,000 (€20; $27) for their CD. Sarközi and band played up for each and every table, posing in perfect time for cameras and pulling out local favorites for impromptu tableside celebrations.

Wandering Cheapo Kari Hoerchler is a blogger, budget traveler, and science fiction novelist stationed on Planet Earth. She has recently been spotted on small stages of New York coffeehouses telling tall tales of a tropical island—and future vacation hot spot—in the Bermuda Triangle. Book ahead.

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Photo by Annie Shapero

According to Starbuck’s Chairman Howard Shultz, he was greatly inspired by the good times and camaraderie of Italian cafés. Today, the company tries to emulate that ambiance. Too bad it doesn’t emulate the prices, as well!

In Italy, cafés charge far less for coffee and related coffee drinks (free of whipped, caramelized toppings, natch) than Starbucks, where a simple latte can cost $3. However, we have noticed that Italian cafés do bump up their prices on lattes around tourist hubs, so beware.

One tip: A caffé marrocchino costs the same as an espresso (from 65 cents to €1). The delightful drink comes in the same little cup, and is topped with hot, frothy milk and a dash of cocoa powder! Simply delightful.

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Photo by Melanie Clatanoff

Cafés, the pinnacle of French culture, operate with their own rules and regulations. These can get confusing. Here’s a crash course on how they work. Follow them and ensure a faux pas-free trip to France:

1. Say “bonjour” and make eye contact with the bartender if you walk by him, or to the waiter if he’s closest, as soon as you step inside. It’s polite, and once you do this, the waitstaff will know that you’re there.

2. It’s cheapest to stand at the bar to have your coffee, beer, or whatever. If you sit down inside you’ll pay a bit more; sitting outside on the terrace is the priciest option. The additional charge is for the waiter. What this means, by the by, is that the tip really is already added to the bill. You don’t have to leave a single centime for a tip if you don’t want to.

3. How to speak café: A “café” is an espresso with only sugar on the side. If you want something slightly more diluted, American-style, ask for a “café allongé.” Espresso with milk and sugar on the side is a “noisette.” If you want lots of steamed milk in your espresso ask for a “café au lait” or a “café crème.”

OK, good job. Now you can sit in that café all day. Even if the waiter asks you to pay because he’s going off shift, you can remain sitting. Read a book, write a novel, or just check people out as they walk by.

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photograph courtesy of Psych-observer

If you order it at the bar and imbibe it while standing, an espresso in Paris costs between €1.20 and €1.50. In an expensive city like Paris, this is a perfectly acceptable amount price for coffee.

But if €1.20 is too much and you feel like a free shot, head for one of four Nespresso outlets in Paris. Locals stock up on coffee refills for their home machines at Nespresso. The store on the Left Bank—at 126 rue du Bac just behind the Bon Marche department store—has a cool minimalist feel. Signature color-coded capsules are sold in sleek black tubes stacked in cubic shelves along the walls.

At the back of the store is a tasting bar with three machines and a selection of 14 different coffees to choose from, including two decaffeinated varieties. There’s no environmentally toxic plastic or styrofoam here, either—the coffee comes in delightful white porcelain cups. In the fall of 2007, Nespresso plans to open a flagship store on the Champs Élysées.

Nespresso’s locations can be found here. Stores are open Monday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m.

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photograph courtesy of Kaymaria Daskarolis

There are a gazillion and eight places to get decent coffee in Athens. Finding decent tea around here, however, is a different story. Needless to say, we were just about doing cartwheels when we found a tip-top spot for delicious and therapeutic tea in Athens.

ΠΑΙΩΝΙΑ (in English, “Peonia”) is a tea and herb shop in Athens’s Thissio district, not even five minutes’ walk from the Thissio urban railway station (one stop away from the Monastiraki metro station, where you can connect to the urban railway line without needing to buy a new ticket).

We told the gentleman running the shop (who speaks perfect English, by the way) that we had runny noses, scratchy throats, and headaches, and he went to work brewing us the perfect tea to restore our health and clear our minds. A blend of white tea with ginger and cinnamon did the trick, and after a few hours of lounging on Peonia’s comfy sofa sipping the restorative tea, we were ready to get back on the city’s bustling streets.

Peonia is located at Amfiktionos 12 and Poulopoulou 8, Thissio, Athens, tel: +30-210-341-0260, email: peoniaherbsATath.forthnet.gr.

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photograph courtesy of elfis_culture

First-time visitors come to Vienna thinking that they have prepared adequately for local coffeehouse culture. They’ve read about all the famous coffeehouses in their trusty travel guides. They’ve even memorized all the local types of coffee.

Thinking that they’ve self-educated adequately, they enter a Kaffeehaus somewhere in the First District, ready to be swept away to a vanquished era of Habsburg grandeur. As soon as the door shuts behind them—cigarette smoke penetrating their nostrils—they choose a spot to lounge and try to grab the waiter’s attention, either by waving or whistling.

Nothing happens. They wait. Still, nothing happens.

There’s no need to be annoyed. Herr Ober—the preferred local term for “waiter”—will come, just not instantaneously.

According to Andreas Augustin, author of “Das Cafe Central Treasury: The Secret of a Famous Coffee House,” your waiter “…noticed you three streets away, at the precise moment you decided to come to the Kaffeehaus.”

He continues: “Be considerate if Herr Ober does not recognize you on your first visit. The aloofness stems from the days when there was an average of one point nine Nobel Prize Winners seated at every table in a Viennese Kaffeehaus.”

You can find Augustin’s fabulous book online.

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photograph by Kaymaria Daskarolis

You think that Starbucks frappuccino is delish? Try the frappuccino at Portes Café in Neo Psychiko, one of the first suburbs north of central Athens.

Do not take this recommendation lightly, Cheapos. While visiting Athens, it is worth going to Portes (take bus #450 or 550 and get off at Faros bus stop) just to sample the café’s distinctive frappuccinos.

If you like the flavors of coffee and chocolate blended together, opt for the Portes mochaccino. Hot or cold, the frappuccinos and mochaccinos at Portes are delectable—and heavily caffeinated—liquid desserts.

“Portes” means “doors,” and Portes Café surely opens new doors for its customers, whether they be culinary or artistic. The owner of the café is herself an artist, and she has conferred upon the décor a modern, sumptuous feel—the perfect accompaniment for the modern and sumptuous coffees on offer.

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