Gillian Knows Best rabbit hole coffee guide
A collection of long reads, podcasts and coffee resources
This is not a list of my favorite places in Rome1 to get coffee. Click on the box below for that.2
Last year I created a resource list for you all about pasta. I got such great feedback on that deep dive into the essential Italian staple that this month I have gathered up all those open tabs and saved instagram posts that I have about another Italian necessity, coffee.3 Look for three little dots on the top left, click that and then click the little ribbon icon. That will save this post so you can come back whenever you feel like going down the coffee rabbit hole. There are how to videos and long articles about the relationship between colonialism and Italy and coffee. There are podcasts about the history of coffee and links to some delightful coffee adjacent items.
☕️ Making and drinking coffee
What does how you prepare your coffee say about you?
shows you how to use a Moka pot.Do you reheat your coffee? This is how to make it not taste terrible.
I am not really that fussy about my coffee preparation. I don’t weigh or measure or pay attention to water temperature. I am fascinated by people who do.
I wish I had seen this shakerato tip in July.
Airplane coffee is awful. I buy these at the airport so I have a decent tasting caffeine dose before I land.
Have you tried this gorgeous delicious treat?
🎧📖 Read and listen to podcasts about coffee
Wondering how to order coffee at the bar in Italy?
It is such an iconic symbol of Italy and an example of beautiful design. Do you know who invented the Moka pot?
Now this is commitment to your brand.
Why Italy is famous for coffee.
Coffee is going to get more expensive. This is why. (You might have to sign up for this newsletter to read this. If you are an international relations nerd you will love it)
Read about the roots of colonialism in your cup or listen to a podcast on the subject.
Did you know there is a coffee gene that controls how caffeine affects you?
Maybe I should do this at my house!
The Coffee Historian podcast has 2 season’s worth episodes including one about Italy’s coffee history.
I enjoy a silly Starbucks drink, This episode of The Brainy Business looks at the behavioral economics behind the brand.
🛒 Add to cart: Coffee adjacent content
I love the itty bitty Moka in the colors of the Italian flag. It is much cheaper, but not available on the Bialetti site. If you are in Italy they almost always have them at Rinascente.
Snagging a piece of Gabrielle’s ceramic creations takes persistence and a dash of luck. I treasure my tiny dish painted with a Moka pot design.
A delightfully wee handmade book.
I love a fancy French candle, TBH I am not sure about a coffee scented one.
I wish I didn’t know that this tiny sterling silver moka charm is for sale only a short walk away from my house.
Tea towels are a favorite souvenir and an excellent hostess gift.
When I am in Rome I often buy a couple of these ornaments to have on hand for gifts.
What you drink your coffee from is super important. I prefer a mug with no handles. Right now my everyday cups were made near Vicenza and bought from Rimani here in Venice. I occasionally reach for my beautiful Ponza mug that Sberna in Deruta made for me.
I drink Kimbo brewed in a French press that I bought at Makro in South Africa 20+ years ago. I think this is the same one. I love it. There is no glass to break. I keep my coffee warm in a Kinto tumbler.
☕️ Share the Gillian Knows Best rabbit hole coffee guide ☕️
Big news, this beloved spot in Rome has finally reopened!
In 2025 I will start creating monthly Venice guides to coffee, natural wine, bookstores, and more. If there is a guide you really really want let me know in the comments.
I started working on this in August. I had no idea that today was International Coffee Day!
Some of my very first memories of Rome, from my first trip here more than 15 years ago, are of drinking cappuccinos at Bar della Pace. That's where I fell in love with this city and decided to move here. I'm so excited that it reopened!
Enjoyed your article, thank you