Like most coffee lovers, I fell in love with Starbucks’ big, bold, smoky espresso drinks. It was the basic vanilla latte that did it for me. I thought I knew what Italian coffee was when I was ordering a vanilla latte with spy milk in my early 20s. (I was so far from wrong it’s embarrassing).
Italy has been at the coffee game since the 1600s when importers introduced coffee to the city of Venice. Their roast range from a light roast all the way up to a super dark roast.
I was thinking about how my coffee tastes have changed over the years, and I realized I need to share my top picks for the best Italian coffee you can try at home.
If you’re in a hurry here are my top 3 picks for best Italian coffee to try at home:
- Best Medium Roast Italain Coffee – Lavazza Super Crema
- Best Budget Friendly Italian Coffee – Forte by Filicori Zecchini
- Best Overall Italian Coffee – Illy Classico Medium Blend
Most Americans think of dark, espresso roast when they think of Italian coffees, and we associate arabica beans with coffee. Italian coffee is usually a blend of arabica and robusta beans and can vary in roast intensities.
I love a good espresso, but did you know that most Italians prefer their coffee as a medium roast?
My husband’s family is primarily Italian, and they’ve shared with me the range that Italian coffees have. Here are my 9 best Italian coffees that you can try at home.
Best Italian Medium Roast Coffee – Lavazza Super Crema
Americans don’t usually associate a medium roast coffee with Italian coffee, let alone a good espresso. I’m going to change your mind with my pick for the best Italian medium roast coffee. Enter the Lavazza Super Crema.
As its name suggests, the super crema medium roast is made for espresso machines. The whole bean coffee blend is comprised of 60% arabica beans and 40% robusta, making this blend the highest robusta blend on the list.
Because of the high robusta content, this medium roast Italian coffee will brew a thick crema with a pressurized brewing method like espresso or Aeropress.
Don’t let the high robusta blend scare you away. Lavazza super crema brews an exceptionally light but rich coffee with fruity aromas. I like this roast in summer for Japanese iced coffee.
The hazelnut and caramel notes play well with this brewing application. I would also suggest grinding this coffee to super fine for a Turkish coffee or Moka pot so that you can get that famous thick crema that the robusta beans bring to the party.
I don’t think you’ll be surprised to know that Lavazza Super Crema has over 46,000 4 star reviews on Amazon. You can buy your own 2.2 pound bag of this fantastic Italian medium roast coffee for under $25.00 on Amazon with free shipping for Prime members.
Best Budget Italian Coffee – Forte by Filicori Zecchini
Italian coffee is not usually associated with budget or low prices. That being said, Forte by Filicori Zecchini will be your best bet for the best budget Italian coffee.
Even though this pick is considered budget friendly, it’s still an outstanding Italian dark roast coffee. This blend is made up of 70% arabica and 30% robusta beans. The robusta beans bring deep smoky flavors and the arabica balance out the flavor profile with notes of toasted cereal and caramel.
The word forte means strong in Italian, so expect this dark roast coffee to be big on the mouthfeel. This coffee is ideal for a traditional espresso drink or a robust French press brew.
Filicori does something a bit different than most roasters. They roast the robusta and arabica beans separately from each other and then blend the roasts. This reverse blending process ensures their flavor profiles are consistent across different batches. This is so simple but groundbreaking for an industry that is steeped in tradition.
I was torn on what brand to suggest for the best budget Italian coffee. Forte comes in a 2.2 pound bag that costs around $24.00. If you compare that to Starbucks Italian roast (sold in either 12 or 16 oz bags) is approximately 84 cents an ounce vs. Forte’s 68 cents an ounce.
If you’re on a tight budget, that price difference can affect your budget. On top of the price difference, you’re just not going to get the authentic Italian quality from Starbucks. You can buy Forte by Filircori Zecchini on Amazon with free shipping for Prime members in a whole or ground bean format.
Best Overall Italian Coffee – Illy Classico Medium Blend
Illy might be one of the best known Italian coffee roasters in the world. It’s no surprise that this famous brand would be the best overall Italian coffee on the market. The Classico roast is a medium blend of 9 different arabica beans that makes this coffee approachable but brings that deep, rich flavor Italian roasts are well known for.
Illy is able to ethically source their beans through direct trade with their farmers to ensure not only quality beans but farmer relationships stay strong through fair pricing practices. Illy is one of the bigger roasters that touts direct trade with their farmers.
I would suggest using this whole bean in just about any brewing method. I especially like it as a pour over brew. This Italian coffee exhibits notes of warm caramel and rich chocolate.
The advantage of buying this coffee in the whole bean format is that you can grind to your needs, and the metal can ensure that the whole beans stay fresh for longer. If you don’t want to grind your beans or prefer an espresso grind, you can also buy the coffee preground.
You can buy an 8.8 oz tin of Illy Classico whole bean coffee on Amazon for under $15.00.
Best Dark Roast Italian Coffee – San Francisco Bay Extra Dark Italian Roast
Italian roast coffee is known for its dark and smoky notes. San Francisco Bay’s extra dark Italian roast stands up to the reputation for dark Italian coffees. The big roast is classified as extra dark, but don’t let that scare you. I adore this roast on cold mornings when it’s almost too chilly to get out of bed.
The blend of South and Central American arabica beans is suitable for just about any brewing method. I especially like it as an Aeropress brew or French press. I think these brewing styles stand up to the dark smoky roast.
The most noticeable flavors in this coffee are toasted cinnamon, warm spices like nutmeg, and cloves that round out with a dark cocoa finish. If coffee could give you a motivational speech and a hug all at the same time, it would be this one. I’m not kidding either.
I suggest buying this roast in the whole bean option so that you can preserve the quality of this special roast for as long as possible. I would also recommend grinding this coffee on an as need basis. It’s a big roast, and you might not want it every day, but it’s special enough to keep in your pantry.
San Francisco Bay Coffee is also sustainably sourced and packaged with a kosher certification as well. This coffee sells out on Amazon. The blend has over 7,000 4.5 star ratings on Amazon. You can buy a 2 pound bag of this unique extra dark Italian roast coffee for under $20.00 on Amazon.
Best Ground Italian Coffee – Lavazza Crema e Gusto
Lavazza is one of the more recognizable Italian coffee brands. The Lavazza crema e gusto ground coffee blend is the best option for ground Italian coffee. This is a fan favorite for an excellent Italian roast ground coffee. My predominately Italian in-laws all keep this on hand for their everyday coffee.
The Crema e Gusto blend is 70% arabica beans and 30% robusta coffee. This blend makes for a nuanced cup of coffee. The Brazilian and Indian robusta beans bring an earthy undertone, and the arabica beans add a sweeter chocolate and vanilla finish. The beans make for a low acid finish but still boast a big and bold dark roast.
This coffee comes in a fine grind, so it makes it ideal for drip applications and espressos. Like my husband’s grandmother does, I have wanted to try it in my Moka pot. The coffee is sold in brick form, so make sure you seal it in an air tight container when you open the package.
This Italian coffee is surprisingly affordable for the quality of the coffee. You can buy an 8.8 oz bag for under $6.00 on Amazon with free shipping for Prime members.
Best Decaf Italian Coffee – Caffe Umbria, Mezzanotte Decaf Blend
If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, then you know I’m not a decaf drinker. I usually have to outsource decaf reviews to my stepmom. She gave the Caffe Umbria Mezzanotte decaf blend a rave review for best Italian decaf coffee.
The Bizzarri family roasters started out in Perugia, Italy in the 1940s. When the family moved to Seattle, they brought their Italian coffee traditions with them. They have been roasting quality Italian style coffees ever since.
The Mezzanotte decade blend is a medium/ dark roast swiss water process decaf that doesn’t shy away from flavors. Mezzanotte means midnight in Italian, and this is obvious in their beans.
The dark decaf roast has milk chocolate and nut flavors with hints of black tea with a low acid finish. The company suggests brewing this coffee “con il dolce,” French press with a sweet creamer flavored with chocolate or hazelnut.
The company has direct trade relationships with its suppliers to ensure environmentally friendly growing practices and provide fair pay. If I were a decaf drinker this Italian coffee checks all the boxes in my book for an excellent cup.
You can buy a 12 oz bag of this highly rated Italian decade on Amazon for around $15.00. Just because you don’t want caffeine in your coffee doesn’t mean the flavor should suffer.
Best Espresso Italian Coffee – Caffe Trombetta Gold Bar, Espresso Roast
I’ve talked a lot about how most of these coffees would be great in an espresso application, but the Caffe Trombetta gold bar espresso roast is the best Italian espresso roast coffee. Caffe Trombetta is not as popular in the States as it is in its home country of Italy. It has a pretty prestigious history and should be on your list of the best Italian coffee brands.
Caffe Trobetta got it’s start in Rome Italy in 1890 by Vittorio Trombetta. The small train station cafe became famous for its excellent espresso and coffee. Word spread, and now the company ships internationally. You can still visit the original cafe in the Roman train station and see what the hype is about.
The gold bar espresso blend is an authentic Italian espresso blend made of dark roasted arabica, non-GMO beans. The slightly acidic flavors of caramel and chocolate play well with the smooth texture of the mouthfeel.
I love this roast as a traditional espresso brew or in a Moka pot application. The crema on this coffee is beautiful and gives the traditional espresso finishes I look for in an Italian espresso roast.
Once you try the Italian espresso blend, you’ll see why it’s my pick for the best Italian espresso coffee and why it’s called gold bar. This coffee is sold as whole bean, which is my preferred form to buy beans. You can buy a 2.5 pound bag of Caffe Trombetta Gold Bar on Amazon with free shipping.
Best Moka Pot Italian Coffee – Illy, Classico Medium Roast, Moka Pot Grind
I have written about my love for the Illy classico medium roast, Moka pot grind before. This is the best Moka pot Italian coffee is the classico medium roast, Moka grind from Illy. It makes sense that my number 1 best Italian coffee would reappear in this list for best coffee for Moka pots.
Moka pots are an Italian specialty when it comes to brewing coffee. It produces an espresso like rich coffee with a deep crema that can’t be replicated outside of an espresso machine. The Illy brand shines with this perfectly fine ground coffee that sings when brewed in a Moka pot. The biggest challenge to a good Moka pot brew is the perfect grind on the beans. This coffee more than excels.
The medium roast coffee has deep caramel notes that brew a cheater’s shot of espresso on your stovetop in minutes. The famous silver tin keeps this preground coffee fresh, but I promise you won’t have it long enough to go rancid. I keep this brand of Italian coffee on auto-ship with Amazon because I’m constantly using it, especially during the winter months.
The 100% arabica beans are expertly roasted in the Italian tradition, making Illy synonymous with Italian coffee. The medium roast is going to please almost any palate with its deep, rich flavors.
You can buy a tin of the Illy Classico, Moka pot grind coffee on Amazon. I do suggest adding it to your auto-ship list, plus you get a discount.
Best Light Roast Italian Coffee – Lavazza Organic ¡Tierra! Light Roast
Lavazza is rounding out our list of best Italian coffees with their 2nd appearance on this post. When I think of Italian roast coffees, I don’t always think of a light roast.
Lighter roasts are becoming more popular in espresso brewing since Starbucks introduced their blonde espresso in the last few years. I know there’s been a more prolonged use of lighter roasts in smaller coffees shops for a while now.
My pick for best light roast Italian coffee is the Lavazza organic ¡Tierra! light roast. This certified organic light roast coffee from the famous Italian roaster is beyond impressive, especially for a roast not associated with Italian coffee. The whole bean format comprises 100% arabica beans from tropical regions in Africa and Central and South America.
The crisp light roast has delightful hints of fresh fruit and floral undertones. The primary flavors I find in this roast are notes of malt, chocolate, and honey.
I love this roast as a pour over or even a cold brew application. It’s a nice change from the heavy, smoky roasts associated with Italian roasting traditions. I don’t know if I’d try it in a French press, but an espresso brewing method would be interesting.
The coffee is not only internationally certified organic but also sustainably grown to ensure that this roast is doing its part to support farmers and the environment. You can buy a 2.2 pound bag of Lavazza’s outstanding organic ¡Tierra! light roast for under $20.00 on Amazon.
Conclusion
I hope you have a deeper understanding of what Italian coffee means. It could be light, medium, or dark roast and might be great as a pour over or espresso. I encourage you to explore this list of the 9 best Italian coffees.
Did I forget one of your favorites? Let me know in the comments below. I’d love to get a good conversation started about Italian coffees.