Trieste has a rich history of shipping and trade that have thrived since it became a free port in the eighteenth century and established its Stock Exchange in the early twentieth century. The economy hinges on the region's significance as the most important port in the Mediterranean, especially in the coffee sector.
Numerous companies are involved in the coffee production chain, from trading to roasting. Trieste's culture is vibrant, filled with daily rituals and myths deeply rooted in its historic venues. Around 1900, Trieste was one of the world's largest coffee trading centers. However, the connection to coffee in Trieste runs much deeper than history and economics. The city is intricately tied to the coffee trade, not only due to the substantial traffic through its port but also because of the numerous industrial roasting companies based there. Additionally, Trieste is home to historic cafés, places rich in charm where renowned writers such as Italo Svevo, Umberto Saba, James Joyce, and more recent figures like Claudio Magris have gathered to converse and create. For the people of Trieste, coffee transcends being just a beverage or a daily routine; it embodies a profound connection to their identity and culture. Coffee is not merely a commodity or a drink but a spiritual cornerstone of the city.
Coffee has found a unique home in Trieste, thriving in its ambiguity and volatility, much like the fragrances it embodies. This city, where beginnings and endings blur, allows a product without a fixed identity or nutritional value to flourish within the realm of culture and inspiration. In a place marked by disillusionment, coffee rituals emerge, intertwining small daily gestures with a greater cultural journey. They remind us of the simplicity and value of life’s essential moments, which often seem insignificant yet profoundly shape our existence.
Ordering the right coffee in Trieste requires insider knowledge: What is otherwise called a caffè, or espresso, in Italy is un nero in Trieste. For the truly insider, there's also an un nero in b, an espresso in bicchiere, or in a glass. A cappuccino is un caffelatte, and a macchiato is simply un capo, also available in b. A gocciato is an espresso with a goccio, a drop of milk foam, in the center. Typical Trieste residents drink an average of 1,500 cups of coffee per year. That's about twice the amount consumed in Italy. There are four main historic Caffès, which are must visits when you are in Trieste: Caffè degli Specchi, Antico Ristorante Tommaseo, Antico Caffè San Marco and La Bomboniera.
Caffè degli Specchi
Founded in 1839, Caffè degli Specchi is the only remaining café of the four that once dominated what was known as Piazza Grande. Inside, you can feel the atmosphere of the Habsburg Empire; having a coffee here makes you feel as though you are experiencing a moment akin to that of Princess Sissi. Caffè degli Specchi has long been regarded as the living room of Trieste, serving as a regular meeting place for traders, intellectuals, and officials. It has also gained popularity for hosting concerts directed by the renowned Franz Lehar. The café's evocative ambience places it among the Historical Places of Italy and takes us back to a time when notable literary figures and historical icons, such as James Joyce and Italo Svevo, frequented its tables. In the 19th century, Caffè degli Specchi was a gathering spot for irredentists, and during the post-war period, it became the headquarters for the British Navy. A unique feature of the café is its tradition of engraving important historical events on mirrors or glass plates, a practice established since its opening. Unfortunately, only three of these engraved pieces have survived. Since 2012, the café has been owned by the Faggiotto family, master chocolatiers renowned throughout Italy. Thus, visitors can enjoy not only coffee but also a delightful selection of chocolates in this historic Italian establishment!
Antico Ristorante Tommaseo
Antico Ristorante Tommaseo is the oldest café in Trieste, dating back to 1825. It was named after its Paduan owner, Tommaso Marcato, but later renamed in honor of the Dalmatian linguist, writer, and patriot, Tommaseo.
Since 2021, the café has been owned by the Faggiotto family, master chocolatiers renowned throughout Italy. Marcato was responsible for bringing precious mirrors from Belgium, introducing ice cream to Trieste, and installing gas lighting in 1845. Notable regulars have included Pasquale Besenghi degli Ughi, Domenico Rossetti, Pietro Kandler, and likely Henry Beyle (Stendhal). More recently, Virgilio Giotti, Giani Stuparich, Pierantonio Quarantotti Gambini, and Umberto Saba have frequented the café. Interestingly, Italo Svevo wrote here, and the Triestine writer Claudio Magris created his masterpiece "Danubio" at the tables of this café.
Antico Ristorante Tommaseo features decorations by Gatteri and inspired Giuseppe Barison, who sold his paintings and watercolours there. Throughout its history, the café has been a hub for numerous commercial and import-export deals. In 1954, the Tommaseo café, located in the square of the same name adjacent to Piazza Unità, was awarded the title of the historic establishment of Italy.
Antico Caffè San Marco
Founded in 1914 by Marco Lovrinovich, Antico Caffè San Marco is steeped in history and has witnessed many significant events of the twentieth century in Trieste, Italy, and across Europe. As soon as you step through the entrance, you are captivated by a magical atmosphere: the Art Nouveau furnishings of the Viennese secession, the brass chandeliers hanging from high ceilings decorated with bronze-coloured coffee leaves, the tables made of red Veronese marble, and the large mirrors on the walls that reflect the original paintings, all create an emotional experience accompanied by the wonderful aroma of freshly ground coffee.
Over the years, the Antico Caffè San Marco has been frequented by artists and intellectuals such as Timmel, Flumiani, Voghera, Tomizza, Mattioni, and Magris. During the Great War, passports were falsified to help anti-Austrian patriots escape to Italy. For these reasons, on May 23, 1915, the café was devastated and closed by the Habsburg army. It remained closed until after World War II, when it was taken over and renovated by Assicurazioni Generali. San Marco is more than just a café and pastry shop. After several management changes, including a notable period under the Stock sisters, often mentioned by well-known café patron Claudio Magris, it has been revitalized into a café, restaurant, and bookshop. With new management, the café has returned to being a popular meeting place throughout the day. It features an excellent wine list that includes the finest wineries from Friuli Venezia Giulia and emerging wines from the nearby Balkans and Central Europe. This makes the café a well-stocked wine shop where you can enjoy a glass of wine or purchase a bottle as a souvenir.
Thanks to the extensive cocktail bar, the Antico Caffè San Marco is a perfect spot for an aperitif. Every day, visitors are welcomed for lunch and dinner to experience a culinary journey through the flavours and tastes of the region. Chef Martino Campagnolo prepares dishes with passion that reflect Central European traditions. At the café, you may also encounter prominent figures of contemporary European literature, drawn in part by the bookshop located inside. In addition to books, the café hosts many concerts, discussions, tastings, presentations, and events throughout the week and on weekends, making it a cultural hub.
La Bomboniera
Initially founded by a Jewish family, the Faggiotto family has owned La Bomboniera, a master chocolatier recognised throughout Italy, since 2019. Initially a general confectionery and pastry shop, it later specialised in Austro-Hungarian pastries, thanks to the expertise of a Hungarian pastry chef brought in from Budapest. The shop remained owned by this Hungarian pastry chef and his son during World War II after the original owners were forced to emigrate.
The father-and-son duo continued to uphold traditional recipes and methods until the year 2000. Remarkably, the shop has changed little since its early days; from the wood-fired oven—unique among Italian pastry shops—to the enchanting recipes and overall ambience, visitors can experience a nineteenth-century atmosphere through both sight and taste while strolling the streets of Trieste.
Names like Rigojancsi, Dobos, Lettere d’amore, Prenitz, Putizza, and Pinza resonate with the residents of Trieste, who fondly associate these delicacies with significant life events—births, birthdays, weddings, or even simple Sunday outings. La Bomboniera is celebrated as one of the most beautiful pastry shops in Italy and is steeped in history.
A notable partnership emerged between La Bomboniera and the Peratoner pastry shop, merging tradition with passion to restore the historical grandeur of Austro-Hungarian and Trieste recipes. Today, the Faggiotto family proudly carries on the legacy of La Bomboniera, maintaining the rich confectionery traditions of Trieste. La Bomboniera is more than just a pastry shop; it embodies childhood memories, tradition, family, and the essence of Trieste!
If these Cafés are not incentive enought for you to visit Trieste, why don't you combine your trip to Trieste with the timing of the annual The Trieste Coffee Festival which is an extensive event dedicated to coffee, aimed at promoting a more informed “coffee culture” and encouraging its conscious consumption. This initiative, now in its tenth year, seeks to explore the long-standing relationship between coffee and Trieste, highlighting both historical traditions and modern innovations, as well as the various methods of coffee preparation. Scheduled for fall 2025, the festival will feature a range of activities involving coffee enthusiasts, roasters, producers, industry experts, historic cafes, and new establishments. It will include open meetings for curious attendees of all ages, workshops for children, events focused on the coffee world, and the popular competition among Trieste baristas for the best “CAPOinB.”
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