Comments on: Snow, Rome, and a bitter aftertaste.

By: David

David — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 08:12:05 +0000

It would take a very long time for that map to be populated by me.

There is a (mostly UK) one here though:

http://www.google.co.uk/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=100504603781333782717.00044d6c0a754e8848d58&ll=51.513156,-0.135183&spn=0.004206,0.011673&t=h&z=17

Can’t vouch for all the entries on it though.

By: leimrod

leimrod — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 22:02:45 +0000

Nice review. I also noticed the same about my cappas in Rome. Although sadly the same is true in Venice. I was at the Caffe Del Doge at the Rialto Bridge, I found their espressos to be good, but I noticed a lot of the Italians around me where putting sugar into theirs regardless. The cafes around Piazza San Marco are a complete waste of money imo, never have I seen such sub-standard coffee charged at such a tourist-trap premium.

On a side, I found getting to Venice early in the morning will give you the opportunity to get photos, which at any other time of day would be impossible (i.e. an empty Piazzo San Marco or a picture of the bridge of sighs from Ponte della Paglia) but also allow you to see where the Venetians go to drink their morning coffee. From this we stumbled upon a great little cafe at around 7am down some backalley that served a really excellent espresso. Don’t ask me to tell you where it is, because if you’ve been to Venice you’ll know, you are perpetually in a state of being lost.

Further, in regards to the site. It might be an idea to start up a google maps page for this site something like “TheOtherBlackStuff recommends…” and then have links to all of the coffee shops around the world that you’ve visited and are willing to vouch for on it with a small review. Just a thought.

By: Joe

Joe — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 22:08:27 +0000

One of the best coffee’s I had in Italy the last trip I made was in the cafe in Turin Airport. There was at least 5 barisatas working with illy and I couldn’t get enough. All espresso mind!

By: Colin Harmon

Colin Harmon — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 15:14:09 +0000

I was there the weekend of the Ireland game and had a similar experience. A lot is down to the basics; not flushing, not wiping baskets, no accurate dose control, no tamping and no real attention to detail. What I did love however was the amazing atmosphere in a busy cafe as you queue for your (crap) espresso with ticket in hand. Its like queueing at a bookies when everyone’s backed a winner