What Italians Eat For Breakfast In Italy: Habits, Pastries, And Cappuccino Rules

Italian cuisine is quite possibly the most loved in the world. According to the statistics, there are nearly 500,000 Italian restaurants worldwide; a number that keeps rising. However, while most people remember Italian food for lunch or dinner, not many consider a simple question: what do Italians eat for breakfast in Italy?

As it turns out, their breakfast can be just as tasty as any other meal. By the way, is it better to take a cappuccino before or after meal? Is it the best match for an Italian-style breakfast pastry? Keep reading and find out.

The Colazione Menu

What do Italians eat for breakfast in Italy? Lots of things, but first things first. “Colazione” is the Italian word for “breakfast,” often consisting of a light, sweet combination of dry biscuits, pastries, jams, and yoghurts. Indeed, it’s the lightest meal of the day, avoiding hearty options like cured meats or fatty cheese. There’ll still be loads of calories, though.

The “cornetto” (a croissant-shaped pastry filled with Nutella, pistachio cream, apricot jam, or custard) is one of the most traditional pastries, often paired with a cappuccino or an espresso. While the cornetto is a nationwide staple, there are also some local pastries for those still wondering: what Italians eat for breakfast in Italy?

Puglia has a shortcrust pastry called “pasticciotto”, which is filled with custard cream. In Naples, the cornetto shares people’s hearts and minds with the “sfoglitella,” which is filled with sweet ricotta and covered by a flaky dough that melts nearly instantly into one’s mouth.

Coffee for All Tastes

There’s a world beyond capuccinos and espressos, including macchiato, latte, and caffeine-free options like the “caffè d’orzo,” which consists of roasted barley. Espresso and cappuccino use the same amount of coffee, while latte-based options are much lighter. Anyway, everybody gets a hot drink in the morning, from toddlers to the elderly.

Italians are famous not only for their cuisine but also for their strict adherence to certain rituals and food preparation methods. After all, Italian food is serious business around here. Everybody knows about the “do not break the spaghetti” rule, but not many people know whether to drink cappuccino before or after meal, for instance.

For those who want to enjoy as the locals do, remember: a cappuccino is a morning drink. Typically, it’s enjoyed before or during breakfast, and it’s rarely ordered after 11 am. Anyway, no one orders it after a meal, since the milk it contains could affect digestion. In fact, they would consider it a barbaric breach of etiquette, just like breaking pasta before cooking it.

Final Course

Some European countries are famous for hearty breakfast menus (gut-challenging, even), with loads of meats and fried stuff. Such is definitely not the case with Italian cuisine. Even though it can be pretty heavy at times, it can also be soft and sweet. In any case, their food is never tasteless, no matter the occasion or time of the day.