If you enjoy coffee and drinking it is an irreplaceable must for breakfast or your work breaks, you must come to Trieste and try a coffee-experience that is wholly unique. Here, you will find not only historic coffee shops and classic bars, but also a third choice. We refer here to the traditional “Tastings”.

Similarly to the wine cellars for tasting wines, in the Degustazioni (literally ‘tastings’) it is the coffee that is the main product. In these venues, there is always a wide selection, with the possibility of tasting/purchasing several types of blends. In this way, the experience becomes even more rewarding as you can buy several roasted mixtures—even just 100 grams of freshly-ground blend—thus ensuring an even greater freshness than offered by a packet purchased in a supermarket.

The launch of this type of outlet dates back to the immediate postwar period. In Trieste at the time, a wide number of initiatives were blossoming and the demands of these activities did not allow for long coffee breaks in the cafes. Moreover, these degustazioni differed from bars as the products on offer were restricted to colonial products (tea, chocolate and, of course, coffee). Alcohol consumption was banned here.

 The harbinger of this type of outlet can be credited to Primo Rovis, a true patron for the city, who made a number of contributions on several fronts. First of all, he helped Trieste’s medical services through the acquisition of machinery and other important material, but this was not all: Rovis also contributed significantly in other fields, including social and cultural. His Degustazione, located in the central piazza Goldoni, at its height used to see sales in excess of 7,000 cups a day.

Such was its success that very soon similar bars began to pop up. Now, however, we can count them on the fingers of one hand. Among those still fully active and unchanged and which preserve the uniqueness and scents of times gone by, are one in piazza Cavana and one on the other side of town in corso Saba..

This brief excursion into the city enable let you to discover this peculiarity of Coffee 100% Made in Trieste!