Don’t order a cappuccino after 11 a.m. Yes, it’s normal to drink your coffee standing at the bar. Don’t ask for a to-go cup. If you order a latte, prepare to be confused. Anyone visiting Italy for the first time has likely heard one of these lines. In Italy, coffee culture is sacred. It has rules, customs, etiquette, and a tried-and-true menu--but why?

Coffee was first cultivated in Ethiopia and later introduced to Europe through the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire recognised that coffee’s rich flavor and energising properties would make it a profitable industry, and increased cultivation in Yemen for the European market. Venice, a port city, became one of the first European cities to regularly trade for coffee.