The Best Coffee and Pastries in Como: A Morning Guide

The ritual of coffee at the bar

The first thing to understand is that in Italy coffee is almost always drunk at the bar counter, standing up, in a few minutes. You walk in, say hello, say what you want, drink, and pay at the till (sometimes before, sometimes after, depending on the place). Sitting at a table is possible, but often costs more: it is the so-called table service, perfect if you want to linger, less so if you are after the quick gesture of a local passing through.

When you say “un caffè”, in Italy you are handed an espresso: small, intense, served in a little cup. The “long American-style coffee” is not the default; if you want it more diluted, ask for a caffè lungo or an americano. Sugar is added to taste — many drink it black — and stirred with the spoon left on the saucer.

How to order: the right words

A handful of words is all you need to order naturally. Here are the ones you will hear most at the counter:

• Un caffè — the classic espresso, the base of everything.
• Un macchiato — espresso “stained” with a cloud of hot milk (or cold, as “macchiato freddo”).
• Un cappuccino — espresso and steamed milk, a breakfast drink.
• Un caffè corretto — “corrected” with a splash of grappa or sambuca, for the bold.
• Un decaffeinato (or “deca”) — decaf, for the afternoon.

One detail that makes a difference: Italians do not order an “espresso” by that name — they simply say “un caffè”. And they almost never add syrup or flavourings: the coffee is already the star on its own.

The cappuccino rule (and why it matters)

It is Italy’s most famous unwritten rule: the cappuccino is a morning drink, typically before 11, and never after a meal. The reason is simple and cultural: milk is considered heavy on the digestion, so after lunch or dinner a plain espresso is preferred. Ordering a cappuccino after a plate of pasta is not forbidden — no one will throw you out — but it instantly flags you as a visitor.

If you fancy milk but it is already afternoon, you have thoroughly “Italian” alternatives: a macchiato, a marocchino (espresso, cocoa and a cloud of milk) or, in summer, an iced caffè shakerato. That way you stay in the spirit of the place without giving up the creaminess.

The sweets of a Como breakfast

The natural partner to the morning coffee is the cornetto — the Italian cousin of the croissant, softer and often sweeter. You will find it plain (empty), or filled with custard cream, jam, chocolate or pistachio cream. Alongside the cornetto, in the windows of Como’s bars, you often see the brioche, krapfen (filled doughnuts), plumcakes and, in the more refined places, tiny mignon pastries.

Como, set on the lake and a step from Switzerland, also has a sweet tradition of its own. Among the treats to look out for are nocciolini di Canzo, small dry hazelnut amaretti from the area, and the resta, a sweet Lake-Como bread tied to the holidays. Do not expect to find them in every bar: ask at the historic pastry shops and bakeries in the centre, where the baking is done by hand.

Where to look for historic cafés

The heart of a Como breakfast beats around Piazza Cavour, the lakefront square that opens onto the water: here the tables face the lake and the coffee ritual comes with a view. From there, heading into the historic centre between Piazza Duomo — with its splendid Gothic-Renaissance cathedral — and the pedestrian streets such as Via Vittorio Emanuele II, you find the longest-standing cafés and pastry shops, the ones with wooden counters and windows loaded with sweets.

A practical tip: the best bars are often the ones packed with locals early in the morning, not necessarily the most visible. Check recent reviews for current hours and quality, and trust the counter crowded with people from Como. If you want to fit breakfast into a full day of flavours, we mapped one out in our things to do in Como for food lovers, and the unhurried evening version in our guide to the best aperitivo in Como.

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From morning coffee to afternoon pasta

Coffee and a cornetto are the first chapter of a day of flavour in Como. The second, with us, is hands in the dough: a short walk from the historic centre, you learn to roll the sfoglia with a pin alongside our chef trained at Rina Poletti’s Accademia della Sfoglia. You can choose from four menus — the Tagliatelle with Fresh Tomato, the Tagliatelle with Ragù Bolognese, the Green Ravioloni with Ricotta or the Farfalle and Garganelli with Ragù — and the evening closes with an aperitivo you learn to make yourself and a scoop of gelato with a few drops of Traditional Balsamic of Modena DOP. All the details are on our how it works page.