Tazza d’oro

As befits a coffee shop in the eternal city, the place appears to have stayed the same for the past twenty years at least. Perception & discernment are up to you, of course, and this isn’t much of a problem at Tazza d’oro, one of the two much-acclaimed espresso bars of Rome (the other is Sant’Eustachio). The people here are friendly and courteous, even if a list of countries is about all you’ll learn from most about the house blend (‘Le regina dei caffè‘…and what were those countries again? Colombia, Guatemala, Brazil? Costa Rica too? Maybe there’s more at www.tazzadorocoffeeshop.com, but it seems unlikely. In any case, it’s traditional to have only a fairly generic description of the house blends, as this is convenient for the roaster, and you trust them, don’t you?). 

Tazza d’oro is a well-staffed place that gets a ton of business. Behind one counter, the beans and an old Probat roaster. Behind the winding bar, two different espresso machines and also a separate glass case with all the usual goodies. If I hadn’t gotten sick during this trip I would’ve had time to try a lot more, more often. As it was I can certainly attest to the continuing top-quality status of the espresso at the bar. What I like about their espresso is the complexity of the flavor. Sure, the crema is as good as you’d expect, but it’s the rich, layered flavor that really puts this espresso at the top. The effect lingers, develops, and calls one back to the bar…