Sant' Eustachio Il Caffe, Rome

The secret to success at this celebrated espresso bar appears to lie in the water, sourced from a 2,000-year-old aqueduct, and the wood-roasted Sant'Eustachio coffee blends. Established in 1938, it continues to be a popular meeting place for locals in Rome, where they can be certain of enjoying a great cup of coffee in an atmosphere that still echoes its glorious past when it frequently made headlines, even worldwide.

Although unassuming, this place tends to get busy, so expect to wait in line. However, the queue usually moves swiftly, and the service is efficient. Like most caffès in Italy, you place your order at the register, hand in your receipt (if it's busy, you can try leaving your receipt on the counter with a coin tip on top), and then savor your coffee and pastry while standing at the counter (the recommended and traditional way) or sit at a table (though these tend to fill up and may incur an additional fee).

You can't go wrong with any type of coffee creation here, whether it's the classic cappuccino, shots of espresso, the delightful "gran caffè" (which combines the best of both worlds), or the heavenly "granita" (a frozen coffee treat with layers of whipped cream) and "monachella" (espresso, coffee, and cream).

Each espresso shot is pulled behind a metal partition, so the secret to the extra-thick, flavorful "crema" remains a mystery.

Tip:
Sugar is added to the coffee beforehand so make sure that you ask for "senza zucchero" (no sugar) before ordering if you don't want any.