From Ottoman Turkish *kahve*, via the Arabic *qahwa* (قهوة), a drink brewed from roasted beans. The word entered Italian in the 16th century through Venice, one of Europe's earliest ports of coffee trade; the geminate *ff* reflects Italian phonological adaptation of the loan.

In Italy, *un caffè* almost always means a single shot of espresso, drunk standing at the counter — not a large milky drink. Ordering a *caffè* at a bar (Italian for a coffee shop or café) is a social ritual: it's cheap, quick, and shared with strangers elbow-to-elbow. Note that in the afternoon it is considered unusual to order cappuccino — locals stick to espresso. The grave accent on the final *è* is essential in writing; without it, *cafe* looks like a misspelling.