When you hear the word barista, your mind may automatically go to the friendly, green-aproned person behind the counter at Starbucks who mercifully provides you with a much-needed dose of caffeine on your way to work. If you're a regular, you probably even have a favorite barista who knows how to make your special order from the secret menu. Meanwhile, if you're caffeine-deprived, the root of the word barista is probably the last thing on your mind, but it's an origin story worth learning about.
In Italy (the country and food culture that brought us cappuccino, macchiato, and espresso), a coffee shop is often referred to as a bar. A barista is someone who works behind the bar. When it's literally translated from Italian, barista means bartender, as the Italian suffix -ista denotes a profession.
Someone who plays piano is a pianista, a dentist is a dentista, and the person who works behind a bar is, you guessed it, a barista. Italian baristas are well-respected for their work. They take pride in their position, are meticulous about keeping everything clean, and are neatly dressed.
It's all part of Italy's rich and complex coffee culture . Qualities of a great barista For most Americans, a bar isn't something they usually associate with coffee unless they're ordering an espresso martini . However, in Italian coffee shops, customers can order an espresso in the morning and a martini at night.
That's right: In the evening, you can order alcohol in the same place where you get you.
