Espresso served with a twist of lemon peel is usually called espresso romano (or caffè al limone). The lemon is there for aroma and flavor: rubbing the peel on the rim or twisting it over the cup adds bright citrus oils that soften espresso’s bitterness, and some people add a little sugar too. Its origins are unclear, and despite the Italian name it is far more common in the United States than in Italy, where you find it mainly in parts of the lemon-growing south. The glass of water that often comes with an espresso is a separate custom: you sip it first to clean your palate.
| Names | Espresso romano, caffè al limone |
| What it is | A shot of espresso served with a strip of lemon peel, sometimes with sugar |
| Why the lemon | Citrus aroma and a sense of brightness that balance bitterness |
| Where you see it | Mostly Italian-American cafés and restaurants in the US; some places in southern Italy |
| Origin | Unclear; several stories, none proven |
| Use the peel or the juice? | The peel. Juice adds sourness and flattens the crema |
| Why the water | To rinse your palate before the espresso |
Why Is Espresso Served With Lemon Peel?
Lemon peel is full of fragrant oils. When you twist a strip over the cup or rub it around the rim, those oils add a fresh citrus smell to each sip, much like the twist of peel in a cocktail. Because so much of what we taste is really smell, the citrus makes the espresso seem brighter and less bitter. A little sugar, which many people add to espresso romano, balances it further.
Whether you like it depends on the coffee. With a dark, bitter roast, lemon can make the shot easier to drink, which may be why it caught on. With a well-made specialty espresso that already has its own fruity acidity, many baristas find the lemon covers up flavors the roaster worked to bring out, so most specialty cafés don’t serve it. It is a matter of taste, so try it both ways.
Why Does Espresso Come With Water?
In Italy and in many good cafés elsewhere, an espresso often comes with a small glass of water, sometimes sparkling. Drink a little water first, to clear your mouth of whatever you ate or drank before, so you taste the espresso clearly. You can sip more afterward if you like. The water has nothing to do with the lemon, and it is far more common in Italy than lemon peel is. See our guide to how to drink espresso.
Where Did Espresso Romano Come From?
Nobody knows for sure, and the stories you will read are mostly unproven:
- Wartime coffee: a popular story says Italians added lemon during or after the world wars to make poor-quality coffee taste better. It is plausible, but there is little evidence for it.
- Cleaning the cup: another story says lemon was used to clean cups when clean water was scarce. Lemon juice can slow some bacteria but does not sanitize anything, so this one is doubtful.
- Italian-American invention: many think the drink, and its “romano” name, took shape in Italian-American cafés and restaurants in the United States, where it is far more common than in Rome.
- Southern Italy: espresso with lemon does turn up in parts of the south, such as Naples and the Amalfi Coast, where lemons are everywhere.
What is clear is that most Italians drink their espresso without lemon, and ordering a “romano” in Rome is likely to get you a puzzled look.
Coffee and Lemon Around the World
| Drink | Where | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso romano | United States | Espresso with a lemon peel or slice, often with sugar |
| Caffè al limone | Southern Italy | Espresso with lemon peel, found in some cafés |
| Café del tiempo | Valencia, Spain | Coffee poured over ice, often with a slice of lemon |
| Mazagran | Portugal | Cold coffee with lemon, sugar and ice |
| Espresso tonic | Specialty cafés | Espresso over tonic water and ice, often with a citrus garnish |
Don’t confuse these with the Italian canarino, which is hot water infused with lemon peel, drunk after meals. It contains no coffee.
How to Make Espresso Romano at Home
- Cut the peel: use a vegetable peeler to take a strip of lemon peel about 2 inches (5 cm) long. Take only the yellow part; the white pith underneath is bitter. Wash the lemon first.
- Pull the shot: make a single or double espresso into a warm cup. A double is about 18 g of coffee to 36 g of espresso in 25 to 30 seconds. No machine? See how to make espresso without a machine.
- Add the lemon: twist the peel over the cup, yellow side down, to spray its oils onto the crema, then rub it around the rim. Drop it in or set it on the saucer.
- Sweeten if you like: stir in a little sugar.
- Drink it right away, while the crema is fresh; see how long an espresso shot lasts.
Skip the lemon juice. It makes the shot sour and breaks down the crema. Lemon goes best with a medium or darker espresso blend; with a bright, fruity light roast, try the shot plain first. For a cold version, pour the espresso over ice with a slice of lemon and a little sugar, Valencia style.
New to espresso? Start with our guide to what espresso is and compare ristretto, espresso and lungo.
Former roastery owner and coffee tour operator. Steve spent five years roasting coffee for his own shop and wholesale customers. More about Steve