The unique coffee drink from Lecce, Italy

Need to cool off in hot Lecce? Don’t get a soda, have a coffee!

Caffe Leccese origin story

Lecce is in Puglia, the heel of Italy, where it gets hot. Like, Gates of Hell hot. 100 degrees isn’t uncommon in the summer. Once, it got up to 116!

So, it’s no surprise that iced coffee is popular. But, in Lecce, they serve a specialty iced coffee called Caffe Leccese, also sometimes called Caffe alla Salentina.

According to legend, iced coffee came to Puglia in the 15th century from the Iberian Peninsula. But, it took a local coffee roaster to make the first Caffe Leccese about 70 years ago.

Caffe Leccese at Caffe Alvino (photo: Karen L. Campopiano)

Antonio Quarta, a coffee roaster and bar owner in Puglia, decided to add ice, chipped into irregular pieces, into cups of coffee. He then sweetened the coffee to taste using almond syrup. Quarta Coffee is still in business and owned by the same family four generations down the line.

Where to get Caffe Leccese

Almost any cafe or coffee shop will offer Caffe Leccese. The best Caffe Leccese is served in 3 glasses (one for the coffee, one for the ice, and one for almond syrup or milk). This allows you to mix them together in the ratio you see fit.

However, I get mine at Caffe Alvino, even though it comes already mixed, because of the atmosphere. Right on Piazza Sant’Oronzo, the location can’t be beat for people watching.

How to get to Lecce

In short, it ain’t easy. Especially if you’re coming from the United States. Lecce doesn’t have an airport. If you’re coming from the U.S., you can connect through Rome to Brindisi and then drive or take the bus and be in Lecce in less than an hour.

If you’re already in Europe, it’s probably easier to fly into Bari which has a lot more flight options than Brindisi. From Bari Airport it’s about 2 hours by car or train (connection at Bari Centrale).

In reality, the entire region of Puglia is worthwhile. I’d suggest foodie trips to Monopoli and, especially, Bari. There’s also gorgeous Blue Flag beaches all over the region.

About the Author

Brent Petersen is the Editor-in-Chief of Destination Eat Drink. He currently resides in Setubal, Portugal. Brent has written the novel “Truffle Hunt” (Eckhartz Press) and the short story collection “That Bird.” He’s also written dozens of foodie travel guides on Destination Eat Drink, including several in Italy,. Brent’s podcast, also called Destination Eat Drink, is available on all major podcasting platforms and is distributed by the Radio Misfits Podcast Network.