Let's start with the miscela, the blend of roasted coffee beans used to brew the coffee. While in the rest of Italy – and possibly, the world – Arabica varieties are definitely more appreciated, Neapolitans still have a taste for Robusta, the cheaper variety which gives more body and a distinctive bitter taste to coffee. This is why you will commonly find blends in the city’s bars – every barista choose their favourite blend or brand, instead of single origin coffee. You need one or two different Arabica beans mixed with a good quality Robusta to have a proper Neapolitan espresso (known as a ristretto). It’s served even shorter than in the rest of Italy, has a creamy texture and a low acidity. Grinding is crucial, too; traditional espresso requires a specific grain, but the most expert baristas slightly modify it according to daily temperatures and humidity.

In many Neapolitan bars, the barista's job is not limited to the brewing phase. In most cases coffee is drunk at the counter, where customers will usually receive a tazzina – the specific small coffee cup – with a free glass of water, to be drunk before coffee as a palate-cleanser. Drinking it afterwards would mean the coffee did not taste good. In some bars, another tradition is still alive: a fixed amount of sugar is added by the barista as well, and if you prefer your coffee unsweetened – or with a specific quantity of sugar – you have to ask for it. Look out for the informative sign, and be ready to specify how you like your coffee!

Be aware when you bring the cup to your lips; you could get burned. To ensure a perfect tasting experience and to guarantee cleanliness, the cups are often kept into boiling water to enhance the coffee taste and aroma. An old Neapolitan saying states that a perfect coffee has to follow the ‘four Ms’ guideline: miscela (the blend), macchina (the coffee machine), macinatura (grinding, including texture, and cleanliness) and mano (hand; the barista's experience and ability). As a sign of appreciation and gratitude, in Neapolitan (and Italian) bars people usually add spare change to their receipt when they ask for the coffee at the counter.

Another Neapolitan habit related to coffee is the caffè sospeso. Literally meaning ‘suspended coffee’, it means paying for a coffee not yet made, leaving it for poor people who can't afford one. Born during the post-war period, when coffee was considered a reinvigorating drink and a good way to get some energy and warmth when there was nothing else to eat, the habit has recently spread to different items such as pizza and drinks. This could be a mere marketing strategy, but in many traditional coffee bars, especially in the old centre, the caffè sospeso is solely about solidarity and sharing.