After spending a long, hot day in Florence, I took a taxi back to the little village deep in the heart of Tuscany. During the long journey, I got into a conversation with our driver, Francesco, who was quite a wise man. A well read Florentine, he was articulate about the history of the region and also about Italy.

Obviously, we talked about local tailors and shoe makers, but we both agreed, that Naples was something else when it came to jackets and shirts. And during our long journey he told me about a concept that totally resonated with me. Francesco, who had spent sometime in Naples, pointed out that in that you can anonymously buy a cup of coffee for someone who can’t afford to pay for one.

This concept of “pending coffee” is called “caffè sospeso.” In Italian it literally means “suspended coffee.” You can read more about it on Wikipedia. I think this concept needs to be imported by coffee loving West Coast cities such as Los Angeles, Portland, and San Francisco.

These cities are host to some of the top coffee establishments in the world and the coffee here is not cheap. While many can afford the $3 espressos or $5 lattes, there are many more who are less fortunate than us. If the coffee establishments were willing, I am happy to help spread the coffee cheer.

While in time I might forget a lot of the details about that hot summer day in Florence, I am less likely to forget Francesco, for during that late night drive through hills of Tuscany, I learned a small but vital lesson — always be looking out for those less fortunate than you.

Recommended Reading: Meanwhile, check out this article about the future of Iced Coffee and how Blue Bottle Coffee plans to scale its artisanal coffee ethos. BBC is backed by True Ventures, so take it with a pinch of salt. However, the writing by The Atlantic deputy editor Alexis Madrigal is lyrical and worth reading.

Photo Credit: All Rights Reserved by Helena Price.

Om Malik

Om Malik is a San Francisco based writer, photographer and investor. More....

15 thoughts on “Caffè Sospeso”

  1. hi there, I guess it’s a typo but the thing is Caffè sospeso not sospeco. take care

  2. and please consider it’s not all about paying coffee to somebody that cannot afford it. it is a process that involves good manners, friendly approach to life and strangers, topics of the mediterranean environment that in naples find their best expression… not the thing you can find or import in the far west with ease. better… you might be able to get it over there but although the result will be the same the plug that sparks it will be a totally different. will be translated into a politically correct thing… more like an I can therefore I should or I must do it rather than I want to do.

    1. I think that is implied in the actual act. No one takes the time to do something for others without expectation of something in return. This simple act means stepping out of “transaction” mode and actually do something selfless. It is a good way to make society change it’s gears.

  6. I’ve heard of a similar informal #PayItForward movement here in France for baguettes at bakeries.

    BTW, on the subject of Florence and shoes, you must visit the new shop and atelier (Via San Niccolò 2) of the late #StefanoBemer (1964-2012) ([DanielDayLewis apprenticed there for close to a year and became an accomplished shoemaker there] http://bit.ly/1udJoph – it’s in a converted Church – see @tommasomelani – and if you can’t make it there this trip here’s a lovely video: SCARPE D AUTORE – YouTube http://bit.ly/1udKlhi

    1. I did end up visiting there and enjoyed the shoes. I think they are going to be expanding to the US and will be selling at Leffot in New York

  7. Wow! I keep thinking about this all the time. Especially since I moved to UK from India. Everything seems to be calculated. A friendly gesture of offering someone coffee, is seen immediately noted and calculated, more or less this is the formula, “does this mean that I will have to return this favour?, does this mean that this person wants to be a friend?, “. With all these calculations, the coffee turns into poison. Why cannot people digest that offering a cuppa, or anything, can be just a human expression of sharing. Just that? I feel the same about money, I have seen people returning amount as small as 50p, and the other one gladly taking it back. It boggles me.

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