A History of the Espresso Break

From the rush of mid-century Italy to today’s slower rituals at home, time for an espresso has remained a constant—and a necessity

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Milan in 1960 was moving— quickly. Less than two decades earlier, Achille Gaggia’s high-pressure machine had revolutionized Italian coffee, producing the golden crema that has defined modern espresso. By now, the quick shot had become Milan’s ritual. It was a moment snatched at the counter, enjoyed among standing workers, students, and business professionals alike. As efficient as it was stylish, modern, and social, espresso was a reflection of a new Italy in motion.

Long before espresso started to shape culture,
it began with an idea.

Travel back to Florence in 1927. In a modest workshop, brothers Giuseppe and Bruno Bambi set out with curiosity, craftsmanship, and a stroke of luck. They built their first vertical-boiler espresso machine and established Officine Fratelli Bambi, which would later become La Marzocco.

Working closely with local café owners, their conversations helped shaped the designs for future espresso machines that would become popular in later years. Feedback turned into sketches, sketches into prototypes, and in 1939, Giuseppe filed a patent for a horizontal-boiler espresso machine. This was a radical shift from the tall vertical forms of the day. Compact, efficient, and ergonomic, it redefined how cafés could serve espresso, laying groundwork for the modern bar.

As Italy rebuilt after the war and cities like Milan pushed forward, and many innovations in the coffee world quietly fueled the new rhythm of daily life. The espresso bar became a conversation and innovation stage for modern Italy, where efficiency and style continued to draw people through the doors of cafes.

Today, step into a café in Italy, and you’ll often find a slim footrest framing the base of the bar—an understated yet intentional detail. It’s an invitation to pause, place an order, and savor short but meaningful sips all in the same spot. No rush to sit, no need to linger. As more workers sought these brief caffeine interludes throughout the day, espresso culture began to shape around this rhythm of urgency. And yet, cafés were always more than just an efficient way to deliver coffee. As the workday draws to a close and the city softens into golden hour, they take on another role, one less about fuel and more about feeling.

At the heart of ‘La Dolce Vita’ is the beloved Italian ritual of ‘la passeggiata,’ an evening stroll through town that often leads to a familiar gathering point. Cafés and bars fill once more, now for a different purpose as friends, neighbors, and families reconnect. They become social hubs, places people return to no matter where the day has taken them. In this way, coffee is both an anchor and a backdrop, offering a moment that can be as quick or as unhurried as you make it.

Over time, the meaning of that moment has grown around the world.

Reminiscent of slower-paced Italian traditions, today’s espresso culture leans into mindfulness and extends beyond the café bar. In kitchens around the world, making coffee has become a quiet indulgence in stillness and ritual. Inspiration in perfecting a craft and re-creating a café at home is evidence of how the espresso break has evolved.

More of us have come to appreciate the process from beginning to end: thoughtfully selecting a style of coffee as a wine enthusiast would choose a vintage, measuring with precision, and extracting something with carefully-calibrated pressure. The result? An espresso exactly to your liking, and something to share with beloved friends and family members.

Espresso machines now hold space on countertops as thoughtfully as books on a shelf or art on a wall. Both beautiful and practical, they’re objects of intention.

Espresso has come full circle. What was once created for speed has become a symbol of slowness and presence. Whether shared across a café counter or savored in solitude, espresso carries a gravitational pull, a quiet force that draws the senses to the present moment and to each other.