Why do cafes call plain coffee, Americano?

Not just the supposedly-fashionable American chains, but independent cafes too. It's just coffee, and is no more American-o than it is Italian-o.

Nor is "latte" the American way, the Italian beverage despite the Italian word - as it says if you know a little basic etymology, let alone the language!

(My brother-in-law tells of a friend who asked for a "latte" in an café in Italy, and that's what he was served; only to be very surprised to find it had no coffee in it all!)

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Anonymartyr · M

Usually they name them by the beans used or where they were harvested. They name blended beans usually by the effect created by the blending.

ArishMell · 70-79, M

@Anonymartyr I didn't know there is a bean or blend itself called "Americano", so thank-you; but I doubt most outlets necessarily use that particular blend. Still beats me why it has to sound pseudo Italian though!

Anonymartyr · M

@ArishMell That would be because of the cafe most likely. About 1 third of my home community were ethnic Italians born in Canada with English as their main language yet they invariably name everything in Italian anyway.

ArishMell · 70-79, M

@Anonymartyr Ah, I can understand that, and it's a fair point. I hardly applies though to my favourite town-centre café or a British motorway service-station.

As late one night in such a service-station...

Me: "Plain coffee please,"

Young man serving me: "Americano?"

Me: "Why the cod-Italian?"

Him: "We're an Italian firm!" (The Costa chain)

"No you're not. Costa is British and a branch of Whitbreads!" (Costa started as a London cafe named to sound Italian, and later bought by that then-British, brewer-turned-property-speculator.)

I added as I accepted the coffee, "And I wouldn't mind these prices so much if I knew you people were paid a decent wage!"