Italy's espresso is a prized social and cultural ritual the country considers a national heritage worthy of UNESCO status
A picture taken on February 13, 2022 shows a cup of espresso coffee at the historic Gran Caffe Gambrinus in Naples, Italy. (Credits: Ella Ide)
Italians knock back some 30 million espressos a day, from Venice to Sicily, in porcelain cups or little glasses, with or without a splash of milk — and see each one as a gesture of friendship.