Starbucks ‘Humbly’ Enters Italy with a 25,000-Square-Foot Coffee Spectacle

The Palazzo delle Poste building in Central Milan, home to Starbucks’ first Italian store. All photos courtesy of Starbucks.

Starbucks has opened for the first time in Italy, a country the company repeatedly has described as humbling for its longstanding espresso and cafe culture.

“We have taken our time to ensure our entry into Italy is done thoughtfully and respectfully,” said Kevin Johnson, chief executive officer, Starbucks. “The introduction of our Roastery and premium Reserve brand will set the stage for the long-term development of our core store portfolio with our world-class licensee partner, Percassi.”

There’s been no price tag provided for the new 25,000-square-foot Milan Reserve Roastery, though the company called it “the most beautiful Starbucks in the world.”

Oh, the humility!

Inside the historic Palazzo delle Poste in central Milan, the facility includes a working production roastery with an Italian-made Scolari roaster for Starbucks’ Reserve-brand coffees; a main, wood-fronted, marble-topped first-floor bar for a range of espresso-based beverages; a mezzanine featuring a 30-foot Arriviamo bar, cut from a single block of marble, for light bites, classic Italian aperitivos and other Italian-inspired cocktails; and a Princi-brand bakery with a wood-fired oven built by hand, brick by brick.

The Milan Reserve roastery is Starbucks’ third globally, behind the Seattle flagship that opened in 2014 and a Shanghai Reserve roastery that opened in December of 2017. Starbucks said more traditional Starbucks locations will open in Italy throughout the remainder of this year.