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Long gone are the times when going into a bar meant just having a coffee, or perhaps, in Italy, those times never existed: stopping to drink an espresso, or any other drink, at a table or standing at the bar, has always had a much deeper significance, and more implications also in social and relationship terms.
As a result, with every cultural change that takes place, the coffee ritual, too, evolves and continues, to this day, to dictate the trends which develop in this sector from year to year and are also reflected in the “nature” of the coffee shops.
If for many people now it is essential that a bar or café is “instagrammable”, as we saw in our article on furnishing ideas , the trends of the Bars in Italy increasingly reflect the world view, and not only as far as furniture and floor and wall colors are concerned.
In this article we will bring you some of the trends from the world of Italian cafés, which have become considered more and more as pleasure retreats and places for sharing recreational activities.
How bars in Italy change: the latest trends
It’s hardly surprising that trends concerning bars and other establishments arrive from Asia, especially from Japan. Indeed, the Land of the Rising Sun is always at the cutting edge when it comes to mixing relaxation and entertainment: Nap bars (from “nap” meaning a short sleep), for example, were first invented in Japan with the aim of offering people the opportunity to sleep during their frenetic working days.
Let’s take a closer look at what they are and how they are also changing the scene of Bars in Italy.
Nap bar: taking a nap between one coffee and another
In order to work more efficiently and give your best, according to many studies, it is fundamental to rest after lunch, during the afternoon.
Indeed, the well-known nap would appear to be the prerequisite for reducing stress and improving metabolism, but also for increasing creativity.
The Japanese know a thing two about this, they were the ones to invent the Nap bar, places where it is possible to eat and drink, but also to have a nap in total peace and quiet to recharge your batteries.
From Tokyo, the city where they were first created, Nap bars have now come a long way and can be found today in New York, Buenos Aires, Dubai, Houston, and in Europe in Paris, London, Brussels and Madrid. The first Italian Nap Bar opened two years ago, in 2017, in Nichelino in the province of Turin, and now there’s also one in Milan.
So what is there in the Nap bars?
All you need to rest, first of all, single beds, double beds and bunk beds, but also hammocks, sofas and armchairs, deckchairs and giant cushions on which the clientele can lie and sleep in peace.
There are also work and reading stations, though, which include the possibility to use and also recharge phones and computers.
The prices vary according to the type of service you choose, the length of time you stay and the food and drink ordered.
The season of the Bubble Bars
The success of Bubble Tea, the eye-catching, colored tea “with the bubbles”, has been truly overwhelming and has involved the whole world, including Europe and Italy.
This trend of 2019 has proven to be so strong that it has led to the opening of establishments dedicated entirely to this drink, where it is possible to try it in a wide range of varieties.
Milan, Bologna and Rome are just a few of the cities where it is possible to find this tea with tapioca pearls.
Cat cafè for a break in the company of cats
From Taiwan and Japan comes this trend of the Cat Cafè, establishments where you can order everything that you would normally find in a bar, with a little unusual extra: the possibility to stroke and interact with the numerous cats that move sinuously between the tables.
This is not one of the most recent gimmicks, it’s been a while since some forward-thinking, whimsical cat-lovers decided to open the first Cat Cafès, but in the last two years, they have become increasingly common everywhere.
In Italy, for example, you can find them in Turin, Milan, Rome and Prato.
A relaxing way for you, and the cats, to spend your break, don’t you think?
Nail bar: perfect nails and coffee break
Enjoy a coffee, a fruit smoothie or any other kind of drink while you allow yourself a manicure or another beauty treatment for hands or feet: a double pampering session which certainly attracts women’s attention and is now available in places such as Nail bars.
The first Italian chain has opened in Naples and has already been favorably received by many clients: this is a growing trend, which has all the requisites to become extremely popular also in Italy, as has already happened in other countries.
Manicure or afternoon nap?
Chatting in the company of cats?
The world of bars is changing, and very quickly: what do you think of the new trends which are becoming widespread throughout Italy?