It may seem like there’s a Starbucks on every street corner, but that’s not true if you’re in Italy…yet. Starbucks is set to make its first foray into Italy, and it’s doing it with flair. Italy’s first Reserve Roastery opened today, in an ornate former post office in Milan, on the Piazza Cordusio. The 25,000-square-foot store will offer classic Starbucks beverages as well as artisanal cocktails and baked goods, and is described by Starbucks in a press release as “both an homage to the city of Milan and a celebration of everything Starbucks has learned about coffee in its 47-year history.”
Photo: Shutterstock
Italy Just Opened Its First Starbucks
Opening a Starbucks in Italy has been a goal for the company since 1998, though it’s taken two decades to actually get there. In a statement, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said, “During my first trip to Milan in 1983, I was captivated by the sense of community I found in the city’s espresso bars — the moments of human connection that passed so freely and genuinely between baristas and their customers.”
If you’ve been waiting 20 years for Starbucks in Italy, wait no longer. The Reserve Roastery officially opened its doors to the public this morning. Currently, the only other luxurious Starbucks Reserve stores are in Seattle and Shanghai, but more are planned in the near future for Chicago, New York, and Tokyo. 
H/T: Travel & Leisure