Easy Café Romano Recipe – Espresso with a Lemon Twist

Café Romano combines the robust flavor of espresso with a refreshing lemon taste. This harmonious blend is an easy way to excite your daily coffee habit. Drink it with breakfast, a mid-morning snack, or in the afternoon. Whenever you like to have an espresso, you’re sure to enjoy this espresso with a lemon twist.

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Truly one of the most unique coffee drinks I’ve ever tasted. Sipping warm espresso from a lemon-scented cup is delightful and refreshing, with a touch of sweetness. It’s a must-try for your taste buds!

How to Make Café Romano

With a minimum of two ingredients, this espresso with lemon is for everyone.

Contrary to what you might expect, the origins of espresso romano are rooted in the Italian American community of the 1950s after the second world war, not in Rome, Italy.

Let’s take a look at how to make it. 

Ingredients You Need

• Espresso – Freshly brewed
• Lemon – A little lemon juice, the rind, and some optional slices for garnish. Meyer lemons are a first choice, but any lemon will work.
• Sugar – optional sweetener. The lemon’s acidity cuts the bitterness of the espresso. You might be surprised that the espresso doesn’t need to be sweetened.

Step-By-Step Directions

The process takes just long enough to brew the espresso, juice a lemon and stir in the (optional) sweetener.

Follow these simple directions, and you can’t go wrong!

1. Start by brewing a single or double shot of espresso.
2. Rub lemon peel along the rim of an espresso cup. The essential oils will flavor the rim, infusing each sip with a lemon scent.
3. Add lemon juice and optional sugar to the cup. Pour the espresso over and mix well to combine. Continue until the sugar dissolves. Serve immediately with an extra lemon wedge or slice, garnishing the cup.

Expert Tips

• Use high-quality espresso powder for the best-tasting brew.
• A single shot of regular espresso is one ounce, and a double shot is two ounces. Choose the quantity you want.
• Taste and adjust! Give a quick taste after mixing the lemon juice. Need to add more? Want to sweeten? Desiring more than one teaspoon of sugar? Get to know the drink and how you like it best.

Ingredient Substitutions

Even though this is such a simple recipe, you might be missing one of the key ingredients. Review the recommendations here for quick and clever substitutions.

Here are suggested substitutions:

• Espresso – If you don’t have an espresso machine, substitute with French press coffee. A dark roast with a higher-than-normal coffee-to-water ratio will be best. You can brew a strong espresso-like coffee in a French press or drip maker.
• Lemon – Use a different citrus fruit instead, anything with citric acid.
• Sugar – Since this is optional, you can omit it completely or substitute it with your preferred sweetener, like brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup. Similarly, use stevia or other sugar-free replacement.

Variations

Want to add your own spin? All coffee lovers can make these fun variations to stretch this recipe into more delightful renditions and enjoy a versatile drink with lemon flavors.

Try these café Romano variations:

• Serve an iced espresso Romano by letting the fresh espresso cool to room temperature, filling a cup with a small handful of ice cubes, and pouring the liquid over the ice.
• You might substitute with a different citrus fruit because you’re out of lemon or because they all have a distinct flavor to enjoy. Instead of lemon, use tangerine, blood orange, or orange.
• Café Romano is typically served without milk, but feel free to add a splash of cream if you want.
• Make a café Romano affogato dessert by pouring hot espresso over a scoop of vanilla or chai ice cream.

How to Store this Recipe

Honestly, the coffee flavor tastes best fresh and therefore, storing and making it ahead of time isn’t recommended. 

However, we often run into unexpected surprises in life. If, for whatever reason, you do need to store the drink and save it for later, simply add it to a clean jar or airtight container and place it in the refrigerator.

Drink the café Romano within two to three days, maximum. The flavor does degrade over time.

You’ll be ahead of the game when it comes to serving café Romano over ice. Since your drink is already cold, add a handful of ice to a glass, and pour the espresso over it. This is such a delicious treat that helps cool off with a nice smooth energy boost.

Furthermore, serving an iced café Romano will also help mask the difference in flavor. Stored cold coffee typically tastes better than reheated coffee.

That said, if you like it at room temperature or hot, it’s a good idea to warm it over medium heat for a minute or two in a small saucepan.

What to serve with an Espresso Romano

A cup of espresso romano is enjoyable alone or with delicious baked goods like homemade banana bread, chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar, chai-spiced cookies, and matcha brownies.

Fresh, seasonal fruit also pairs well with a café Romano. As do savory cheese croissants and egg breakfasts.

More Easy Coffee Recipes To Try

Once you master Romano coffee, try iced coffee too. Take it black, or add a splash of vanilla. Either way, it’s a refreshing choice on a hot afternoon.

You might also like a copycat Starbucks iced Americano. It’s another super easy coffee drink you can make next time at home.

If you make this lemon espresso recipe, please leave a review. I appreciate each 5-star rating and review comment!