Starbucks finally opened its first store in Italy, where the idea for the massive coffee chain was born. Take a look inside.

Jessica Tyler

Sep 6, 2018, 21:43 IST

Starbucks

Starbucks' Reserve Roastery in Milan is one of only three shops of its kind.

Starbucks just opened its first-ever store in Italy. It's one of only three Reserve Roasteries in the world.
The Roasteries are seen as more upscale than the typical Starbucks location. Starbucks has plans to open several additional Roasteries over the next two years.
The Milan Reserve Roastery has unique features like a Scolari coffee roaster manufactured just miles outside of Milan, an Arriviamo bar serving more than 100 cocktails, and an affogato station where ice cream is made to order using liquid nitrogen.

Starbucks just opened its first-ever store in Italy, and it's unlike any other Starbucks in the world.

The Starbucks in Milan is one of three Reserve Roasteries in the world, along with the new locations in Shanghai and Seattle. Starbucks plans to open additional Roasteries in New York later this year, and in Tokyo and Chicago in 2019.

The Roasteries are seen as more upscale than the typical Starbucks location. Customers typically spend four times more in the company's Reserve Roastery locations than in a traditional Starbucks, according to a company spokesperson.

Starbucks' first Italian location is largely inspired by Milan itself. It uses bright colors to celebrate Milan's history of fashion and design, and it uses bronze and marble elements to blend in with Milan's architecture. The Roastery also features a Scolari coffee roaster manufactured just miles outside of Milan, and has unique features like a Arriviamo bar serving over 100 cocktails and an affogato station where ice cream is made to order using liquid nitrogen.

Though this is Starbucks' first store in Italy, the brand has long been informed by Italian coffee culture. Starbucks' former longtime CEO and chairman, Howard Schultz, has said he was inspired to develop Starbucks as a destination coffee shop after a 1983 visit to Italy. According to Reuters, however, the $2.09 Starbucks is asking for an espresso is nearly double what local Italian coffee shops typically charge.

Take a look inside the stunning new Milan Roastery:

The new Reserve Roastery is in Milan's Palazzo della Poste on the Piazza Cordusio.

Surrounding the entrance to the Roastery is a floor-to-ceiling visual representation of Starbucks' history and its coffee. Customers can use the Starbucks app to learn more about anything on the wall.

The interior of the Roastery is huge, and the design was inspired by Milan itself.

All of the bright colors used in the interior were inspired by Milan's status as a destination for fashion and design ...

... and many elements of the interior are bronze to match the architecture in Milan.

The Roastery is the first Starbucks in the world to use marble in its bar tops, meant to match the espresso bars across Milan. All of the bar tops are heated from within using radiant heat, so they don't get too cold in the winter.

While at the Roastery, customers can walk around the entirety of the equipment setup, from the roaster to the cooling tray, de-gassing chamber, and packing line. The Roastery features a Scolari coffee roaster manufactured just miles outside of Milan.

Even the floor was designed with Milan's history in mind. It was handcrafted by local artisans in the Palladiana style, a historic technique particular to Northern Italy.

The main coffee bar is on the ground floor and features a range of coffees, including Starbucks' premium Reserve brand.

The coffee bar will serve more than 115 different drinks including espresso and cold brew. It also will feature an affogato station where ice cream is handmade and made to order using liquid nitrogen, paired with a shot of espresso.

Like the other two Roasteries, the Milan Roastery will serve cocktails in addition to coffee. The Milan Roastery has an Arriviamo Bar that serves more than 100 different cocktails.

Also like the other two Roasteries, there is a Princi Bakery that will serve fresh-baked food and pastries.

To celebrate the new Roastery in Milan, Starbucks is launching a new drink in the US called the Cordusio. It's espresso-based mocha topped with cocoa powder, served in a "short" eight-ounce size. It's named after the Piazza Cordusio, where the Reserve Roastery is located in Milan.

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