Caffe Reggio opened its doors in 1927, in the exact same spot in New York's Greenwich Village, at 119 MacDougal Street, where it is still located today.
The founder of the institution, Domenico Parisi, brought cappuccino, the fragrant, soul-stirring, sun-starting hot drink of millions, across the ocean to the delight of Americans in the early 1920s.
Inside, at the back of the café, you can see the 1902 press machine that Parisi invested all his savings in when he opened his shop in 1927.
Caffe Reggio has also starred in a number of films during its uninterrupted career, including The Godfather II and, for those of us who are modern, the Shaft series. But it wasn't just on the silver screen that he was a respected figure, John F. Kennedy made his famous 1959 speech in front of the café.
The emblematic café has become synonymous with American gastronomy and history. There's a saying that there are few things that haven't changed over there, and Caffe Reggio is one of those few.
Inside, everything from the handmade chairs to the thick rimmed plates with orange lettering tells the story of Italy. As well as the finest cappuccino of your life and tiramisu that would make your grandma burst into tears, Caffe Reggio offers other delicacies. For the sake of this article, the author ordered a pesto-mozzarella-grilled pepper sandwich, which in itself is a perfect representation of the simple-and-grand guiding principle of Italian cuisine.
Caffe Reggio is living proof that what's old can still be amazingly good. If you happen to be in New York, don't miss the cappuccino of a lifetime! And bring one back for us.
(source: www.culinarynewsworld.com)
