Italians have long complained (and much has been written) about tourists’ inclination (a nice way of putting it) to order a cappuccino in the afternoon. Despite the grumbles of the locals – and the fact that they’ll look at you as though you have three heads – holidaymakers continue to order their caffeine fix after midday. So it bears repeating: in Rome, cappuccino is a morning beverage.
This goes back to what we were saying about Italians’ emphasis on digestion (see above). Milk, according to the Italians, hampers your ability to properly digest food, and just think of all the milk in your cup of cap. So to order one after lunch – or after any meal, for that matter – is a big social gaffe.