Italian coffee culture has played a big role in defining how coffee is consumed globally. Various coffee machines and beverages originated in Italy. For our current purpose, we’ll look at the famous Italian roast coffee. This is a skillful roast that requires very precise handling.
The Italian roast is generally very dark, practically at the end of the coffee roasting spectrum. For this roast, the beans are kept at a high temperature for a long time. A step further, and they would be burnt.
In this article, we’ll see more about Italian roast coffee and the brands that you can buy right now for a great coffee experience.
Our Top Recommendations For Italian Roast Coffee
- Medaglia D’Oro Italian Roast Espresso Ground Coffee
- Olde Brooklyn Coffee Italian Dark Roast Whole Bean
- Allegro Coffee Organic Italian Roast Ground Coffee
- Fresh Roasted Coffee LLC, Italian Roast Espresso Coffee
- illy K-Cup Pods Forte Extra Dark Roast Coffee
- Victor Allen Italian Roast for K-Cup Keurig 2.0 Brewers
- Coffee Bean Direct Italian Roast Espresso, Whole Bean Coffee
- Starbucks Italian Roast Dark Roast Ground Coffee
Editor’s Choice: Olde Brooklyn Coffee Italian Dark Roast Whole Bean
Olde Brooklyn Coffee Italian Dark Roast Whole Bean is an excellent dark roast at a great price. It could perhaps be even called cheap. However, price here is a positive, not a detriment. The masterful roast may be priced cheap, but it is executed magnificently.
Top Italian Roast Coffee Options Reviewed
1. Medaglia D’Oro Italian Roast Espresso Ground Coffee
Medaglia D’Oro Italian Roast Espresso Ground Coffee is a wholesome blend of quality coffee packed in an espresso Italian roast. This coffee is best suited for an espresso where it shows off the best of its flavor and taste. This is a strong coffee and it feels just the right thing to enjoy.
They’ve got the blend right and it shows with every shot brewed with this coffee. Medaglia D’Oro is also available in a decaf variant, which is as worthy of praise as the regular variant. Even in decaf form, the coffee holds its own not just in espresso, but also in latte and mocha preparations. If you want a quick, convenient pick, take this one.
Highlights
- Ground coffee
- Best suited for espresso
- Also available in decaf
- Excellent blend
2. Olde Brooklyn Coffee Italian Dark Roast Whole Bean
The well-priced whole bean coffee is a delight not to be missed. I expected it to taste in line with the price. Surprisingly, this is no cheap coffee. It’s a wonderful Italian roast where the oil creates a shimmering coat around the coffee beans.
Olde Brooklyn Coffee Italian Dark Roast Whole Bean is a blend of various Central and South American coffees. Beans are sourced from Colombia, Brazil, and Guatemala. They claim to pick the “best coffee varieties” which can, in some way be true. However, I don’t believe for a second they could get the best coffee from those regions and sell it for this price.
But then we’re not so much concerned about the source of coffee beans here. It’s more about the Italian roast, and this coffee excels at that. Great price and a well-executed roast make this the editor’s choice for this category.
Highlights
- Whole coffee beans
- Blend of Central and South American coffees
- Excellent Italian roast
- Remarkable value for money – it’s practically cheap
3. Allegro Coffee Organic Italian Roast Ground Coffee
Allegro Coffee Organic Italian Roast Ground Coffee is a specialty ground coffee. It brews a cup of velvety, rich coffee with bittersweet taste notes. An interesting aspect here is that this is a medium-dark roast. In a way, that shows off the lack of standardization.
While most of us see Italian roast as a very dark roast, it is a label that can also be added to a medium-dark roast. This is a non-GMO coffee that is USDA certified organic and with a whole trade guarantee.
Highlights
- Medium dark roast
- Ground coffee
- Non-GMO and certified USDA Organic
4. Fresh Roasted Coffee LLC, Italian Roast Espresso Coffee
Fresh Roasted Coffee LLC calls its Italian roast “Delizioso”. This bold and dark coffee brews what can be called a heavenly espresso. This dark roast is a blend of coffees sourced from various regions around the world. Its bittersweet taste notes show off quite well with the coffee. The coffee is certified Kosher.
Highlights
- Whole bean coffee
- Excellent blend
- Certified Kosher
See pricing and buying options
5. illy K-Cup Pods Forte Extra Dark Roast Coffee
Illy’s extra dark roast K cups for Keurig brew a bold cup of coffee. These aren’t quite the same as espresso K cups, but they hit the nail on the head for Italian roast coffee. The rich and robust coffee is pretty much what you would expect from a regular illy offering. Illy K cups are a great option for enjoying robust coffee from your single-serve machine.
The intense aroma will remind you of toasted bread, while the taste notes of dark chocolate present a nice rounding touch to the flavor. Illy K cup coffee for these pods is certified Kosher.
Highlights
- K cup coffee
- Excellent blend and roast
- Lovely aroma and taste notes of dark chocolate
- Certified Orthodox Union Kosher
6. Victor Allen Italian Roast for K-Cup Keurig 2.0 Brewers
The goodness of Italian roast and its bold flavor at a carefully set price point make these Victor Allen K cups very desirable. They have every bit of the convenience we expect for a K cup to deliver. Additionally, these cups add good Italian roast coffee to present a robust and enjoyable flavor.
I’d say these cups fare better than the more well-known Barista Prima Italian roast coffee. The coffee is certified Kosher and makes an enjoyable brew.
Highlights
- K cup coffee
- Excellent blend and roast
- Certified Orthodox Union Kosher
- Good value for money
7. Coffee Bean Direct Italian Roast Espresso, Whole Bean Coffee
A well-known brand for gourmet coffee, Coffee Bean Direct puts this Italian roast in a very remarkable taste and flavor profile. The blend is made from beans sourced from all over the world. Contributing regions include India, Africa, Central America and South America. The notable taste notes here are smoky with cocoa and a hint of molasses.
This whole bean coffee has medium acidity with a full body. It is best suited for espresso, but this versatile and masterful blend can be used for other coffee makers as well.
Highlights
- Whole bean coffee
- Coffee beans sourced from Central America, South America, Africa, and India
- Taste notes: smoky, cocoa, molasses
8. Starbucks Italian Roast Dark Roast Ground Coffee
Starbucks Italian Roast Dark Roast Ground Coffee comes with a scooter printed on the package. Get it? Because it’s Italian. The taste notes here are roasty and sweet, thanks to the dark roast and notes of caramelized sugar in the beans.
This roast is slightly darker than the company’s espresso roast. According to Starbucks this will enable you to enjoy the taste of your favorite Starbucks coffee right in the comfort of your home. Well, I’ll probably keep the taste of Starbucks limited to its coffee shops. The coffee is very average and doesn’t quite seem worthy of purchase. Especially since there are plenty of better tasting options
Highlights
- Ground coffee
- Taste notes of caramelized sugar
- Average taste and aroma, unremarkable flavor
What Is Italian Roast Coffee?
Now here’s the million dollar question, what is Italian roast coffee? There is no standardization of the term, so seeing the label on a medium roast is as likely as seeing it on a very dark roast. And that is something of a problem.
However, most people agree towards a standard outlook for Italian roast. It is accepted as a very dark roast practically sitting at the edge of the coffee spectrum. An Italian roast is achieved by roasting coffee for a long time at a high temperature. It requires skill and care because going beyond this level means the beans start getting burnt. And that’s a surefire way of ruining the flavor.
For an Italian roast, the coffee beans are roasted at 473 °F. Due to this process, the beans take on a very dark color and are completely coated with oil. Essentially, the coffee beans get a dark sheen due to the combination of these factors.
French Roast VS Italian Roast
Here are two popular dark roasts with a thin line separating them. For most users, unless they’re looking for an espresso, the search ends at the French roast. However, those who go beyond this roast will find the Italian roast.
In a comparison of French roast vs Italian roast, the subjective element cannot be ignored. It would be superficial to declare one of these roasts above the other. However, there is a characteristic where we can make a distinction, and this happens to be entirely physical.
Italian roast beans are subjected to a higher temperature and duration of roasting. Both of these beans are dark and are coated in oil. Often, the French roast will bring a roasted flavor to the coffee.
The Italian roast is darker and oilier than the French roast. If you had both these roasts at hand, you’ld be clearly be able to tell the difference simply on basis of the color and sheen of the bean.
The Bottom Line
An Italian roast coffee is dark and robust. This very dark roast goes to the very end of the coffee producing spectrum. Coffee beans here are very dark and covered in oil. Coffee made with this roast is likely to have a full body.