Affogato · ah-foh-GAH-toh

Affogato — Italian for "drowned" — is one of the simplest things on a café menu and one of the most reliable. A scoop of cold gelato or ice cream is placed in a glass and a fresh espresso shot is poured directly over it, melting the cream into a hot-and-cold espresso float. It works as either a dessert or an afternoon pick-me-up and is best at shops that take both their espresso and their gelato seriously.