The Case for the Africano: Why Not Name It After Its Roots?

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Is it an Africano or an Americano?
Photo: Pexels Photo by Bianca Gasparoto

In a small coffee shop tucked away in the Southern Peninsula of Cape Town, something curious is happening—an “Americano” is being served under a different name: Africano. This change of name sparked curiosity when I mentioned it on a late-night radio show recently. The host and listeners alike were unfamiliar with the term, prompting me to dig deeper into its origin and make the case for why it deserves a place in our coffee culture.

Let’s start by looking at the history of coffee itself. The story of coffee began over 1,500 years ago in Ethiopia, where legend has it that a goat herder named Kaldi discovered coffee beans after noticing how energetic his goats became after eating them. From Ethiopia, coffee spread through the Middle East, eventually finding its way to Europe and the Americas. Today, Africa continues to be one of the major coffee-growing regions, with countries like Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania producing some of the finest coffee beans in the world.

Now, why should we be calling this drink an Americano when the beans being used come from African soil? The Americano itself originated during World War II, when American soldiers in Italy added water to espresso shots to mimic the drip coffee they were accustomed to back home. Hence, the name makes sense for a watered-down espresso. But when you’re drinking coffee made from African beans, isn’t it more fitting to call it an Africano?

Imagine walking into a coffee shop and ordering an Africano, knowing that your brew was made from the finest Ethiopian or Rwandan beans. It brings coffee’s history full circle and celebrates its African origins. After all, when the beans come from South American countries, calling it an Americano makes sense. But for those rich, earthy beans hailing from the African continent, perhaps it’s time to embrace the name Africano.

Interestingly, a café in San Francisco, Café Trist, already sells an Africano, although theirs is a variation more akin to a Cortado than an Americano. But it highlights that the name is gaining some traction, and there’s room for interpretation. In South Africa, where our coffee culture is vibrant and growing, we could easily make the Africano our own—a celebration of African beans, African soil, and African heritage.

So next time you order a double espresso, ask yourself: where do these beans come from? If the answer is Africa, perhaps it’s time to order an Africano.