Father and son have revolutionized the family bar in Aprilia in the 60s (roasting, specialty, Turkish coffee and even cooking)

From the old family bar to the new venue

It all began in the 1960s, when Italian-style cafés began to pop up everywhere. Emanuele Tomassi, Andrè's father, opened his own business and ran it without major upheavals until 2009, the year he and his family moved to Denmark, where he discovered a different coffee culture. He roasted his own coffee, and in 2013 he decided to use only specialty coffee, which he then sold under the Tomassi Coffee brand. A few years later, his son, too, began to immerse himself in the world of beans, coffee, and competitions from a young age. It was only since Covid that the union of the two generations has brought more radical changes to Caos.

Caos Caffè in Aprilia: the Tomassi family's bar, coffee roasting shop, and kitchen.

Now, after a brief closure in July, the business (which has remained more or less in the same location, within a 60-meter radius) has reopened with a complete overhaul. The old Italian-style counter has given way to a low bar featuring a large Marzocco, plus a station for making coffee. Coffee can be enjoyed either on the wooden steps in front of the establishment or at one of the tables. The coffee sold is still Tomassi, roasted in-house in a nearby utility room (the roasting facility is not inside the café, but nearby), and you can choose from a variety of brewing methods: Espresso, Cold Brew, filter, Espresso Tonic, Flash Brew, and even Ibrik, Turkish coffee made in a pot.

Canned drinks, matcha lattes, golden milks, and cocktails

The latter is only served until 3 pm, when the cafeteria gradually gives way to the bar. "The idea of ​​making Turkish coffee came almost as a joke. In reality, it's a method that requires a lot of attention and time," explains Andrè, and it's certainly a unique feature of the place. Among the complementary drinks are some homemade ones available for purchase in cans, but we also have hot chocolate, golden milk, matcha latte, and chai latte. We also make flavored waters in-house, with kombuchas sourced from the Roman brewery La Verve. In the evening, cocktails are served, including variations on the spritz or gin and tonic, great classics of mixed drinks, and a selection for all tastes.

What to eat at Caos Caffè in Aprilia

So let's get to the food, which has also changed. From a classic quick-service pasta dish with a second course, we've moved on to a homemade offering. "Now we only buy the ingredients and bread," which comes from Viviana Falciano's nearby Vivi Bakery (we wrote about it here), "whereas in previous years we also used some semi-finished products. Now we make everything ourselves; we have our own pastry chef. We've brought everything up to the quality of coffee." This also includes leavened and puff pastry products for breakfast, as well as waffles (even with fruit), cookies, banana bread, and plum cake.

Savoury dishes for aperitifs, snacks and lunch

Breakfast and lunch are obviously savory. There are scrambled eggs, avocado toast, a savory New York roll, and hot dishes of the day, including pasta and quinoa. From afternoon snack to aperitivo, there's a snack menu (€3-4) and platters (between €11 and €20 for a meal for two), where we find some of the menu's recipes in mini versions. For those with a moderate appetite, the snack menu features some truly delicious treats: toasted almonds, hazelnuts, and seeds with butter, lemon, and rosemary; savory croissants with butter, parmesan, pepper, and coffee-infused salt; and toasted brioche cubes.