5. Luigi Bezzerra gave the world its caffeine fix
Prior to 1901, espresso was brewed in large quantities which were retained in urns, rather than fresh individual servings. That year a Milanese entrepreneur and coffee lover developed and patented the worlds’ first single serving espresso machine, which was installed in a coffee bar in Milan and which became an immediate success. The machine both produced a single serving of espresso quickly (less than 30 seconds) and removed the danger of scalding which baristas had faced whenever they brewed a batch of the beverage. Although an acquired taste, there is little doubt that the widespread popularity of espresso owes itself to the unknown Bezzerra.