Italian Espresso Review
Naples' most celebrated espresso brand — dark, bold, and uncompromising. The coffee that powers southern Italy's coffee bars, now in your kitchen.
Kimbo delivers authentic Neapolitan espresso character that Lavazza simply doesn't replicate. If you want the real southern Italian experience — bold, dark, intense — Top Flavour is the one to buy.
Kimbo was founded in Naples in 1963 by the Rubino family. Naples has its own distinct espresso culture — darker roasts, shorter extractions, thicker crema, and an intensity that northern Italian brands like Lavazza don't replicate. Kimbo is the largest exponent of this tradition outside of Italy.
In the UK, Kimbo is stocked by Italian delis, selected restaurants, and online via Amazon. It's less visible on supermarket shelves than Lavazza, which has made it something of an "insider's" choice for Italian coffee fans who know what they're looking for.
Top Flavour as a 30ml espresso on a pump machine: dense dark crema, intense and bold — dark chocolate and a hint of walnut. Bitter in a deliberate, structured way. This is exactly what you'd get at a Neapolitan coffee bar.
Extra Cream in a cappuccino: the crema is exceptional — it holds shape and colour even after frothed milk is added. The espresso base is bold enough to punch through 150ml of milk. Genuinely one of the best cappuccino bases at this price.
Kimbo
Kimbo's flagship blend. Dark, bold, Neapolitan espresso style — 100% Arabica with a rich, full body and dark chocolate notes. The authentic southern Italian espresso experience.
Kimbo
Thick, persistent crema designed for milk-based drinks. Blended for espresso machine extraction — works brilliantly as a flat white or cappuccino base.
Kimbo
The premium Kimbo offering — named after the ancient city near Naples. Smoother and more Arabica-forward than Top Flavour, with a more nuanced flavour profile.
Kimbo and Lavazza are Italy's two most widely available espresso brands in the UK, but they represent different regional traditions. Lavazza is Turin (northern Italy) — smoother, lighter, more Arabica. Kimbo is Naples (southern Italy) — darker, more intense, higher Robusta content. Neither is objectively better; it depends on your style. For a bold, traditional Neapolitan espresso, Kimbo. For a cleaner, more balanced espresso, Lavazza Super Crema.
Kimbo Extra Cream is their espresso blend specifically formulated for thick, persistent crema. It uses a higher proportion of Robusta beans (which produce more crema than Arabica) roasted to a medium-dark level. The result is a dense crema and strong, full-bodied espresso — ideal for flat whites and cappuccinos where the espresso needs to hold its own against a lot of milk.
Kimbo is available on Amazon UK, at Italian delicatessens, and through specialist coffee retailers. It's less widely stocked in mainstream supermarkets than Lavazza, but Amazon typically stocks the full range including whole bean, ground, and pods at competitive prices.
Top Flavour for straight espresso. Extra Cream if you make lattes and cappuccinos.
Check Kimbo on Amazon UK