've been to Italy, to the south even, and this much is true: Italians dig their espressos and their gelato. It's not bullshit posturing; they take their beans and cream seriously (as should you). The unassuming Calabria Coffee Bar has the requisite (I want to prefix the next word with "faux," but that's not quite right) Italian statue décor. The menu is fittingly light and the air is unassuming, clean, and vaguely exotic. Calabria is a well-suited for morning-scowl paper reading, caffeine-stoned frenetic conversation, or pensive gelato lip licking. - S.T.