La Marzocco is an Italian company founded in 1927 by Giuseppe and Bruno Bambi in Scarperia, Florence. It specializes in high-end espresso machines. The company was named after the Marzocco, Florence’s lion symbol. In 1939, Giuseppe Bambi patented the first espresso machine with a horizontal boiler, making the workflow more ergonomic. The Second World War halted production. After the war, the horizontal boiler design became the industry standard.
Today, La Marzocco remains an icon of quality and one of Italy’s last independent, family-run manufactures. All La Marzocco machines are hand-built by skilled craftsmen at their Scarperia factory. Their first machine, the Fiorenza, was commissioned by a customer. This success established Officina Fratelli Bambi to produce their designs under the La Marzocco name.
The company is renowned for exceptional espresso machines that highlight specialty coffee’s nuanced flavors. Their innovative technologies set new standards for temperature stability and shot consistency.
Before the introduction of the Mastrena, Starbucks used various espresso machines, including those from La Marzocco.