Corso Matteotti is Sanremo's pedestrian high street, and it is lined with cafes that open early and stay open late. The Italian ritual of the morning espresso is observed seriously here: standing at the bar, coffee gone in two sips, then out. The caffè corretto (espresso with a measure of grappa or sambuca) is more common than in Rome or Milan — a northern Ligurian habit.
For a longer sit, look for a table outside in the late afternoon when the shade makes the street pleasant. Most cafes on the corso also serve aperitivi — a Campari soda or Aperol spritz with a small plate of stuzzichini (snacks) — which is the standard way to fill the gap between beach and dinner. Prices are reasonable; nobody charges tourist rates just because you are sitting down.