Bars & cafes – All our local tips

433 Next Bar got its name from the owners’ passion for football and particularly for Czech manager Zdenek Zeman. Mister Zeman became very famous in Italy for his struggle against doping and against the view of football like a business and not like a sport. He’s famous particularly in Rome because he was S.S. Lazio’s coach for three seasons, and A.S. Roma’s for two seasons after that during the second part of 90’s.

Zeman is also famous for his line-up because he’s a fundamentalist of “433″, which is a very aggressive and brave line-up in football, and it can be considered as a way of life.

Starting from the line-up,here you are the restaurant/bar that was inaugurated last spring, with Zeman present as well. The “433 Next Bar” is located in the heart of the famous “triangolo delle bevute” in Via del Governo Vecchio, which has always been a destination for Roman paused and walking, passing foreigners and those seeking the right places in the streets of city center.

Furnishing and design are modern, following the latest international trends. The menu is a mix of Italian cooking and Mediterranean creativity. They have excellent appetizers, and some gems for connoisseurs like the carpaccio of duck, ham of lamb or amatriciana made with fish. There is also a good wine list and really good desserts. Reservation is required.

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433 next bar | Bars, Snacks, Restaurants (Italian) | Meal in bar € 10.00
Via Del Governo Vecchio 123 | City center | +390668308796
Mon – Wed 11:30 – 00:00, Thu – Sat 11:30 – 02:00, Sun 11:30 – 01:00

The bar has been open for a year or two and already it has a large crowd that goes there. One cold Sunday afternoon I was here with a friend and we decided to go into the bar before continuing our walk, which I have been several times before. Since I was craving for hot chocolate we ordered two.

The snack bar is pretty spacious and has several tables on the patio in front as well, and I was pleasantly surprised to find a real dense hot chocolate served with some cookies.

My friend had his hot chocolate with whipped cream but I skipped the whipped cream. It was still one of the best hot chocolates I have ever tasted. It’s one of those you can actually eat with a spoon.

Since it is close to my area I go there often during the winter for a hot chocolate but they also have great cappuccinos. It is a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon outside the house.

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Abate Bar | Bars, Snacks | Hot Chocolate € 1.50
Via di Grottarossa 20 | Cassia & Montemario | +390633261552
07:00 – 21:00 daily

This winebar/bistro exists since 1895, so it is part of History. It is a tippler meeting point, a bohemian environment where youngsters and oldies who behave as teenagers meet for a drink or two or more.

But the reason why I come here, either for a drink or a bite, is because the host always welcomes me with a smile, his staff is pleasant and easily at your disposal. This is not common in typically Roman bars downtown.

Once, a friend of mine ordered a salad and she found it too salty and not exactly how she expected it to be, and the host did not include her salad in our bill. This is even less common to happen in Rome. Usually the attitude is: “You didn’t like it? Tough luck”.

The choice of wines is quite good and the food is simple and homemade-style. It is silent and comfortable, feels like home. The façade is stunning: it is covered with ivy, very attractive. It deserves a picture.

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Ai Tre Scalini | Bars, Restaurants (Mediterranean/Italian) | Average meal € 13.50
Via Panisperna 251 | City center | +390648907495
Mon – Fri 12:00 – 01:00, Sat – Sun 18:00 – 01:00

If you’re a clubber and you want to meet young Romans, this is the place to be: in fact this historical club in Testaccio is always overcrowded by people from 18 till 30 years old.

Once you are inside, you have 2 rooms and a covered garden to decide where to dance: in the garden in the ground floor there’s house music, in the upper floor commercial and happy music and in the lower floor r’n'b and hip hop.

The covered garden at the entrance is perfect for smoking people who like warm nights and hotter evenings. The lower floor is a cave, with simple furniture evoking the typical stones and earthenware fragments typically found in Monte Testaccio, enriched by innovative and elegant vip lounges. Last but not the least, the upper floor has new styles in concept design and keeps a minimal atmosphere all around.

In 2006 the club was restyled and enlarged with the garden, that allows to the club to switch from disco-bar to dance club or art space in the blink of an eye.

Akab’s strength is to have an eclectic style and to change program every week, while every year it changes settings and trends to always be avant-garde with other clubs of Rome.

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Akab | Bars, Music | Entrance ladies free, boys € 15.00
Via di Monte Testaccio 69 | Testaccio & Ostiense | +390657250585
Wed – Sun from 22:00

On the premises of a former grocery shop, the Grammelot is a real jewel. Located in the Monteverde area, the hill that overlook Trastevere, a short walk away from the Gianicolo terrace (probably the best view spot – and among the most romantic! – at night), it’s one of the few option in the area.

It’s a wine bar, so wine & food tasting are the big business. Ma jazz is in Teodoro’s(the owner) heart, so jazz music is played every now and then. You will be amazed by finding out that the Grammelot is favourite of many famous musicians and singers…

On thursday evenings, from 19.30, jazz aperitivo are served: have your choice of oysters, cheese or cured meat with a prosecco or any other quality wine from the wide list, and enjoy the laid back atmosphere. Plenty of usual customers will welcome new guests and make them feel at their ease.

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Al Grammelot | Bars | Aperitivo from € 8.00
Via Giacinto Carini, 39 | Trastevere | +39065809166
Mon – Sat 11:30 – 02:00, Sun 17:00 – 01:00

One of my favorite spots for sipping a glass together with a friend, or a couple of them, thanks to the nice atmosphere in this place. Its coziness is perfect for laughing and gossiping with no guilt!

The two room consists mostly of tables for two, though larger parties do come here, and the ambiance is expressed by candle light and soft vintage jazz in the background. There is a good, and original, selection of appetizers, such as bruschette topped with lard and honey.

Al Vino, Al Vino reminds of a traditional “osteria”: nicely furnished in oak with wine bottles displayed on the rafters along the walls and high above the drinkers’ heads. Giacomo, owner and manager, is always there, entertaining clients with his friendly manners and making sure your stay – and your “wine experience” run smoothly!

Wine and spirits selections are among the best in town for quality and attention to variety, Giacomo himself being very attentive to local, regional and national labels.

The drinks may be accompanied by a tasty cheese platter and cold cuts from different regions but, should you feel like having something more “filling”, you can always check what’s on the menu. It’s not an extensive menu, but a ” plate of the day” and a few more options that will do.

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Al vino, al vino | Bars, Snacks | Glass of wine from € 4.00
Via dei Serpenti 19 | City center | +3906485803
19:00 – 02:00 daily

This is a new place in Ponte Milvio, and with its innovative design and a staff committed to customer service, you can only have but a good experience, even if the place is pretty small.

It is open in the morning so you can enjoy coffee, then at around noon, you will notice young professionals and students for a quick lunch break. But the real beauty of this place is during the evening for happy hour time and later, since it is open until 02:00.

I like to go a little early, maybe around 20:00 on Wednesdays to break from the week routine and enjoy some couscous with my Cuba libre or a good glass of red wine.

In fact Wednesdays is the evening in which it receives more clientele, so you do not have to wait for the weekend to enjoy this place, and the area is not as crowded as in the weekends.

A wonderful thing about this place is that if you are an early riser, they are open at 6:00 A.M and you can enjoy a morning coffee and croissant and the silence before the chaos!

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Amoroma | Bars | Pink lady cocktail € 5.00
Ponte Milvio 5 | Parioli & Flaminio | +390697274015
Mon – Sat 06:00 – 02:00

The “Bali Bar and Restaurant” is located in the heart of Trastevere. It’s an ethnic spot with a cocktail bar and a restaurant cooking South-East Asian food. The first thing that strikes you is the wooden furniture, bamboo paper, cushions, sofas, rugs, furniture, drawings and paintings that echo the East.

Once you sit, you tease the palate by many choices of tea, herbal tea and Ayurveda, sushi, sashimi: the ethnic cuisine is a very good alternative to a classic Italian dinner.

For lovers of cocktails, the menu offers a wide range: from the traditional crushed to original cocktails fruit cocktails with fresh tropical fruits.

The restaurant also has a room for smokers.

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Bali Bar | Bars, Coffee & tea, Restaurants (South East Asia) | Full meal € 30.00
Via del Mattonato 29 | Trastevere | +39065896089
Restaurant Tue – Sun 20:00 – 23:00 | Bar 21:30 – 02:00 daily

Bar Ambassador when looked at from the outside is just another corner bar. But it is always packed because of the office building next to it. One of the baristas is very creative with what he whips up.

And since I work in the office building next to it, I also take advantage of the fact that they deliver. My favorite breakfast item is the decadent NutellCoffee, which is Nutella at the bottom, coffee, and whipped cream on top sprinkled with powdered cocoa, and even though I am not a fan of whipped cream, once all is stirred I can barely taste the whipped cream and I just enjoy the drink.

The NutellCoffee is a drink to start the work week or to end it in the sweetest way.

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Bar Ambassador | Bars, Snacks | NutellCoffee € 1.00
Via Fabbroni 1 | Cassia & Montemario | +39063295884
06:00 – 22:00 daily

Fabiola runs it. She is one of the most adorable people in this old Roman neighborhood.

Why not buy an Italian book to take back home as a cultural souvenir?

At the bar counter, the list of wines by the glass is not much of a great variety I must admit, but they are good at least. The food is homemade: cous cous, vegetable quiches and pies, tarts and little pizzas, sandwiches mostly vegetarian and many other snacks including cakes at times.

People who hang out here are mostly intellectual-radical type of individuals. The furniture is totally random, although I believe it has been chosen with a method that looks like not being one. It is vintage like the neighborhood. Post World War II kind of design, just like most of the buildings that have been either rebuilt or restored after the neighborhood was completely shelled by US aircrafts during the harshest conflict. Now, it is considered one of the trendy-bohemian areas in town.

If you want to do as the Romans do, this is one of the real Roman places to pick.

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Bar-à-book | Bars, Shopping, Snacks | Drink including buffet food € 10.00
via dei Piceni 23 | S.Lorenzo & Pigneto | +390696043014
Tue – Sun 16:00 – 01:30 | Oct – May: Brunch on Sun 12:00 – 16:00

How lovely is to sit outiside and sip your favourite drink?

Located in Piazza Mattei, a.k.a. “Turtles’ Square” (thanks to that little gem that is the marble fountain at the centre of the square) this tiny bar is an eclectic, rather eccentric baroque-style bar. The owner seem sto have collected any object he likes (or he wants to get rid of?). Anyway, the results is a cosy, welcoming mix of bold colours, ornate ceilings and furniture, rich fabrics and leather stools that get taken pretty quickly.

From pre-dinner drinks to late night fun, Bartaruga always offer an option, and both local folks and tourists seem to appreciated it.

When the music starts beating and the night goes on local celebs, media types and – occasionally – some models hit the ground. There’s even a piano, should you want to get your 5 minutes of fame J…

It is advisable to get in the bar early so that you find a good spot to view the late-night action. If the weather allow you so, grab a chair and you glass and move outside on the square for some people-watching…

*The name, Bartaruga, is a funny mix between “bar” and “tartaruga”, Italian for turtle.

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Bartaruga | Bars, Music | Wine from € 8.00
Piazza Mattei 8 | City center | +39066892299
18:00 – 03:00, closed on Wed (may vary according to season, check with the bar)

This spot is a little gem of the house of blues in the Trastevere area where you can eat and drink as you listen to a Blues concert. The place is relatively small and therefore you have to call in advance if you want to reserve a table to sit at. But the cool thing about the place is that you feel that you are part of the group that is playing.

One of the first times that I went to listen to a Blues group, it was the “Blues Stuff” a group from Naples and some of their songs can be very entertaining, but the bar has other groups and singers that go there such as Andy Summers, Scott Henderson or Chad Wakerman.

I like Big Mama because of its small size. The groups or singer usually gets the crowd involved making it a more fun and interesting experience.

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Big Mama | Bars, Music | Membership Entrance € 10,00
Vicolo di San Francesco a Ripa 18 | Trastevere | +39065812551
21:00 – 01:30 daily

If you are VIP hunter, this is definitely where you want to go!

This cool club is one of the most fashionable in Rome and you can meet some actors or showbiz people every night. The coolest parties are on Monday night: in fact the so called “Bloomonday” is a must for Rome’s clubber, and you can spend all night long dancing surrounded by beautiful models or football players.

It’s not rare to meet AS Roma players, particularly if they won their last match and they don’t have an upcoming Champions League match. If you are very very lucky you can also meet the captain of the team and so called “Eighth King of Rome”, Francesco Totti.

There are cool nights also Friday and Saturday night, because the music is always good and once you are inside, you are captured by the suggestive furniture created by Philip Stark, a mix of oriental chic style and high tech environments.

Anyhow before you decide to go clubbing here, remember the motto of the club: “Dress to impress!!!”

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Bloom | Bars, Music | Drink from € 10.00
Via del Teatro Pace 30 | City center | +390668802029
Wed – Mon 23:30 – 05:00, Closed from June till September

If your heading to/from the Pantheon, do not miss a stop in the amazing Piazza di Pietra, so close by.

Apart from the massive 11 columns from the Hadrian’s Temple that – as a caring parent – overlooks the square, there’s another reason to take a break: Boccone, one of the best take-a-way options in town.

Panini (rich sandwiches) from the menu (which features unusual combinations of both Italian and international flavors and tastes) or as you like, from the vast selection of deli ingredients on display, that range from buffalo mozzarella to fresh salmon and tuna, cherry tomatoes, cicory salad, grilled eggplant to sun-dried tomatoes and spicy cheese. Different types of bread, extra virgin olive oil and all the simpaty of the staff will make your sandwich a real treat!

My favourite: “Roma”, “Palermo” and “Scilla”….uhhmmm, yummy!

P.S. Boccone also has selected beers and cold drinks, salads, fresh fruit and soups (in the cold season)
P.S. 2 No tables, but you can sit on the bench outside the shop!

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Boccone | Bars, Snacks | Sandwich (small) from € 4.00
Piazza di Pietra | City center
10:00 – 19:30 daily

There was a time when bookstores and cafè had nothing to do with each other. In more recent times, though, they have come to gather into the same location, and to alter the meaning of “bookstore” and “cafè”. It’s the new generation of Book-a-Bar: more than just a cafè, something different from usual bookstores.

Usually, they enjoy great locations, self standing or within a museum compounds.

Here you find my favorite ones:

BOOKA’BAR – Via Milano, 15/17 (within the Palazzo delle Esposizioni building): design interiors, ultramodern feeling, open courtyard (well, wait for warmer days!) adn a free wifi connection. She annex shop has mostly art, architecture, design, photo books and objects.

LETTERE CAFFE‘ – Via S.Francesco a Ripa 100/101 (Trastevere): cozy and relaxed during the day, the place warm up in the evening, with poetry and comedy slam hold on mon and tue nights. The rest of the week is on music

FLEXI - Via Clementina 9 (Monti): started as a cultural association, offer more than just book and drinks, as the offer range from book presentations, language exchange and courses, theatre labs, and much more.

CAFFE’ BOHEMIEN – Via degli Zingari 36 (Monti): shabby-chic chandeliers, and other touches of early ‘900 g

ive it a very bohemian vibe you will love to immerse into. The location is great, in the lovely area of Monti.

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BookABar | Art & culture, Bars, Coffee & tea, Music | Drinks from € 3.50
Via Milano, 15/17 | City center
12:00 – 01:00 daily

It’s in the trendy jet set drinking triangle, where the Vip like going. Maybe a little too posh at nighttime, off limits on a Saturday night, too crowded. The personnel is not one of the most courteous, but I like the croissants they prepare for breakfast.

It’s like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hide: during the day it’s simply the neighborhood’s café and at night it’s where the paparazzi pop out in search of actresses and celebrities sipping their drink. It’s located in an area where you can be picked up and hit on by typical Roman “roosters” walking in groups, charming young Casanovas hitting their night away after single women. A perfect place for a sexual anthropologist to sit and observe behaviors and trends. But there are also people like me that, after one or two drinks, like touring the boutiques around the side streets.

Night shopping is fun because when you are a little tipsy you push it a little. And after all, shopping, rather than drinking, is an investment.

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Caffè della Pace | Bars | Drinks from € 7.00
Via della Pace 3/7 | City center | +39066861216
Mon 13:00 – 02:00, Tue – Sun 09:00 – 02:00

It overlooks piazzale Belle Arti where the Museum of Modern Art is, opposite Villa Borghese.

The cook is German, and this may make you laugh because Germans aren’t usually well-known as being good chefs. But this one, is probably married to an Italian lady or knows what the Italian palate is familiar with. Last time, I went there with my mother, I had a delicious provola cheese and champagne risotto as my first course. She took a risotto with asparagus and mollusks.

Then, we both went on with Rombo fish as a second course and potatoes and porcini mushrooms as a sidedish. Our lunch started at 13:00 and at 15:00 we were still half way.

The Italian siesta is particularly long on non-working days. So, we thought we could go on at least to half past three and pick a cherry-marmelade homemade pie to pave our way out from gastronomic Paradise towards relaxing Villa Borghese for a rest in the park.

By the way, you may happen to sit next to a TV or movie celebrity.

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Caffè delle Arti | Bars, Restaurants (Mediterranean) | Fish meal € 50.00
Via Gramsci 73 | Parioli & Flaminio | +390632651236
Sun – Mon 12:30 -15:00, Tue – Sat 12:30 – 15:00 & 19:30 – 23:30

My friend experts of the popular cocktail Mojito say this is the place where to have one. Ivano, who runs the place, is an amiable middle-aged man, easy going yet very professional.

The place is small and cozy. Do not go in groups. It is not the right place for herds of people. It is a bar for locals, nice and quiet, where you can easily have a chat with Ivano and the people who usually come here after work or after dinner. Feels like one’s home den.

Indoors and outdoors. Few tables as I said. Not crowded, not rowdy, not posh. If you sit outdoors speak softly please, people live in the apartments above the bar.

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Caffè Parione | Bars | Average drink € 5.00
via della Pace 40 | City center
Tue – Sun 18:00 – 02:00

This is just another coffee bar at the next corner, but the modern design makes the experience of tasting their coffee worth it.

This coffee spot continues to re-invent itself and in fact the last few evenings that I went there I swapped my coffee for a glass of red wine! Now they are also a wine bar.

People that that live or work in the area, go and have their breakfast here with a cup of coffee and maybe a freshly baked croissant before heading off to work.

I like to go there at mid-morning and chat around with a friend sipping a cappuccino and indulge in a chocolate or cream filled croissant. And now they expanded with a small patio outdoors with tables with umbrellas to protect you from the hot sun, but it is so refreshing to have a mid-afternoon cold iced tea!

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Caffe’ 901 | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Peach Iced Tea € 1.20
901 Via Cassia | Cassia & Montemario | +390633260000
Mon – Sat 10:00 – 20:00

When I crave for Aunt Jemima’s pancakes I come to this delicatessen top class supermarket. If you get home sick and you miss your favorite food, this store sells everything from all over the world.

I usually go to the US department where I find the best maple syrup, creamy and crunchy peanut butter, condensed Carnation milk, Betty Crocker chocolate fudge brownie and super moist golden vanilla mix, cookies, cashew nuts, Heinz Ketchup, corn tortillas and other special and exotic treats coming from all the continents, such as Indian rices, curry, spices, Himalayan, pink Australian or green Japanese salts, German sausages, Austrian goulash, you name it they have it.

The Italian section is rich of specialities from each region of the peninsula. From aromatized basil, rosemary, red hot pepper oils to different kinds of balsamic vinegar matured in wooden barrels, starting from €3 upto €250 depending on how many times it has been decanted. From wines to sauces, from jams to jar food, tuna, gherkins, dried tomatoes are my favorites.

There is also a biological section that I like and a candy department I’m in love with, where one can find the best chocolate on the market. I don’t drink coffee but I appreciate the aroma. On sale here only excellent Italian coffee in grains or ground.

The pasta wins over everything. You can find the best Italian brands form each region, just to mention a few: Tuscany’s Martelli, Veneto’s Cipriani, Marche’s Latini, Campania’s Gragnano, Puglia’s Benedetto Cavalieri.

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Castroni | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Balsamic vinegar € 3.00
via Cola di Rienzo 196 | Vatican & Prati | +39066874383
Mon – Sat 08:00 – 20:00

When I invited my friend Brigida out to dinner, who is a classy lady with extremely good taste and is used to eating well, I was happy not to disappoint her. Rather, she liked the food and appreciated the atmosphere, as it is also well equipped with design furniture. As to say, two senses are satisfied: sight and taste.

I had a risotto with mushrooms and melt cheese, plus fresh crispy grilled vegetables and mozzarella. My friend had fish, a delicious sea bass with vegetables as a side dish. Pinot grigio to drink, an Italian gelato to end our girly chit-chat.

This place is one of the few that makes pizza also at lunchtime. Another good thing is that it is always open, non-stop, no siesta between the usual lunchtime and dinner time. So, if for instance you get hungry at 16:00 you know where to come.

The chef is young and clever. The owners are affable. And the service is excellent: my friend accidentally dropped her knife which fell on the floor, she bent to pick it up and when she stood up again the waiter had already put a clean knife back on the table. Amazing!

I also often have an aperitif with my dear friend Tariq who is a connoisseur of pizza. He loves it here.

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Cotto | Bars, Restaurants (Mediterranean) | Meal € 30.00
Via Torino 124 | City center | +390683511947
12:00 – 23:30 daily, happy hour 16:00 – 19:30 daily

Coyote, this is a club located in the Testaccio area, the ambiance is very detailed and informal at the same time and the atmosphere gives an idea of being on an eternal vacation, as the enormous balcony faces the Monte dei Cocci and you can enjoy the view of Rome by night. You will find a wide range of people from their 20’s to their 40’s.

The club has an open space during the summer months and it is closed during the winter months but you can still go in the area as it has something to cover the roof. It has two internal rooms and a patio that goes all around the club. Once you go in, you can enjoy a drink or two in their patio. They have a vast menu of drinks, and during summer your drinks will be served with a bowl of fresh fruit such as pieces of melon, watermelon and chunks of pineapple. Yummy!

I like to go a little early and sit on the patio and sip a Bellini, before they move all the tables to create a dance floor, as this is one of favorite drinks but sometimes especially during those warmer months I switch to a refreshing mojito. Then I like to hit the dance floor inside, and dance till dawn. Coyote plays a mix of music mainly pop, hip-hop and disco music and on Sundays they play only house music.

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Coyote | Bars, Music | Mojto € 6.00
Via di Monte Testaccio 48B | Testaccio & Ostiense | +393394639667
23:00 – 05:00 daily

This bar created in 1972 is an important hub for people who wanna enjoy the roman nightlife: because of his central position between Piazza Navona and Campo de’ Fiori, Cuccagna Pub is the ideal place where meeting up with your friends, getting a drink and deciding where to spend the rest of the night.

Here you can find several kinds of people, from tourists who look for Italian people to American students or simply Roman people who love to go in the heart of their city.

After you got in and you choose your cocktail from a list of 120, it’s very funny to watch how your drink is prepared by the acrobatic barmen. Then go outside to enjoy it with other clients, while around you the Romans walk from Piazza Navona to Campo de’Fiori or viceversa.

If you go here on a Tuesday night, you must know that there is always “Erasmus night” and the bar and the streets around are completely overcrowded by students from every part of the world, particularly Spanish and American people: the ideal place to meet several cultures in few square metres!

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Cuccagna Pub | Bars | Cocktails € 4.00
Via della Cuccagna 17/18 | City center | +39066874848
Mon – Sat 22:00 – 02:00

It is like being in France. One of the best places for a tasty, inexpensive bite.

The wines are superb. 1500 wines, grappas and brandies, spumantes and champagnes, from basic red or whites to exclusive costly aged luxurious bottles of Italian and international wine.

On an ordinary day you may like to order, as I do, a Greek salad or a variety of cheeses. Or other tasty dishes like smoked salmon, or the lasagna, or the vine leaves rolled up and stuffed with meat. To tell you the truth, everything on the menu is extremely good.

Outdoors is quite nice, although the tables are too close to one another, there’s very little privacy. Indoors as well, the space is quite limited, so it could be suffocating for the tall and chubby ones. It is also difficult for me at times to fit in, as there is very little space between the bench and the table. No wonder it is called “cul de sac”.

But the waiters, all nice and professional sommeliers, make your night very pleasant, some of them are very charming. It may also occur that a band of gipsy musicians passes by and starts playing typical Eastern European tunes, accompanying your outdoor lunch or dinner with string instruments-violin, viola and cello. They deserve a tip just like the waiters do.

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Cul de Sac | Bars, Restaurants (French/Mediterranean) | Wine from € 5.00
Piazza Pasquino 73 | City center | +390668801094
12:00 – 16:00 & 18:00 – 00:30 daily

To describe this spot I wanna start from its name, Doppio ZerOo, which must be written as I did because it’s a kind of flour used to make the bread. In fact this spot was born as a bakery and then year after year became a polyhedric place opened all the day, where you can have breakfast, lunch buffet, have a tea in the early afternoon, take aperitivo in late afternoon, have dinner or a drink during the night…

Despite the fact that you can go here whenever you want during the day, Doppio ZerOo is very famous for its “aperitivo”, one of the most fashionable in Rome. When you can have so much food that it becomes almost a dinner.

The cost of every drink is 9 euros, so pay attention to what you order, and then you can eat as much as you want from the amazing food that is on the bar: from “pasta fredda” till several kinds of pizza just oven-cooked….and if you see that there’s no more food on the bar don’t worry: in less than one minute an empty plate will be replaced with full plate.

Some tips before you go: first of all, even if the spot has a fashionable and cool furniture, it’s quite small and the biggest table is for 7 people, so it’s better if you aren’t a big group; and then, if you wanna have “aperitivo” during the weekend, I really suggest to go before 6.30 pm or you’ll spend your time outside waiting for a free table!

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Doppio ZerOo | Bars, Snacks | Drinks (aperativo) € 9.00
Via Ostiense 68 | Testaccio & Ostiense | +390657301961
Aperitivo 18:00 – 21:00 & Dinner 21:00 – 23:00 daily

Forget the glamorous Hollywood or the luxurious shopping Rodeo Drive and relax in peaceful and spacious West Coast vineyards like Napa Valley.

Duke’s is a California Bar & Restaurant. It’s in Rome’s snobby-snotty neighborhood. The atmosphere is elegant thus easy-going, and the wines are mostly from California. The food too, especially the thick and juicy beef steaks.

Unluckily you won’t be surrounded by any ranch-type kind of guy, no blond, tall studs and none of the Blondy Barbies you would meet strolling down LA. But whether you are a man or a woman you won’t be disappointed.

It’s a trendy high class place, the clientele is sophisticated, good-looking, well-dressed, the creme of the city. And the waiters are all very polite, professional, handsome, and they always smile. This makes my evening even more pleasant and relaxing. One must please not only the palate, but also the eye!

It is the perfect place for me to be, either for a drink or a bite, during warm and cold seasons: there are also tables outdoors, all year round, in a pebbled-paved garden warmed up by mushroom-shaped gas heaters.

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Duke’s | Bars, Restaurants (Californian) | Meal € 40.00
Viale Parioli 200 | Parioli & Flaminio | +390680662455
Tue – Sat 18:30 – 02:00

A homy atmosphere. It’s not a crowded club, it’s not a busy cafè, it’s not a loud pub, it’s not a noisy bar. I would call it a “living room with kitchen and bookcases”. A sofa, three armchairs and a couple of chairs round three tables, lamps and books on sale make this small, comfy place.

Cozy for a good drink and a calm, warm chat. You can also sit at the counter on a stool for a more casual booze. Breakfast in the morning, snacks at lunchtime, munchies in the evening. The staff is extremely nice and friendly.

I came here with my Facebook friend Federico from Italy’s northwestern Genoa, a beautiful sea front city. We had a glass of Pinot grigio while we enjoyed talking about books, literature, and life in general. I noticed that, compared to other places, the wine glasses are bigger and very well filled up. Together with the drink they served us olives, nuts, chips, and small Italian crispy bagels.

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Emporio alla Pace | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Glass of wine € 4.00
via della Pace 28, | City center | +390668802938
06:00 – 02:00 daily

In the heart of Rome’s ‘drinking triangle’, this exclusive Provence-style wine bar draws its charm from a minimalist, fake shabby-chic (rather elegant!) décor and a palette of drinking and eating options.

Managed by two brothers who, in spite of their young age, are among the most experienced entrepreneurs of cool bars in Rome (sometimes you find them behind the bar), Etabli is a café, a restaurant and a wine bar, all in one.

It’s romantic, warm, and packed with locals (that will leave you with a desire of moving to Italy…..) It is so beautifully decorated, so well done you may have the impression of being in a rather plush living room with comfortable armchairs and sofas, rather than in a bar.
During the winter season, the fireplace is on but don’t worry…during the hot season the old building it is host into guarantee a cooler temperature!

From 19:00 daily aperitivo is served: wines and drinks are accompanied by delicious finger food (buffet-style), to warm you up before dinner.

Unfortunately, being located in the city center, there is no terrace, but its interiors are so nice you won’t regret it. If you wish to dine there, you’d better make a reservation!

P.S. A good place to take a date!

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Etabli | Bars, Coffee & tea, Restaurants (Italian) | Drinks from € 6.00
Vicolo delle Vacche 9/a | City center | +390697616694
Restauramt 12:00 – 15:00 & 19:00 – 00:00 daily, Winebar 18:00 – 02:00 daily

This location is one of the most fascinating of city center. The ideal place for people who love fashion and cool places.

Fluid was created with the aim to show how nature and technology can live together in the same environment; materials and furniture represent this conflict very well: a tree tries go out from the walls, and in the so called “Ice room”, you sit on ice cube sofas, surrounded by last generation plasma TV’s.

The bar opens from late afternoon and at this time you can have a complete “aperitivo” with a great choice of food (like cous-cous, “supplì”, “focaccia” etc…), excellent both for quantity and quality.

To accompany the food, you can choose between wines (which you can get in bottle or in glass) or from the list or cocktails made by the barman. A special mention must be made for “Spritz”, a typical drink from Venice which is very hard to find in Rome.

From around 22:00 the bar becomes a cultural melting pot and the resident DJ entertains people with nu-jazz and deep house music.

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Fluid | Bars, Snacks | Drinks € 8.00
Via del Governo Vecchio 46/47 | City center | +39066832361
From 18:00 daily

EnglishYellowPages staff regularly organizes seasonal events for its members and friends. A network of English-speaking professionals are invited to gather at a venue to spend and enjoy time together, talk about business, exchange views, eat and drink, like it occured on December 2 2008 at Galleria, a new hitech design restaurant located in the renowned Galleria Colonna, also known as Galleria Sordi.

In this refined yet informal atmosphere, I was struck by a room in particular with innovative “magic” glass doors: a private space where the most reserved guests can sit and decide whether they want to keep the doors open or shut. And if they want them shut, they can also opt to have the glasses go from transparent to opaque, isolating themselves completely from the rest of the diner.

Not only the design and architecture is avant-garde, but also the food. There are different selections chosen according to the different times of day and seasons. At lunchtime the menu offers light meals and more elaborate dishes at dinnertime. And sandwiches, salads and desserts for afternoon snacks.

You all know by now that I go for the vegetarian dishes, like zucchini flowers stuffed with ricotta cheese with rice and light mint pesto sauce or the eggplant pie. The wines are carefully selected and they mainly come from northern Italy’s regions Tuscany, Piedmont and Veneto.

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Galleria | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks, Restaurants (Italian) | Lunch € 20.00
Galleria Alberto Sordi 53 | City center | +390685355431
12:00 – 23:00 daily

Classy, trendy and rich of “taste” like its name. Excellent cuisine, excellent wines, excellent service. I really enjoy spending time here, either at the bar for a drink or at the restaurant upstairs. At night, at times, there is also live music.

Next to the restaurant there is a shop where you can buy good wines, kitchen utensils and cuisine books. You can also find the waiters’ outfit on sale: I bought the apron. The only thing I have experienced is that the salespeople are stuck up and not fully polite, and most of all they often do not give you a receipt which is an obligation by the law.

Instead, the owner of the chain of restaurants is extremely nice and the staff is professional. There is also a sommelier that will help you choose the appropriate wine for your meal.

On the same square, there is also ‘Gusto Fish and vegetables (piazza Augustoi Imperatore 28) where I usually go at lunch time. What I usually pick is a salad, a sandwich or a variety of small bowls that you can choose among plenty different dishes to taste. The design and furniture of all the ‘Gusto chain spots is modern and newly restyled.

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Gusto | Bars, Restaurants (Mediterranean) | Pizza € 15.00
piazza Augusto Imperatore 9 | City center | +39063226273
12:30 15:30 & 19:30 – 00:00 daily

This little bar is located in the city center, close to the Pantheon area. If you go early enough before midnight, you can enjoy live music while drinking either a beer, a martini special (my absolute favorite drink, it is a chocolaty sweet martini but the recipe seems to be a secret!) or any other tropical drinks from martinis, tequila sunrises or pina coladas.

Their drink menu is pretty extensive and their average drink goes for 5.00 Euro and they come with some food such as chips, saltines or popcorn.

After midnight be ready to start burning those calories with the 90’s disco style music, modern pop and rock and oldies!

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Habana Cafe | Bars, Music | Average drink € 5.00
Via dei Pastini 120 | City center | +39066781983
Tue – Sun 21:30 – 03:00

After that you got in and you filled in a form with your personal information because of the place is a cultural association, welcome to the house of happiness!

The pub is very small and you’ll feel at home for the nice environment and for the good choice of music. When you get a table, after a while you’ll start to talk with the unknown people next to you. This is due to the little space between the tables, but probably also to the alcohol that makes you more friendly and easygoing!

It’s simply impossible to avoid to drink: in fact the cheap price of shots (many of them with funny names) is a wonderful temptation that you can’t escape, and also the nice and fast barmen help you to drink more than usual. Remember that in this place you get in sober and you go out drunk!

Last thing for the girls: if you are not shy, you can get one drink for free showing your tits to the barman!!!

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Hera Hora | Bars | Shot from € 1.50
Via degli Aurunci 30 | S.Lorenzo & Pigneto | +393395264754
22:00 – 02:00 daily

Right next to my house there is a cute little restaurant where I go on my lazy days since it is so close! And it is definitely a fusion of Bavarian and Italian culture. If you happen to stroll by on a Monday you will see it’s a pizzeria/pub. On other days you can try authentic Bavarian foods such as the Knoedel or pork cooked in Bavarian beer but do not shy away from their pizzas such as the Diavola or Margherita.

I like the atmosphere inside the place and the decoration with its wooden chairs with a hole carved in it and the tablecloths that give you a sense of being at home. It is also a good cozy place to watch sporting events while drinking one of their many choices of beer…Bavarian of course.

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Hofbrau Munchen Bermand | Bars, Snacks, Restaurants | Diavola Pizza € 7.00
Via di Grottarossa 123 | Cassia & Montemario | +390633253802
Mon – Sat 18:00 – 23:00

Cesaretto wine bar is one of my favorite places in Rome and I am there so much that they know my name, and in fact a lot of the people that frequent the wine bar are regulars and it is in a side street off Via Del Corso. The environment is friendly and laid back but the food is upscale deliciousness.

I like going there year round, it is small but during the warmer months you can sit outside and watch people. Sometimes celebrities (national or international) pass by, and during the cooler months they have an area inside that is very cozy and warm.

My favorites to get there are the Carbonara pasta or the ravioli with a Fragolino wine to go with it, but most days they have a special that is not on the menu and go ahead and ask for it and most likely you will eat something delicious.

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Il Cesaretto | Bars, Restaurants (Ravioli) | € 10.00
Via Bocca di Leone 44a | City center | +390669380557
12:00 – 23:00 daily

The Cicalino, meaning “little grasshopper” is a well- known in North Rome, during the afternoons in fact it is often a place for high-school students to meet and chat while eating a pizza al taglio before deciding where to go.

In the evenings it can be a quiet place to sit out on their red tables and enjoy the pizza or arancini. If you are a sports fan, usually you can watch the games inside on their TV, with a beer to accompany your pizza.

These kind of pizza’s are not as thin as the ones that you will find in the restaurants. They serve square pizzas, with a variety of different toppings. One of my personal favorites is their potato topping pizza that I learned to love when I was one of those high-schoolers chatting away with friends.

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Il Cicalino | Bars, Restaurants (Pizza al taglio) | Piece of pizza € 2.50
Via Cassia 917/A | Cassia & Montemario | +390630362549
Tue – Sat 11:00 – 21:00

Tucked away below street level, hidden by the flashy light of a kebab store on via Massaia, Il Melograno is Garbatella’s only “enoteca”. ‘Enoteca’ is an odd term in Italian because it means both a wine retail shop and a place where you can sit down and drink some quality wine rightly combined with the appropriate foods.

Il Melograno is mainly this second type of enoteca. It is run by two brothers whose kind manners, together with the excellent wine they serve, will gently ease you into a relaxed mood for the evening. Both brothers have a degree from AIS (Italian Association of Sommelier) which would normally means that you are a stuck-up ?$%&$ who looks down on people who don’t know anything about wine. This is absolutely not the case with them. They will gladly suggest the best wines and explain subtle differences while never being condescending and while communicating their love for the subject matter.

You can opt to have dinner there or simply go after hours for a drink. Every day, there is a €20 special dinner menu. Otherwise, you can choose your dishes à la carte. Last time I went, I had bruschettine with mozzarella and bottarga, crostini ai pesti vegetali, and swordfish tartare. All this while enjoying an excellent glass of Vieris Sauvignon Vie de Romans. Il Melograno also has a good selection of home-made desserts and these are sublimely accompanied by great dessert wines. I had cantuccini with a Muffato Castello della Sala Antinori.

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Il Melograno | Bars, Restaurants (Italian) | Main Meal € 30.00
Via Guglielmo Massaia 9 | Testaccio & Ostiense | +39065115609
Mon – Fri 10:30 – 15:30 & 19:00 – 00:00, Sat 19:00 – 00:00

The name of the place says it all: it is small, piccolo. But it is cute and cozy. Not by chance that an Italian saying goes like this: “Good wine is in the small barrel”. You can pick from a menu “by the glass” which changes regularly. The wines rotate weekly. The “by the bottle” menu is rich of good wines from all the 20 Italian regions.

My favorites are Falanghina and Greco di Tufo. It is in a good spot, by a road near piazza Navona, the hot spot usually beaten by Romans and non Romans. There is also a barman outdoors who prepares cocktails at a stall to take away, and in the winter during Christmas time, there’s a waitress dressed up as the famous old woman who brings toys to children on January 6th, day of the Epiphany. She is called the Befana and she will be serving you vin brulé.

It is a perfect place where to hang out, drink and have a bite: tarts, cheeses, artichokes, dried tomatoes and champignon mushrooms make my day, and my night. And when I need to be sweetened up I go for the homemade cakes.

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Il Piccolo | Bars, Snacks | Wine € 5.00
Via del Governo Vecchio 74-75 | City center | +390668801746
12:00 – 02:00 daily

Inside this winebar it’s quite dark and you may think “this is it?” because of the tiny dimensions of the wine bar.

But there is a vast list of wines, both Italian and International and beers (try the “birra piemontese” for a refreshing taste). It is a great place to go have “happy hour”.

If you feel claustrophobic inside, there are always plenty of tables outside to sit and chat with friends and enjoy the soft House music. I like sitting outside especially during the spring and summer months to have a drink and watch people.

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Jarro | Bars | Glass of wine € 4.00
Ponte Milvio 32 | Parioli & Flaminio | +393387079573
Tue – Sun 18:00 – 02:00

The Joia is one of the most popular clubs in the Testaccio area. The elegant and chic style, as demonstrated especially by the restaurant and lounge bar, where every evening we are likely to meet characters from the world of entertainment, footballers and celebrities.

The main colour of the club is white, but some small details of design and exotic plants scattered throughout the restaurant make the atmosphere very particular.

The club is on three floors: the lower hall is the largest room dedicated to the real disco for those who love dance.

The central hall, named “Vintage Room” is dedicated to all those who love the music of the years 70/80.

The upper room, called “Joiello” (a word game between Joia and Gioiello,which in Italian means gem), is dedicated mainly to the restaurant (15 euros with drinks and dinner buffet), opening at 21:00. After dinner at 00:00 it turns into a disco hall and becomes the coolest floor of the club, where only those who reserved the private room at the table or selected clients can enter.

This is the most beautiful room of the club: in fact the area reserved for piano is finely furnished with sofas and tables. The atmosphere is carefully guarded in all details, from the location of the air condition to sound, and wants to create a state of mental and physical relaxation, a fun necessary to clear the everyday working stress.

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Joia | Bars, Music, Relaxing, Restaurants (Oriental) | Drinks € 10.00
Via Galvani 20 | Testaccio & Ostiense | +39065740802
Tue – Sun 21:00 – 04:00

I am aware that restrooms are certainly not the main feature one may consider when choosing a bar, but I would make an exception for this spot, and I warmly recommend you to do the same!

Actually, it’s all amazing in here: from the owner (meet him!), to the paintings that decorate the walls (all made by himself), to the fancy people that hang around… This extraordinary space is decorated with colorful kitsch, pop art, and plastic furniture evoking Andy Warhol’s famous old “Factory” in New York.

Live piano music is played every night by eccentric local musicians who often ask the audience to join in (and they do. I suspect many go just for that chance!).

Just stop by for a drink, meet plenty of other tourist and locals and pay a visit to the bathroom, entered through a pleasure garden, even if you don’t have to; mayb

e even bring a camera!

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Jonathan’s Angels | Bars, Music | Cocktails from € 8.00
Via della Fossa 14/16 | City center | +39066893426
Mon – Fri 20:00 – 03:00, Sat – Sun 18:30 – 03:00

This is a great big place if you like the underground scene; it has 2 rooms for live music or concerts, a disco room and a pub.

The music is varies from electronic, hip-hop, and rock and house, and often they also have performances based on contemporary art.

Inside there is also a corner shop to buy CD’s, t-shirts and magazine and they also offer dinner. The corner shop is situated near the stage and it is a place to listen, buy and discuss music, but you can also buy tickets for future shows, such as concerts, theatre or sporting events.

This is also a good venue if you like live music, and hang-out with your friends for an alternative evening to the usual bars and clubs.

A good spot if you are in a group that have all different taste, it will be a good compromise for everyone.

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l circolo degli artisti | Bars, Music | Entrance € 6.00
Via Casilina Vecchia 42 | S.Lorenzo & Pigneto | +390697250663
19:30 – 04:00 daily

La Cabala is a rather chic place, a lounge of Rome that turns into the exclusive nightclub Wednesday to Saturday night.

The club is located in a historic building that overlooks the Lungotevere, in the heart of Rome and a stone’s throw from Piazza Navona. It’s part of the restaurant “Hosteria dell’orso”, one of the most renowned restaurants in the capital.

The furniture is focused on comfort and reception, with large and comfortable sofas and soft lights.

The club is divided into 3 areas. Upstairs you can unleash yourself with the best dance and house hits of the moment. Onthe lower level there is the piano-bar that plays the hits of the’60s ,’70s,’80s and’90s. Finally, in the transition areas between the two dance-floors you can sit, relax and have a chat.

I strictly recommend the parties on Saturday night and for men to wear a shirt.

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La Cabala | Bars, Music | Entrance & 1 drink € 15.00
Via dei Soldati 25 | City center | +390668301192
Wed – Sat 23:00 – 05:00

La Maison is one of the hippest clubs in Rome and the most chic of course!

The selection at the entrance is very strict, particularly for groups of men without ladies. I’ll give you some tips to get in: go there very early and dress with jacket and shirt. If you are more than two it’s better if you go in smaller groups. And always smile!

When you get in and you see the big hall, you won’t think it’s a dance floor, but the living room of a an ancient house: in fact there are huge lamps from the 18th century and couches and imperial-style armchairs.

Because of the strict selection at the entrance, inside the club there are no paparazzi, so it’s easy to meet international VIP who are visiting Rome, like for example Lenny Kravitz or Leonardo Di Caprio or Italian football players, that enjoy the city with no risks to see their face on some gossip newspaper.

The best parties are on Tuesday and Thursday night, but the club is really overcrowded during the weekends when the Romans decide to enjoy all night long!

From June to September La Maison changes its location and moves every year in a different location of Rome to transform to open-air club: in summer 2008 if you wanna enjoy this cool club, you must go in Viale dei Gladiatori, just a few meters from the Olympic stadium.

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La Maison | Bars, Music | Drink, free entry € 10.00
Vicolo dei Granari 4 | City center | +39066833312
Tue – Sun 23:00 – 04:00

Le Coppelle 52 is one of the most popular meeting place to meet the Romans, who come here every night, especially in summer, to have a drink and relax on the charming square.

The strength of Le Coppelle 52 is definitely the scenic square on which it is located and which gives it the name. When the weather’s nice, it becomes the perfect place to enjoy a good drink, well-made cocktails and traditional buffet (not very copious be honest …).

The restaurant is a real open-air lounge, with its eccentric zebra armchairs, is the ideal place to spend the summer evenings, sipping house specialties like the ginger mojito, pepper mojito or the melon Caipiroska, immersed in the frame of one of the most characteristic streets of the capital.

Inside, red is the dominant color, all surrounded by simple lines and minimali design. And the service is almost perfect!

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Le Coppelle 52 | Bars, Coffee & tea | Drink € 10.00
Piazza Le coppelle 52 | City center
18:00 – 02:00 daily

Lo Zodiaco is the highest spot of the city. I go up there to enjoy the largest and widest view Rome can offer. You get a 180 degrees view from this hill. It is breathtaking.

When I go there I make sure I don’t forget some coins for the monoculars (€0,50), because I never get tired of watching a close-up of the Tiber, the stadium, the zillion roof tops on the opposite end towards the heart of Rome, the obelisks, the churches, St.Peter’s and the Altare della Patria. I like swinging the monocular to the left and to the right and play child for a moment as if I were observing from a vedette.

The imaginary lasts a few minutes when it’s time for a snack, either in the small economic bar right in front of the marble meridian circle or the bigger one, also a restaurant, with tables and a view front. It’s always been a place for lovers and romancing, but it’s ideal even if you are a lone wolf or a group of friends.

Everytime I go up there I am glad to refresh my mind and ‘take shots’ with my eyes, clicking on one of the greatest live masterpieces in the world.

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Lo Zodiaco | Bars, Relaxing, Restaurants (International) | Sandwiches € 3.00
Via del Parco Mellini 88/92 | Cassia & Montemario
12:00 – 15:30 & 19:00 – 01:00 daily

Among the “Rome must”, this happening club is an underground space in a residential district squeezed between the basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano and the one of S. Croce.

Once a huge wine cellar, nowadays the Club features a labyrinth structure defined by a spectacular spiral staircase, elegant columns and magnificent vaults. An unusual addition to Rome’s nightlife, Micca Club offers an extensive program of DJs performances, radio transmissions, visual arts that, vintage and burlesque markets four nights a week. Live concerts, dance floor, three bars, lounge area and an art gallery make it the most versatile spot!

Music ranges from jazz, funk and soul to Friday’s exotic melodies. Saturday nights are just fabulous! and the Sundays…Burlesque Shows are featured once a month, whilst a vintage/creative market is held every Sunday from 6 pm, selling clothes, design objects, records, etc. The ”Aperitivo” (buffet style) is excellent, offering a chance of drinking (eating) and chatting whilst listening to the selection of resident and host DJs, from 18.30. Check the website for dates and schedule!

P.S. search for me, I may be there!

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Micca Club | Bars, Music | Cocktail from € 8.00
Via Pietro Micca 7/a | City center | +390687440079
Mon – Tue & Thu – Sat 19:00 – 03:00, Sun 18:00 – 03:00

Momart is the coolest place to have aperitivo around Piazza Bologna area and because it is close to university “La Sapienza” there is always full of people, particularly guys aged 18-25 years old.

The restaurant has 3 rooms inside and a covered garden which is heated during the winter, and because of there are often photographic exhibitions, the inside furniture is really nice and also the bathroom is very special!

The restaurant is open from early morning till 02:00 to cover every meal-time of the day (from September 2008), from breakfast till dinner. I think the best time to visit it is during “aperitivo time”, from 17:30 till 21:00.

Once inside you give your name to the girl at the entrance and she calls you and assigns a table. You choose your drink and go to fill your plate with as much food as you want: I really recommend pizza wooden oven cooked and “supplì” because they are cooked uninterruptedly, so they are always hot, but also pasta and little sandwiches are very good!

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Momart | Bars, Snacks, Restaurants (Lunch) | Lunch buffet € 10.00
Viale XXI Aprile 19 | S.Lorenzo & Pigneto | +390686391656
07:00 – 02:00 daily

I know, I know. summer is here, you wanna look good in your bikini…eat healty, then! Enjoy Mozzarella!

Don’t be fooled by the “Japanese” name: the name means “here it is!” in the Neapolitan dialect – “it” being the mozzarella. It is Italy’s way on the Sushi Bar Concept, being, actually a research project based on Italian HQ products with top quality buffalo Mozzarella from the Campania region.

In this slick café, mozzarella in many forms – entwined, blobs, balls – is paired with an excellent – and extensive – choice of cold cuts, cured hams, salads, pasta dishes and other delicacies from all over the country. Very good Italian wines are on the list, too.

The first mozzarella bar in the city, and perhaps the world (other Obikà locations are Milan, Turin and London. NY coming soon), Obikà is a homage to this most versatile cheese. The setting is rather funky, too (

and that’s where the Japanese misunderstanding comes from…), with designer tables (rather cramped, to be honest), plenty of black & white and steel details.

It also enjoy a lovely terrace on the street, a good place for people watching, appreciated also by the rather hipster clientele. This may be the only down side: the vibe is a little posed and, sometimes, staff go with the flow and the service may be not enough attentive. But the mozzarella is so genuine, it beats it all!

Every day, from 19:30, there is aperitivo with mozzarella bites and small tasting. On Saturday and Sunday Italian brunch is served from 12:00 – 15:00

Buon Appetito!

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Obikà Mozzarella Bar | Bars, Snacks, Restaurants (Italian) | Lunch from € 15.00
Piazza di Firenze 28 | City center | +39066832630
08:00 – 00:00 daily

When I arrived at Pe.pa.to for the first “aperitivo” with a group of friends, I immediately liked the atmosphere; the tables and small white and black sofas outside gave it a sophisticated look. Inside it looked more like an old wine cellar, but it gave the place character.

The aperitivo was during the week and it made a nice break. It was a good deal too: 7 Euros for a drink plus buffet. They have two different bars. In one of them you can order the wines and in the other end of the “cellar” looking place, you can order the mixed drinks.

The good thing about Rome is its weather, in October it can be still nice to sit outside and mingle with people as you are eating and drinking.

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Pe.pa.to wine bar | Bars, Snacks | Buffet & drink € 7.00
Via del politeama 8 | City center | +390658335254
19:00 – 02:00 daily

Peccati di Gola is a cute little store tucked away in the middle of the must have aperitivo in Ponte Milvio in a street in between a jewelry store and a bread store. The first time I came about this place, I was just strolling down the street after having a hot chocolate at Mondi’s (check the Mondi article)

The place immediately caught my eye because I found it very interesting that they served different cuts of meats and any type of cheese, and at the same time you can have an aperitivo with a glass of wine. The place itself is small with three small tables inside and two outside if you want to do some people watching.

I like to hang out here with a friend of two and catch up while eating some of the great tasting cheeses and sipping wine, and when I brought one of my friends for the first time, she did not even know it existed even though she lives in the Ponte Milvio area! The good news is that she loved it so every so often we meet there to catch up.

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Peccati di Gola | Bars | 1 kilo of truffle salami € 29.00
Via Flaminia 454 | Cassia & Montemario | +390633225331
Mon – Sat 10:00 – 13:00 & 16:00 – 23:00

Starting from the name of the place, written without stress mark on the letter “e”, this bar wants to show to the people that it’s different from the other bars around Campo de’ Fiori.

Opened from early morning, Primo Cafe receives people at every time of the day and night for breakfast, lunch, “aperitivo” or drink.

The environment is very fashionable and full of minimalist details, like the sinuous bar or the lamp-bottle carrier made with optical fiber. Also the colors, the ultra-technological illumination, the mirrors and futuristic materials help to create a fashion atmosphere.

If you want to enjoy watching the people who walk to Campo de’ Fiori, you can have your drink or food in one of the outdoor tables (heated during the winter).

One of the best moments of the day to visit Primo Cafe is during “aperitivo time”, from around 18:00 to 20:00. On the inside table you can take your food and decide to accompany it with wine, cocktail or champagne while black or chill out music are played….

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Primo Cafe | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Sandwich € 7.00
Via de’ Baullari 147 | City center | +390664760179
08:00 – 02:00 daily

When there are good musical events in town the best program is at the Auditorium Parco della Musica, where acoustics mean something, whether classical or pop.

It’s relatively a new construction, designed by famous Italian architect Renzo Piano. It looks like three enormous cockroaches.

Next to it, under a portico, lies this elegant restaurant. I like it because it’s in an area surrounded by trees and gardens so the temperature in the Summer is cool. You can sit outdoors also during winter months thanks to mushroom-shaped gas heaters that keep it warm.

It’s stylish and you’ll feel like a Star and you’ll probably end up eating next to one of the musicians, singers or dancers that have just finished their show. The first time I went there, I met the cast of dancers and actors of the Montalvo-Hervieu company. Sitting next to me was one of the hip hop dancers, a smart French young man who, after performing for over two hours on stage, still had the energy to entertain us with his funky arm-leg-head movements.

Another special evening here was after seeing milestone Joe Jackson concert. That evening, I ate the best fried mozzarella and vegetable pie.

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ReD | Bars, Restaurants (Mediterranean) | Meal from € 25.00
Viale P. de Coubertin 12/16 | Parioli & Flaminio | +390680691630
13:00- 15:00 – 20:00 – 23:30 daily

This is also a popular venue in the North Rome area. It’s illuminated by candlelight, and has ethnic furniture, sofas and puffs. The atmosphere is warm and laid-back, where you can meet old friends and create new ones, where you can chat away in the corner seated on a puff or sofa.

It is more of a cocktail bar but they do have a Mediterranean kitchen too. They have a good wine list but the preferred drinks are martinis or even champagne.

But what makes this wine bar interesting is that a lot of the items that you see are actually for sale! If you like their leopard print dishes, you can take them home!

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Rere | Bars, Restaurants (Regional dishes) | Glass of wine € 5.00
Via Flaminia Vecchia 475 | Parioli & Flaminio | +39063340483
18:00 – 02:00 daily

A café cocktail bar and pastry chocolate tea room where you can satisfy your cravings if you have a sweet tooth. Jelly fruit candies, chocolate balls and delicious buns and cakes. You can also have lunch here. And you will be sitting in one of Rome’s most beautiful squares.

Do not forget that whether you are sitting at a café or walking down a street in Rome you must always look up not to miss the beautiful roof terraces. From piazza del Popolo, if you pull your head back and stretch your neck you will be able to see the Pincio, Villa Borghese’s famous terrace from where you can get one of the breathtaking top views of Rome.

It is worth a walk up. Once you are up there, you can rent a bicycle and speed down hill with the wind in your hair. I like being a tourist in my same hometown, sitting in one of the most ancient tea rooms of the city, it exists since 1922.

Rosati’s manager allowed me to take a picture of the café’s exclusive confetti (famous Italian almond-hearted white sugar sweets), although the owner of the place does not fancy publicity. In fact, none of the Press was ever welcomed here, neither National Rai Tv nor the other broadcast networks. This is a scoop of the news I made for Spotted by Locals.

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Rosati | Bars, Coffee & tea | Cappuccino & cornetto € 8.50
piazza del Popolo 4/5 | City center | +39063225859
07:30 – 12:00 daily

The Roscioli’s are a real institution in town. Since three generations they have been backing one of the best “pizza” in town. Roman pizza: plain, thin, and slightly salted, it is the real traditional snack for any Roman.

The “Forno” has been there for ages. Lately, it has been “expanded” to include a deli shop and a wine risto-bar. Anything is absolutely excellent: from wines to cheese, from cold cuts to the creative finger food made out those ingredients.

Fresh bread, tasteful specialties and delicious wines are served every day in accordance with the best Roman traditions.

Service is usually quick (so it can represent a good option for a fast lunch) but may be, sometimes, too quick. Don’t take it personally, Romans may be like that, just let them know.

Should you wish to have dinner there, you’d better make a reservation a little in advance, as the place is pretty small and very popular. And if you are considering bringing home a few presents, this is the perfect place to buy some bottles or a selection of local cheeses.

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Roscioli | Bars, Shopping, Snacks, Restaurants (Lunch) | Wine & Snack € 18.00
Via dei Giubbonari | City center | +390668307895
Mon – Sat 12:00 – 15:00 & 20:15 – 00:00

A brand new interior awaits you!

“Salotto” means lounge in Italian, and this handsome ‘book bar’ on Piazza di Pietra, opposite the stunning Temple of Hadrian, has become the living room for Rome’s beautiful people.

This is the kind of designer hotspot you expect to find profiled in Wallpaper, Dazed & Confused or Traveler magazines – which it has been, of course! Chairs are all ’50s; music – lounge, trip-hop, nu-jazz – is always ok and the night-time crowd – as well as the patrons (co-proprietor is a reputed Scandinavian model but her husband is worth the visit, too ;’) are astonishingly beautiful.

The owners “envisioned re-creating the spirit of a drawing room in a Manhattan penthouse”, and the result feels like a groovy living space when you feel so comfy you’ll just spend the whole evening in, forgetting about the club you had thought about heading to before…

Art, fashion and design books, a selection of graphic novels and cartoons from all over the globe are at guests’ (that’s what you are there, not clients) disposal, arranged along the walls, and matched by cow skin rugs and luxe Murano chandelier. There is also an iPod loaded with Damiano’s (co-owner) favorite music (Roni Size and lots of house) attached to wall-mounted headphones for your listening pleasure.

Try the house cocktail Salotto 42: a blend of grapes, lime and sake over ice!

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Salotto42 | Art & culture, Bars | Drinks from € 8.00
Piazza di Pietra 42 | City center | +39066785804
Tue – Sat 10:00 – 02:00, Sun 10:00 – 00:00

For an easy going night out or a tasty lunch, not far from the US embassy and the Hotel Excelsior, a side street of the Dolce vita’s via Veneto. Filet mignon is what I usually pick. The pizza is very good too.

There is a variety of good wines-go for the white ones from the Campania region, they are my favourite. Outdoors and indoors. You can cross the street and have an after dinner drink at Harry’s bar-Although I feel post modern and progressive, I get nostalgic at times and I like going to places which were trendy in the 80s, but still remain an evergreen, a classic, a good gathering place to meet friends and co-workers. San Marco is trendy enough to join both styles, old and new, classic and modern, elegant and easy-going. And you don’t need to wear fancy clothes or a tie, just like in any restaurant in Rome.

You can also go there just for a drink, before or after meal times. For the evening cocktail, you’ll be served buffet food included in the price for the drink. A good thing here for the ladies are the restrooms. Toilets here match the restaurant’s design furniture and façade.

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San Marco | Bars, Restaurants (Italian) | Pizza € 15.00
Via Sardegna 38D | City center | +390642824893
13:00- 15:00 – 20:00 – 23:30 daily

Scholars Lounge is an Irish Pub in the midst of Rome’s Center near an amazing view of Piazza Venezia. The pub is actually medium size even though it will seem extremely small because it is always packed especially if there is a rugby game going on.

When I have out of town visitors, I often bring them here for a good time because they have good food, my favorite being their black olive bruschetta and the artichoke ones, good drinks such as Spritz or Guiness (if you like strong beers). Also they have several big screen TV’s to watch games on (mainly rugby) and music too. I also like the fact that they play on the pubs’ name and inside you can see a big picture of famous scholars like James Joyce etc.

And do not worry if you do not speak Italian since all the waiters and bartenders will speak English to you!

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Scholar’s Lounge | Bars, Music | 2 bruschetta € 6.00
Via Del Plebiscito 10b | City center | +390669202208
11:00 – 03:30 daily

“Enjoy your drink, enjoy your life” is the motto which inspired the birth of Stairs, whom name is the english translation of the address where it is, Via della Scala.

The place is divided in two floors. The ground floor is the real heart of the place, where you can get cocktails from a list of 91, and long drinks, special coffees, wine and shots. On the lower floor there is a romantic and intimate atmosphere because of the leather couches, the diffuse lights and the ethnic environment. If you’re with a group of people, it’s very funny to order a jag with one liter of your favorite cocktail (to share, of course!).

The coolest thing of Stairs is that every week, from Thursday to Sunday, there’s “aperitivo” dedicated to a particular nation that changes every week: Italy, Spain, Maghreb and Japan are the most chosen countries.

It’s interesting to tell a bit more about the Japanese aperitivo: first of all, because of Stairs introduced it in Rome. Also, because usually during “aperitivo” you pay for drink and eat as you want, while this one is vice versa: you pay for sushi and drink white wine as you want!

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Stairs | Bars, Snacks | Cocktail at bar € 5.00
Via della Scala 43 | Trastevere | +390697277421
19:00 – 02:00 daily

Tina Pica was a very famous Italian actress who also acted with famous Neapolitan international star Totò. That is where the club takes its name. I like going to club-theaters where I can relax sipping a soft drink and having some munchies while watching someone on stage entertaining me. Tinapika is the ideal place to come and see the newest cabaret shows in town, also for non-Italian speakers. I met some foreigners at this club and they were laughing, too.

I cracked myself up when I came here to see “Bambine Cattive” (Bad Girls), a group of Italian comedian actresses who perform here every Sunday night. They are absolutely marvelous, funny, sharp lines, high class sense of humor, the lack of dirty language makes it unique. Each character has its own personality and style. The audience went nuts, they laughed non-stop, it was a blast. I was impressed by all of them: Giulia Ricciardi came up with the idea of forming the cast:Annalisa Aglioti, Barbara Foria, Teresa Lallo, Nadia Perciabosco, Laura De Marchi, Giuditta Cambieri. A very warm farewell to Celeste Brancato, extraordinary, intense actress who has recently passed away and was part of the crew.

On schedule at Tinapika, coming soon is also Gianluca Giugliarelli, extremely versatile and hilarious, even if you just look at his gestures and the way he moves his legs, the way he talks, the sounds he makes with his voice. He imitates Italian celebrity popstar Ornella Vanoni very well and one of his new sketches is about the son of a big shot who spends €20K to go out with his friends to a nightclub and asks daddy to buy him a new car because the air freshener in his SUV flew out of the window while he was racing on the highway.

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Tinapika | Bars, Snacks, Theaters | Beer in a bottle € 7.00
via Fonteiana 57 | Trastevere | +39065885754
Fri – Sun 22:30 – 01:00

One of Rome’s best kept secrets. A mix of period and recycled objects that inject vitality and energy to a 24hrs (almost) place: juicy breakfast, yummy lunch, gourmet dinner (reasonably priced!) and wine/drinks/deli all day around.

Located in one of the hippest area in town, the fashionable Rione Monti (together with the Pigneto area, the neighbourhoods that most recall an idea of a “Village”), it’s simply perfect for a quick break or for a longer chat with friends or a beloved one. Surrounded by art galleries, vintage shops and artists atelier, it also good for a stop during an intensive shopping session.

Service is discrete and relaxed, yet attentive and professional and food is absolutely respectful of the local tradition. Owners and chef try to keep it as organic as possible; all products are supplied from local farmers, and so is the wine list, that features lables selected among the many quality ones offered by the greater Rome area.

Lovely: all the furniture is on sale! Should you like the chair you’re sitting on, or that vintage side table…

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Urbana47 | Bars, Shopping, Snacks, Restaurants (Organic) | Meal from € 25.00
Via Urbana, 47 | City center | +390647884006
11:00 – 02:00 daily

I need a break between a dash and a sprint across heavy traffic. I relax here, in this small, public park with a breathtaking view. It is being restored, so it will soon be even nicer.

Wealthy families’ live-in nannies go there to stroll with babies in prams and walk their dogs. But it is also a teenage meeting point. The neighborhood youngsters have a drink and a drag together right after school while they show off their latest fashionable sunglasses or gold and steel Rolex. And they lazily kick a soccer ball to one another just to fraternize. Welcome to open-air Vogue.

At the end of this small green patch of grass, there’s a café. Go for a milk shake or a frappè, a salty croissant with prosciutto or a deluxe gelato Italian creamy ice-cream), whatever you pick is good.

If you need the toilet, ask the barman at the café: he keeps the keys to a private bathroom in the back. I like relaxing on one of the benches and watch the trees sway to the wind and observe busy ants working laboriously under my feet. Instead of an i-pod I enjoy listening to the birds chirping, eagerly trying to grab the crumbs of my tramezzino (Italian sandwich) falling from my mouth, or maybe a pedigreed Bulldog will snort at me craving for the last bite of my snack or a pug wanting to lick what remains of my frappè.

I sometimes take a nap like an élite clochard and wake up to the barking of a Jack Russell panting after a ball rolling passed my bench.

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Villa Balestra | Bars, Relaxing | Milk shakes € 6.00
Via Bartolomeo Ammannati | Parioli & Flaminio | +39063214387
Apr – Oct 08:00 – 00:30, Nov – Mar 07:00 – 20:00