watching Cookbook from the sidewalk, it is very difficult at a first glance to understand quickly that this cozy and romantic place is actually a restaurant. Maybe because of the jasmines that cover the entire entrance and the windows or that it’s lit with such small & warm lights they make you believe the place is decorated for a special (very romantic!) occasion. Or it’s the particular preparation of the windows that show an accurate variety of all kinds of books. Or maybe it’s because of the domestic & homely interior decoration, that evidently aspires to reproduce the interior of a home. Moreover, the name evokes a hybrid, and very innovative concept that includes something different and a little ‘vintage’: books.

I have to admit I was attracted more by the word ‘book’ than the word ‘cook’, and decided to enter the restaurant without any specific intent — just because it was dinner time and the place was so appealing!

It immediately became one of my favorites. I remember Arturo, the owner, welcoming us in a familiar way, smiling happily. Later, he introduced the menu, seasonal and genuine. The choice is properly Italian, and I am happy to observe it’s domestic and authentic — exactly as suggested by the appearance. 

But in my opinion, and for my experience, the real credit is that books can be involved in the dinner (like we did, opting for a fairytale book and a coloring album!), increasing that special family-feeling I rarely find.