Caffe della Pace

Sitting in the same quaint piazza for over a hundred years, Caffe della Pace has been a popular spot in Rome since it's opening. Their website (caffedellapace.it) has some lofty claims as having inspired artists of all types for over a century as a place for them to gather and discuss new ideas. While that may have been true in the past, their current prices don't seem like the types that would attract too many artists to wile away an afternoon debating the merits of the petite church Santa Maria della Pace. More likely today, they'll be complaining about how to get into the church, which houses Raphael's Sybils, but is open for an hour a day sometime in the morning only on weekdays.(Caffe on the left, church on the right in the picture below)



While their prices are a bit steep (2.50 for an espresso, 4 for a cappuccino, 7 for a beer), if you manage to find a table outside, often difficult on a weekend afternoon, it is a great spot to watch the world go by in the late afternoon and early evening. Once the sun sets things get a little more crowded the whole area in general fills up with revelers. If there are no seats outside, sitting inside isn't the end of the world, they have an interesting collection of statues and paintings to keep your eye distracted.

Among their overpriced drinks it is possible to find a good deal. They have a great aperitivo spread which comes entirely free with a drink. Last night I went there for dinner, had two glasses of wine at 5 euros each and ate my fill. Each night is slightly different, but the basics are generally the same. Last night I had zucchini rolls stuffed with some kind of white fish and spicy peppers, roasted potatoes with bell peppers, pan fried eggplant and zucchini and an assortment of bruschette and crostini (small pieces of toast with various spreads). Aperitivo starts around 7 and lasts until the food is gone, which on Friday or Saturday can be about an hour or so, rest of the week takes a little longer.



Via della Pace, 3/7. If you're in Piazza Navona looking at St. Agnes follow the street to right (north) of the church and walk back two blocks, caffe is on your right.