Romans are very passionate people and are die-hard in their allegiance to a particular team, restaurant, or caffe, and are almost unflappable in their determination and loyalty to a particular brand, opinion, or organization. In the famed “Tridente” area of Rome, nestled between the fashionably elegant Spanish Steps shopping mecca, the Tiber River, and Villa Borghese, named for the triad of streets that begin (or end, if you will) in Piazza del Popolo (the People’s Square)–Via del Babuino, which leads to the Spanish Steps, Via Del Corso, a sort of Fifth Avenue, packed with a sea of people from around the world and lined with internationally-known mid-range stores you see in all major cities worldwide, which leads straight to Piazza Venezia (towards the Colosseum and forum), and Via di Ripetta, which leads parallel to the Tiber River, past the Ara Pacis and a number of good neighborhood restaurants, bars, and merchants, the local denizens swear allegiance typically to either Bar Canova, or Bar Rosati. (I love how my friend demonstrates where a particular spot is in the area by using his middle finger to represent Via Del Corso–as seen from Piazza del Popolo, with the index and ring fingers representing the other streets, depending which hand you use–Babuino is on the left, Ripetta is Right, Got it?)
My Roman friends who live in the area are split in two camps, kind of like Mets or Yankees fans if you are a native New Yorker. Not being “Roman” by birth, but more “Roman by osmosis,” or an honorary Roman, having spent two semesters in The Eternal City in college, and many months there visiting friends since, I will settle the argument, as best I can, at least for any non-Roman fortunate enough to be spending time in the city by saying that they are both different– great locations in one of the best districts of the city, and I like both, for very different reasons, aside from their great locations directly across one of the great Roman Piazze from one another.
If I want a pastry and cup of coffee in the morning, it is Rosati. A self-service, quality lunch, or cigarettes for friends/family back home (yes, they do ask, and if they give me money, I’ll do the dirty deed, they swear Italian cigarettes are different and better), then it is Canova. I like Rosati for a pre-dinner drink before a chi-chi meal at adjacent Golden Palate® Dal Bolognese, and Canova for a nice light lunch, be it a panino, a salad, or plate of pasta, or a mid-afternoon pick me up, after the siesta, and before it is officially “cocktail hour.”
While my Roman friends have actually tried to persuade me to join the ranks of either the Pro-Canova or Pro-Rosati clubs, I have chosen in my own self interest to remain neutral. The fact is, I like both. Forget sports teams. It’s like telling me, the ultimate foodie that it’s either “meat or fish,” “wine or cheese,” or “pasta or pizza” for life. Think of it as a Chicago baseball fan. You could swear allegiance to the Cubs, or come from a family of four generations of Cubs fans, but you must acknowledge it’s been a long 108 years, but true fans stick with their team! This is how passionate Romans are in general, not just about sports (Roma or Lazio in Soccer), but about life in general, be it politics, bureaucracy, the latest art installation, cultural trends, music, love, family, the history of their great city, and boasted supremacy as being “descendants of the Gods” (Romulus and Remus, reputedly descendants of the War God, Mars were the founders of Rome, as legend would have it, nursed by a She Wolf, the symbol of the great city!) Romans are perhaps most passionate about food, coffee, cocktails, and where they consume them! As you can imagine, I’m not buying or taking sides, when I’m in town, I’ll have both, when I so choose!
These two spots have co-existed for years, so why can’t they co-exist for me when I am fortunate enough to be staying around the corner from both, as I do every year when I visit Rome, and though many Romans as a matter of pride or reputation among friends may not admit to patronizing both, I can, without apology, and unless you are Roman and subscribe to their rules, you can (and should) check out both, the old adage, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” be darned!
Bar Canova
Piazza del Popolo, 16/17
Rome, Italy 00187
39 06 361 2231
Bar Canova, a famous Cafe and Bar on the east side of Piazza del Popolo is also known for its fast self-service lunch, and for smokers (not that I condone smoking), is the choice of locals for purchasing tobacco products. A favorite of actor Federico Fellini, Canova is definitely underrated for its cuisine- you can find fresh seafood, beef, great pasta, fresh fruit, dessert, cocktails, and more here!
Bar Rosati, located in the heart of Piazza del Popolo (on the west side, closer to the Tiber River) has been a top spot for coffee, drinks, and snacks, as well as people watching since opening in 1922!
Piazza del Popolo, 5a,
00187 Roma, Italy
+39 06 322 5859
