Antico Caffé Greco – Finally!

On Monday morning, I failed at my first attempt to sit down and have a cup of the world famous Caffé Greco espresso. For some reason, it was closed on this day, so I decided to make the trip again the next day. It has taken me almost seven weeks to visit, since it is quite a trek from my apartment, but on Tuesday afternoon I entered Greco and stood in awe. It was everything I expected it to be and more. The entire café gave off a rich and prestigious aura, and I did not necessarily feel in the same league as most of the other patrons sitting under huge pictures on red velvet couches and chairs. Most of them were dressed to the nines with their Valentino and Yves saint Laurent bags taking up leg room underneath the tables. The majority of customers were Italian, with some Asian, and some tourists who looked out of place just like me. I walked up to the counter and was greeted by an extremely attractive barista who was donning a bright white long dress coat that buttoned from his neck to just below his waistline. He had on black pants, freshly pressed, and wore shoes that glimmered from Via Condotti to Via Trastevere.

Since it was already close to 3 PM and ungodly hot, I ordered a granita café con panna to cool down. My two friends, Hilary and Ilana, also ordered a lemon and café granita respectively. We sat on a nearby couch to wait for our glasses because I had read online that it was not encouraged to stand around at this particular bar. My eyes began to wander and soon landed on paintings of the Roman Forum and Colisseum, photographs of older gentlemen shaking hands, and many others of men and women who looked very dignified and important. Our granitas arrived in less than five minutes; the presentation was absolutely astounding. The three drinks sat on shiny silver serving trays and were decorated with whipped cream, coffee beans or lemon slices, and two thin circular cookies. I couldn’t wait to try my frozen espresso and soon realized just how great of a choice this was. It was the best cold drink I have experienced while in Rome, and the lemon was just as good as the café. Even though they cost €3 apiece, it was well worth every eurocent. I highly recommend this bar not only for the tasty drinks, but for the atmosphere and prestigious Roman attitude that accompanies it as well.