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"Restaurant & Atmosphere" We found those 2 words were written in the menu, under the restaurant's name! We definitely ended up enjoying some good atmosphere with our meal, at Napoletano's!  It was last October when Don and I joined my bro and sis-in-law for lunch in Rome. Buildings As we approached these cafe tables, I admired the old buildings, with shutters and iron balconies.  The people sitting near the old buildings looked content with the atmosphere on that pleasant day. But it wasn't the charming 200+ year old buildings they were focussed on. Inside the Building The restaurant's atmosphere inside the yellow building was bright and modern, but very vacant.  There's a reason no one was sitting inside. View of the Pantheon! The outside seating was in high demand, because each table had an outstanding view of one of Rome's most romantic piazza's... one that happens to be home to one of Italy's most notable monuments! The Pantheon!  I'm still not sure how we snagged a table that day! Our view of the famous temple-turned-church was hard to beat. Piazza della Rotonda Piazza della Rotonda is an intimate square on the north side of the Pantheon. There are numerous restaurants surrounding the piazza, but I'm guessing Napoletano's has the best location. We had an ideal view of the Pantheon and the fountain with its Egyptian obelisk.  The people watching was very lively and entertaining. 1,900 Year Ago As we enjoyed this view in 2025, I did some wondering about how this temple was built! The Pantheon, with its massive dome was completed around 125 AD. How did they get the idea to have a 9 meter hole in the dome's center? Are there other temples with openings that let in rain and light? I remember being in awe, visiting as a kid with my family... and wishing it would rain.  I also wondered what surrounded the temple nearly 2,000 years ago. I read later that the ground level was 6 feet lower, then. You would have climbed steps to reach the columned portico. 200 Years Ago This same view in the early 1800s would have been more chaotic than lively. The piazza was a cluttered marketplace with taverns, sheds and temporary stalls. I can just imagine the sounds and smells. Shouting vendors, birds in cages... smells of fresh fish and mud and manure!  It took many years and many pushy popes to get the messy markets removed. Smells in 2025 This is what I smelled while sitting at our table!  Our mushroom pizza was just right! The classic Neapolitan pizza crust was soft and thick. Prosecco Don and I made sure to have a little bubbly with our lunch.  In honor of Audrey Hepburn's character in Roman Holiday! 73 Years Ago On a hot summer day in 1952, Piazza Della Rotonda was crowded with film crews and curious spectators, when Peck and Hepburn filmed this scene at G. Rocca's Cafe.  Joe ordered cold coffee for himself and champagne for Ann. Sadly we couldn't dine at Rocca's. The temporary cafe facade was created for the movie, not far from where we dined at Napoletano's. There's no such cafe. Luna! We saw no movie stars while we enjoyed our lunch. However, our server Luna was quite the comedian!
I don't think he meant to knock over my Prosecco. But the way he handled it with great comic timing, just added to the fun! Cheers to Great Food & Service Karen, Chris, Don and I all agreed that the service and food was unexpectedly good!  We knew we needed to lower expectations when we chose to dine at this touristy location near the Pantheon. We assumed we'd pay more and possibly not get the best food. We were wrong. Lasagna I heard no complaints from Karen about her hot and cheesy lasagna.  14 Euros was a decent price for lasagna, at a restaurant that attracts tourists. I remember no details about the meal that Chris ordered. It's been nearly a year!  But he looks mighty pleased here, as he twirls his spaghetti with pesto. I remember we were all happy with our food! Post Meal We eventually left our wonderful table in front of the orange-yellow building. I'm sure another party was quickly enjoying our spot!  We headed across the piazza, with plans to peek inside the Pantheon.  Unfortunately there was a mass in progress. So we just enjoyed the sounds instead. A muffled blend of music and chants, coming through the open doors. Rocca's? Since we couldn't go inside the Pantheon, I needed one more little memory before we left the piazza. I looked at my phone for the address I'd pulled up earlier.  At Via della Rotonda 25, we found a clothing shop. This was where Rocca's Cafe had been created for Roman Holiday, in 1953. A perfect end to our lunch adventure, before we moved on with our day!
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2 Mini-Feasts in Sicily Last October Don and I had only a few hours in Taormina. Sinfully short! Yet somehow we managed to explore AND have 2 quick "dining" adventures.  First we had a quick bite at Caffe Wunderbar. It was indeed Wonderful! Gelato! I squeezed in a speedy gelato adventure before we departed!  Cheers to enjoying some refreshing pistachio gelato, at Gelato Fresla! 56 Years Ago The last time I was in Taormina was in 1969. I was 11 and my dad was on the faculty of a study abroad program with Florida State.  It was nearly 60 years ago.My family spent a day touring ruins with 2 busloads of college students. Then we picnicked and then I picked flowers. Roman Greco Theatre When Don and I visited in fall of 2025, we worked up a good appetite while climbing up to catch a stunning view at the top of the old Roman Greco Theatre.  Our nephew was with us and took this photo. I told Andy how I remembered sitting on those stone seats, 56 years ago. I told him about watching a Greek Tragedy, that his (my dad) had directed.  I still remember being so very jealous, because my brother (Andy's uncle) got to play a small part in a scene. Caffe Wunderland from 1870 I remember the theatre and the flowers, but I recall very little about the charming hilltop town. I certainly have no memory of Caffe Wunderland, but it was there in the 1969. The old cafe (once an inn ) had already been sitting there on the piazza for nearly a century.  In the 1960s, Taormina was a popular destination for Hollywood elite. Celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor, Tennessee Williams and Greta Garbo were known to spend time at Caffe Wunderbar. October 2025 There were no celebrity sightings when we first noticed the tables outside the lovely Ristorante.  There were no people sightings at all, when I peeked inside the the lovely and modern interior. No one wanted to sit inside on such a glorious day. Most dining guests were enjoying meals on Wunderbar's terrace overlooking the sea.  The panoramic terrace had sweeping views of the Ionian Sea and Mount Etna. Chris & Karen We spotted my brother and sister-in-law who had already enjoyed a feast with pasta and seafood.  We were able to find a table not far from them. The historic town was swarming with tourists, but our table was a laid back oasis.  We enjoyed a few little tidbits. Crackers and olives and sweet cookies of some kind.  A bottle of wine would have been nice, but we didn't have time for lingering long. Don and I each ordered cappuccino, served in china cups, with the Wunderbar logo.  We split a large Toast with prosciutto, wrapped in paper. Andy shared some of his bruschetta, or was it called "pane croccante", which means crisp bread... I'm trying to remember.  I don't recall exactly. But I do recall we were very content that day.  It was one of my very favorite days on our 15-day cruise! Gelataria Fresla Earlier while wandering up the main street, I noticed a Sicilian cart filled with pomegranates.  After we finished our quick lunch, I raced back to where I'd seen the cart, outside of Gelateria Fresla! Pistachio! I knew what flavor I needed to enjoy before we left Taormina. 
Here are some of the sights we saw while wandering in Taormina. Next time we need to stay a few days and find out what the town is like when the day tourists are all gone!
A Cafe in The Gardens For many years I've hoped to have a return visit to La Casina Dell'Orologio.  The little green cafe is in the heart of Villa Borghese Gardens, in Rome. 1969 I remember visiting The Gardens with my family, in 1969. I was 11 and it felt like a magical oasis, after days of touring museums and cathedrals.
We 4 kids got to take a rowboat out on the lagoon. We visited the zoo and my dad held my brother up to feed the giraffe.  I remember how good it felt to stop and eat at an outdoor cafe on that beautiful spring day. I've never been able to recall the cafe's name, but I always hoped to someday find the place I remembered... with sweet doggies and funny statues. Piazza del Popolo In 2023, Don and I flew into Rome on Good Friday. We only had one day to visit The Eternal City.  Luckily our hotel was near the wonderful Piazza del Popolo. I only had to climb some stairs to reach the beautiful gardens that sit high on a hill above Rome. I gave myself an hour to explore. No time to dine, but I hoped to find the cafe I remembered. It was a lovely spring day. Just like 1969. I wandered and found the little green cafe!  I took a photo of the name so I would remember... for whenever we returned to Rome. October 2025 It was fall the next time we were in Rome. Once again we stayed at a hotel near Piazza del Popolo and we climbed the slippery steps to reach the park.
It was cloudy and windy and the towering trees moved like eerie monsters.  I spotted one of the many statue busts, like the one in my family photo.  The property looked a bit ominous. Or was I just feeling concerned because I'd read some pretty awful reviews about the sweet green cafe. Rude staff... awful food... high prices. Don and I figured we'd avoid disappointment and just stop in for cappuccino. Welcoming As we got closer, a framed menu lured us. I could see an open door with glowing lights.
We stepped inside and the cafe felt fresh and relaxed. It had just opened. The interior seemed inviting with its chandeliers and mosaic floors. I told the man holding menus that we'd like to sit outside.  He invited us to sit anywhere, so we made sure to find a table near one of the serious looking marble busts.
It wasn't the same head that looked over my family's table in 1969, but this one looked just as serious. Giacoma Zanella The patio tables were more enclosed than years ago, so I had to step outside the bushes to get a good look at the serious man who stood above our table. Hmm? Was C. Spazzi the sculptor?  The internet told me Mr. Zanella was an Italian poet. Cardinal Guglielmo Massaia While stepping outside the patio, I paused a moment to look at another notable Italian, with a pigeon on his head.  I looked up Mr. Massaia and learned he was a missionary, who did work in Ethiopia. There are over 200 busts displayed throughout the Pincian Hill Area, of the Borghese Gardens. Evidently 3 are actually women. Menu Back at the table, it was time to make a coffee choice. There were about 16 coffee options on the menu.  I was pretty amazed I could get a cappuccino for less than 5 euros. The whining reviews that I read earlier, complained of high prices. But I'd pay plenty for a drink or meal, seated anywhere in Borghese Gardens. Coffee Corrected Don was pretty excited about the idea of corrected coffee. We learned that "corrected" meant a shot of booze. The Italians started "correcting" or masking the odd flavors of coffee substitutes in the 1930s... back when coffee was hard to get, due to high taxes.  It wasn't even noon yet, but Don figured, "When in Rome..." He went for the Coffee With Corrected National Spirits. Corrected with Amora, an Italian liqueur. Just one euro more!  Don looks as serious as our nearby poet friend. Despite his expression, he enjoyed his special coffee very much. I was happy with my cappuccino. No decaffeintated barley cappuccino for me.  It was pleasantly quiet that morning at the cafe. I looked around us and wondered where my family had been seated in 1969. Everything looked more spread out.  I told our server that I had come here as a child in the '60s. He said there had been many changes since then. New Addition He took me inside to see the newest addition.  I counted 5 tree trunks, rising up through the roof. Since 1922 The trees were a reminder that this area had once been outside. It was a little hard communicating, but our server seemed enthused that I was interested in the history.  The cafe actually began as a small wooden kiosk, in 1922. It was reconstructed in 1960 and expanded with indoor seating, in 1970. This larger area came much later, I believe. I spotted a marble bust in the corner and walked over to have a better look.  This guy named Gino had a beard, so he was not the statue near our table 56 years ago. Eyes? Wikipedia told me that Gino Capponi was an "Italian statesman and historian of a Liberal Catholic bent."  Wikipedia didn't tell me why all the marble busts seemed to be asleep. However Later, I learned that the eyes of the statues in the park, were originally painted on. Obviously after time, the painted irises and pupils wore off. A Nice Visit I feel so lucky that our relaxed visit to La Casina turned out well.
I wish I'd never read the poor reviews. I'm so glad that we felt welcomed and enjoyed our coffees beside that serious poet.
Maybe on the next visit to Rome, we'll order a bite and rent a rowboat and feed a giraffe! Cafe-Museum We were the only diners inside this little museum. last October. It was magical.  The only other diners we saw at Canova Tadolini were seated outside. They were focused on food & drink, not art. "Museo Atelier" Don and I stumbled across this remarkable place while wandering in Rome last October. The brass sign near the door, had the Italian words for museum and studio. It also had the names of 2 artists.  We knew a bit about the sculptor, Antonio Canova. We learned later that Adamo Tadolini had been Canova's prized student and this building became their studio in 1818. Ugliest Fountain in Rome We actually didn't see the brass sign right away, when we were strolling down Via del Babuino. We could have totally missed the curious art-filled cafe, if something odd hadn't caught our attention first.  This moss covered man with the odd expression, was in front of Caffe Canova Tadolini. Babuino The creepy 16th century figure is nicknamed Babuino, which means Baboon. It is one of Rome's "talking statues". I wasn't familiar with that term, but it's worth a Google search.  We studied the odd fellow lounging above the fountain, looking out over the street. The street actually had a different name once, but it became Via del Babuino, eventually. Babuino is obviously very influential! We weren't the only ones pausing to study Babuino. He has drawn attention for hundreds of years.
This dapper man paused to look at the statue, before heading off with his briefcase. Plain Building After admiring the "furry man" we noticed the building behind. It looked simple but curious, with leaded glass windows and flags.  We saw cafe tables and a pretty church, just beyond. Only a few of the cafe tables were occupied at 11 am. A Bold Entrance We headed on our way, then stopped abruptly when we spotted this bold entrance. It looked like a wild collection of statues, attempting to escape!  As we peered inside, a man greeted and invited us in.  The room we entered looked like a museum. A somewhat cluttered museum.  I made Don pose to show the size of that enormous horse. Bar The room to the left of the entrance, held a bar. Evidence that this was not just a museum. I could see food on display, as well as sculptures.  The liquor bottles shared shelf space with some smaller sculptures. A large foot here and a pair of cherubs there... Inside Dining A waiter introduced himself as Jimmy. He seemed delighted when we asked to dine inside the museum, unlike the other guests.  He took us through a doorway, past a few important looking sculpted men. There were about 4 tables squeezed into the front room.  Don and I were both pretty clueless and assumed these were marble statues. We learned more later. I posed to show just how large and impressive these pieces were.  It turns out the museum was filled with 2 centuries worth of Italian sculpture. Most of what we saw were practice pieces, preparatory models and plaster casts used for creating finished sculptures. The final works are exhibited in museums around the world.  Don and I learned a little of this from some information written in the menus. But Jimmy spoke enough English to help us understand a little more. A New Room Jimmy ended up moving us to a back room, where we could absorb even more art and history. It was amazing to sit in this space where Canova and Tadolini worked together. The studio was handed over to Tadolini and 4 generations of his family produced work here.  The studio remained in the Tadolini family from 1818 to 1967. Adamo Tadolini's great-great-grandson Enrico Tadolini, was the last to work in this space. After his death in 1967, the studio was abandoned for a period. Jimmy's Favorite I asked Jimmy which piece was his favorite in the museum. He pointed to the figure behind him, that I thought was Madonna at first.  I was a bit confused, but I believe Jimmy said the statue was a practice piece, for a final sculpture that is now displayed in the Vatican. St. Frances Cabrini I took a closer look. The woman with the angel, is actually St. Frances Cabrini, who was canonized in 1946.  A nearby display of photos gave a little insight. Although I can't read Italian. I learned with some internet help, that it was Enrico Tadolini who sculpted this massive piece in 1947.  I studied the photos and tried to imagine how Enrico created this tremendous piece inside the studio, where we were about to have lunch. My eyes were drawn to the photo of Enrico, with the face of St. Frances Cabrini. The image is almost a little sad. He looks exhausted.  I have a new appreciation for these sculptors and the strenuous work that went into these especially large pieces. I read that Canova's death at age 64, was due to the physical damage done to his body, after years working with heavy tools. Relaxing in the Corner Don and I did nothing rigorous. We took a seat at a little table where we could enjoy all that surrounded us.  The framed piece beside Don, shows a 2022 stamp that honored Canova. From my chair, I could look out towards the entrance. The tall window made me imagine the artists, working on enormous pieces.  Across from me I studied a piano, holding smaller works.
The fancy woman and her fancy chair, intrigued me. The pieces were numbered, so it felt organized like a museum.  Yet the sculptures and sketches and photographs were so casually placed, it felt just like a cluttered studio.  Which I think was the point in the 1990s, when a gallery purchased all the works. (nearly 500) The idea was to create a restaurant, yet maintain the somewhat chaotic atmosphere of the original studio. History Besides the plaster sculptures and practice pieces, there were lots of photos and articles displayed.  This one shows the studio long ago. The entrance, with its massive door. Time for Food It seemed odd to order food in a museum, but we were hungry by 11:30.
We ordered cappuccino first.  Don ordered a ham panini for a reasonable 6.50 euros.  I was excited about my toast sandwich with ham, cheese, egg and lettuce.   A tasty late morning treat. People Watching We had the back room to ourselves until a man came with a ladder. We were entertained, watching him fix a spotlight.  After a while I was entertained by a woman who came in from outside. She seemed to be in search of a restroom. She headed for the corner and seemed confused to find a dead end. Then she magically disappeared. A hidden automatic door! Just another surprise in the museum. The Three Graces After finishing lunch I decided to try out the magical mystery door, myself. I walked past the familiar statue of The Three Graces... and wondered.
Canova's original from 1814, is in Russia now. I wish I'd asked Jimmy what he knew about this piece. Was it a practice piece? Before Departing We finished our meal and I took one more snap of the incredible room where we had just enjoyed a light meal.  Jimmy thanked us for coming and insisted on taking our photo.  He placed us at a table in front of his favorite statue. I have to chuckle at our awkward, yet happy pose. It looks like I'm wearing an artist's smock! Good Bye Babunio! We thanked Jimmy for our wonderful experience at the museum.  We headed out and said good-bye to Babuino and thanked him for catching our attention that morning!
What a wonderful Dining Adventure! Patio Lunch, in the Piazza Today I'm remembering a perfect little lunch, in a charming Italian piazza.  Don and I enjoyed cappuccino and pizza, while talking about the wonderful adventures we'd had that morning. Orvieto in 2023 We relaxed and chatted while looking across the cobblestone, towards the fabulous Duomo di Orvieto.  When Don and I planned our 2023 trip to Italy, I was giddy about squeezing in a day trip to Orvieto. I have fond memories of a spring day in 1969, when my family visited the beautiful cathedral and 2 other magical places. Postcards from 1969 At age 11 I didn't own a camera, but I obsessively bought postcards. While planning our recent trip, I dug up my old scrapbook. Don was easy to convince. We planned a day similar to the one I remembered from 1969.  We planned to visit an old well, an eerie park (with monsters and leaning towers) and then have lunch in Orvieto! St. Patrick's Well in Orvieto The old well was just how I remembered it. I remember traveling down one set of steps to reach the bottom and climbing up a different set, coming back up.  This was to prevent the mules (that carried water up from the well) from encountering the mules going down into the well! Don and I worked up a good appetite exploring the well before lunch! We met up with no mules or people. Park of the Monsters Before Don and I explored the well, we had another adventure, about 30 minutes outside of Orvieto. The eerie and amazing Park of the Monsters, was created hundreds of years ago. It was as mysterious and dreamlike, as I remembered.  I still cherish those magical memories of being a kid and crawling on top of the mossy statues. (no longer allowed) Restaurant on the Square Luckily both mini adventures were as fun as I remembered. By the time we finished exploring both places we were starved. We were happy to find Caffetteria Hescanas right on the piazza, across from the Cathedral.
A hallway greeted us, with a couple of odd tables, a bike and some ads on the wall. Outdoor Cafe We opted to be seated at a cafe table on the patio.  Our table gave us a perfect view of the gorgeous church. We sipped cappuccino and took in all the details.  I remember my parents adoring the decadent frothy drink, back in 1969. Cappuccino wasn't a beverage you could get easily in the States back then. As a kid, I loved the smell but could never be convinced to take a sip. But how good it tasted after our morning adventures.  A quick peek at the menu and it was clear that pizza was the way to go.  The fresh dough and fresh tomatoes tasted the way I remember Italian pizza back in 1969.  No anchovies on this pizza. As a kid I remember having to pick them off all the time! Exploring Inside I did a little wandering before we headed off.  There was a room filled with wine bottles and old photographs.  A cozy space had tables with red & white tablecloths.  I wanted badly to ask the man behind the counter how long this building had been standing. How long had it been a restaurant? Generations maybe? But he was engaged in serious conversation. I headed back to our table.  Our pizza meal was simple and lovely. I'll never forget how lucky I felt to sit there knowing I had just shown Don some of the favorite places I remembered fondly from childhood. We headed across the street and toured the Cathedral. Below are a few slideshows of each! Park of the Monsters No climbing on the monsters today. But at least the park was still open to visitors. We mostly had the park to ourselves, until a school group arrived as we finished our visit. St. Patrick's Well Built 1527... 2 spiral staircases with a total of 497 steps. permitted mule drawn carts carrying water! We also had the well to ourselves! Traveling in early April pays off! Duomo di Orvieto This cathedral is one of my very favorites in Italy. The tour of the Duomo di Orvieto was the icing on the cake. Monsters, Well, Pizza and Cathedral, all in one glorious day!
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The Dining Blog
This is a blog about Dining Adventures. Sometimes, I talk about food. Below, you can read how this started. On July 4th 2011, I set a goal to try 50 culturally diverse restaurants in one year! (I knew that was possible, living in the Houston area) I spent the year pulling in friends and family to join me, on some unusual dining adventures. I met some curious people, tried some scary foods and explored places and cultures I never would have otherwise. Even though I met my goal, I learned too much to end my adventures in dining. I have continued blogging about memorable dining adventures of all kinds, near and far... and all the discoveries and funny things I've learned along the way! Locations and types of dining adventures, are listed further down. Archives
August 2026
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