Breakfast in Rome at Caffè della Pace, Near Piazza Navona

Caffè della Pace (also called Bar della Pace) is a historic café one minute’s walk from Piazza Navona. It opened in 1891, closed in 2016, and reopened under new management on 4 September 2024. In 2026 it serves breakfast again. You can still order a cappuccino and cornetto there the Roman way.

The café’s history

Caffè della Pace stands at the corner of Via della Pace and Via di Tor Millina. The building belongs to the Istituto Pontificio di Santa Maria dell’Anima, a German church foundation next door.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the café drew actors, directors and musicians. Federico Fellini and Mario Monicelli were regulars. The café also appeared in Woody Allen’s 2012 film “To Rome with Love.”

A long dispute between the property owner and the café’s managers forced the closure in 2016. A group of Roman entrepreneurs restored the interior and reopened it in 2024.

What changed with the reopening

For decades, a thick curtain of ivy covered the café’s facade. That ivy was the image most visitors remembered. After the 2024 restoration, the greenery is gone and the stone front is bare.

Inside, the restorers kept the historic decor of wood, mirrors and marble. The new Bar della Pace also serves lunch and dinner in upstairs rooms, with a Roman menu. The café opens at 7 a.m. and stays open until 2 a.m.

If you remember the ivy, expect a different look. The location, the lane and the morning ritual remain the same.

The lane itself is part of the appeal. Via della Pace is a short cobbled street that ends at the curved facade of Santa Maria della Pace. Pietro da Cortona designed that Baroque church front in the 1650s. Sit outside and the church fills the view.

How Romans eat breakfast

A Roman breakfast is small, sweet and quick. Most locals stand at the bar, eat in five minutes, and leave for work. Eggs, bacon and big plates are not part of the tradition.

The standard order is a cappuccino and a cornetto. A cornetto looks like a croissant but is softer and sweeter. Romans order it plain (vuoto) or filled with cream (crema), jam (marmellata) or chocolate.

A few rules help you blend in:

• Order cappuccino in the morning only. After about 11 a.m., Romans switch to espresso.
• Ask for “un caffè” if you want an espresso. “Espresso” also works.
• Eat at the counter, using the paper napkin. Do not linger at the bar once you finish.
• Ask for a glass of water. Many bars serve a small glass free with coffee.

Al banco vs al tavolo: what you will pay

Italian cafés usually charge two prices. Standing at the bar (al banco) is cheaper. Sitting at a table (al tavolo) costs more, because waiters serve you.

Where you drink	What to expect in central Rome, 2026
Al banco (standing)	Espresso about €1.20 to €1.50, cappuccino about €1.50 to €2
Al tavolo (seated)	Often double the bar price or more near major piazzas

At famous cafés by tourist squares, table prices can climb much higher. Check the posted price list before you sit. Italian bars must display their prices.

At a busy Roman bar, you often pay first at the cassa (till). Take the receipt to the counter and place your order with the barista.

When to go

Go between 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. for the real breakfast crowd. After 10 a.m., the area fills with tour groups heading to Piazza Navona.

Pair breakfast with a short walk. The Chiostro del Bramante, a Renaissance cloister, sits beside Santa Maria della Pace church. Piazza Navona is about 100 m (330 feet) away.

For another historic Italian café, read our guide to Caffè Gambrinus in Naples.

If you go

• Address: Via della Pace, at the corner of Via di Tor Millina, Rome.
• Hours: About 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily. Check before visiting on holidays.
• Order: “Un cappuccino e un cornetto, per favore.”
• Save money: Stand at the bar. Sit only if you want to linger.
• Budget: About €3 to €4 (roughly $3.50 to $4.70) standing for coffee and pastry.
• Nearby: Piazza Navona, Chiostro del Bramante, Santa Maria della Pace.