Canova Tadolini — Restaurant in Rome

JUST ONE WORD OF ADVISE FOR TOURISTS: first of all I've been to this place and I've found the quality to be absolutely superb. Here I've had one of the very best coffees I've ever had -- I've read the negative reviews and there's a clear pattern I noticed: people are upset about their prices. Wherever you go in Italy, if you sit down at a table, you'll be charged double. As an Italian I get this as well, it's not just for you. They're not trying to rip you off and it's definitely not an organised scam, this is the way it is for everyone. Prices are advertised for everyone to see outside and provided you stand at the bar, that's what you'll be paying, including taxes. Businesses are charged a hefty tax both for putting tables outside and for providing a shade on those tables. That's right, it's called the "shade tax" and they don't come cheap... someone has to pay for them. One might say that they should have a flat price for all, but if I don't enjoy the tables, chairs and the shade, why should I be charged for them? Keep in mind that most italians don't use those tables, that's a hefty extra expense just for you tourists! Tables inside (and outside) require extra staff, which is far more expensive than in your home country. A waitress will earn about €15.000 a year, but on top of that the business has to pay huge amount of taxes, which will range in the region of €40.000 per employee/per year. On top of that, employs get paid a whole extra month's salary in December and depending on the business, some will also get a whole extra month's salary in June; yes, they get paid 14 months instead of 12. Also the employer must save a whole month's salary for every year the employee has worked there, to be given when they leave/retire and that's not their pension, it's a bonus and it must be given by law. Anyway, like it or not, in every major Italian city it works like this and I feel that it's spectacularly unfair to give a business a negative reviews just because of this. On to of everything, you're not having a coffee in a Starbucks in Texas in the middle of nowhere, you're sitting in an open air museum, you're dining in Antonio Canova's atelier, where you breath art, history and tradition. These things are very expensive to maintain and to offer you, which is why the government has to charge everyone huge amount of taxes. Visiting Italy is a privilege and it's demoralising to read comments like... a certain business offers no value for money... JUST LOOK AROUND and if you can't see any value for your money - darling - you're in the...

A TOATL DISAPPOINTMENT. Awful food and service. I would say most online reviews are overrated. My friends and I did not enjoy the dinner at all.

Firstly, nothing special about the sculptures. If you want to admire some authentic art pieces, better go to museums and nearby attractions. Don’t come to here. You don’t want to be surrounded by 10-20 of them during a meal.

The food are overpriced but taste normal. Carbonara is too dry and salty. Lobster is fine, not as huge as it looks on picture. The most terrible dish -“beef fillet”, which turns out to be a SMALL, STINKY, TOUGH piece of Beef Wellington, very different from what we expected in the menu. We found a strong rotten smell in the beef, probably because it is not fresh or even worst expired. So we quickly requested a change of the dish. The waiter responded very loudly in an impolite manner. She insisted the way they cook after letting the chef tasted it. Even challenged us with rude, disrespectful words, she asked “Have you tried Beef Wellington before? It is how it normally tastes with rosemary inside.” We were pissed. They arrogantly blame on their customers and force us to take anything as it is. Not open to any rooms of improvement.

To conclude, poor service is why the restaurant fails. Not recommended for anyone, especially tourists who are looking for authentic Italian food. Too gimmicky just because of the sculptures. You definitely find somewhere else more relaxing and joyful for a fine...

I was so excited to visit Canova’s former studio now turned into a museum & restaurant/ cafe in Rome. But the owners of the establishment had managed to find the rudest, most unpleasant & disinterested woman in the whole of Rome (which is quite an achievement) to be on the cash register at the door.

First she told me the museum was closed until next week. I asked if I could look at the statues in the cafe (full of them). She said I could not walk around or take photos. Then I asked if I could sit at a table & draw. She said no, and if I sat at a table I could only stay for 1 hr. I said fine, I’ll have a coffee please. She then said no I had to order food (I had already had lunch). I finally told her what a shame it was she was so unpleasant, to which she shrugged, and after I went off on one in the lobby for a few minutes I was told by her bearded little sidekick, who had until then been silent and just stared at me, that I could go and stand at the bar and have an espresso, which I did before leaving. I managed to at least snap the wonderful sculpture above the Dragon’s head, as well as a couple on the bar.

What a pity such a place full of beautiful art seems to be run by greedy philistines. I don’t usually do reviews, but that’s my review...