Gran Caffè Rione VIII — Restaurant in Rome

We found this place, and were immediately seated. The waiter, who seemed nice, brought us menus, pointed out a couple of things, then went away. We found what we wanted immediately and closed our menus and waited. And waited. And waited. About ten minutes into our wait, another couple was seated behind us. The waiter performed the same function with giving them a menu, pointing out some items, and leaving. Within a couple of minutes the waiter came back with no prompting and took their orders. He didn't make eye contact with us, or acknowledge us in any way. We finally got up and left, and continued our quest for food. Nobody said anything as we left, including the waiter. We just left without taking so much as a drink of water. We have no idea why he ignored us, if we offended him in some way, it seems impossible, since we didn't talk. We weren't loud or demanding, We were just going to order food, eat it, pay and go. Hopefully this doesn't happen to anyone else, but I figured I should give a warning of some kind to potential future customers. This all happened between 5:45 and 6:00 PM on...

They have completely different prices for the bar and takeaway/table service. We ordered pastries and coffee at the bar. We started eating and drinking at the bar, but decided to move to the wooden bar-height table (right behind the main bar) because there were other customers waiting to order. We moved our own stuff, and thought we were being courteous and making room for other people.

We stood there for a few minutes before bussing our own dishes. When we paid our bill, they charged us the higher “table service” prices. We were confused because we thought it was still considered the bar, no one waited on us, and we cleaned up after ourselves.

Anyways, dejectedly, we ended paying the higher prices since we couldn’t communicate what happened. (Hopefully they weren’t taking advantage of us being dumb tourists.) So if you want bar prices, stay at the actual bar and don’t move!!! Ignore everyone around you and claim your spot. Eat your meal and drink your...

5 Stars - A Must-Visit Spot in the Morning and Beyond!

Gran Cafe is an absolute gem! Opening before 7 AM, it was the perfect spot to start my day. They offer an impressive list of coffees, and the pistachio cornetto was nothing short of amazing—flaky, flavorful, and the perfect companion to my Latte Macchiato with an extra shot.

The building itself is charmingly old and rustic, adding to the authentic Italian atmosphere. Inside, I found a delightful assortment of chocolates that immediately inspired me to return later in the day to indulge. And if that wasn’t enough, they boast an extensive wine list, transforming into a wine bar in the evening—a truly versatile and inviting place.

Special mention to the lovely gentleman who served me—he was incredibly patient and kind as I tried my best to navigate Italian. Exceptional service to match an exceptional cafe. Fully...