Verga Courtyard - Cafeteria — Restaurant in Syracuse

We popped in for a drink and nibbles before heading to dinner. Very picturesque locale in a small courtyard off the street. There were only 5 tables when we arrived and service was good, but as soon as it started to fill up it was impossible to get any service. We noticed other tables waiting a very long time for even first interaction.

We wanted to order a second drink, but eventually gave up and went inside to pay (as we couldn’t get their attention to bring the check). Didn’t seem short staffed as there were often 2-3 servers standing in the doorway gazing over the crowd without actually going to any tables that wanted service.

Meat and cheese board was really nice. Just a shame about the service.

We went somewhere else for our...

Finally, a bar whose music doesn't set my teeth on edge! The 1920s-30s jazz is the perfect complement to the surrounds while still making conversation possible. Or comfortable silence. The staff are decidedly unpretentious and very willing to help you (AKA me) out with a preferred version of a Manhattan (yes, they have more than bog-standard vermouth Martini Rosso, thank goodness, including my favourite ever Cocchi Vermouth di Torino). With the apperitivi, I thank this bar for reminding me how good caper berries are. The food looks good, too, but we have other...

Back to Middle Age...

Such a great location for this restaurant/drink bar, we truly appreciated drinks and food. However, an unforgivable detail caught our attention... In the front page of the menus we spotted a reccommendation for women to pay the bill only under previous permission of their male partner. All this in the name of a so-called "Male Gallantry" (Cavalleria in Italian... Ma Cavalieri de che esattamente? Dello Zodiaco?...) We found this totally inappropriate and disrespectful. Be mindful of the fact that we got to...