A rugby weekend in Rome with my Dad meant one thing: Guinness would be on the menu, probably in sizeable quantities.
We were staying just outside the walls of the Vatican city, which we thought would be quite touristy, but in fact was quite Italian. On our first night, it seemed like our pursuit of a good pint was fruitless, wandering dark streets where cool leather-clad Italian youths smoked in the doorways of tiny cafés and run-down clubs, until we came upon a main street on our way back to our accommodation. Dad pointed out the Guinness sign glowing in the distance and I noticed his pace quicken considerably at the thought of a creamy pint.
There were a few tables outside, again mostly populated by younger Italians chatting, but when we went through the main doors it was clear that an Irish contingent in town for the weekend (or perhaps the Irish who live in Rome?) had discovered the place before us. Mid-nineties' British tunes blared from the speakers and different groups spilled out from various alcoves and rooms off the main entrance. There were two barstools empty at the bar, a surprising sight on a Friday night in any big city, so we took our perches and ordered two pints.
I was unsure at first, the bar staff seemed to be kept busy making cocktails and exhibiting their flair for mixology (and showing off to patrons) but one guy served us up our pints and they looked pretty good. I took a deep gulp and snuck a glance to the side at my Dad, to see him revelling in the cold pint with a slight grin and smiling eyes. We were onto a winner.
Over the weekend, we stopped into Ris Café every night for 'just one more' and Dad even suggested coming over to Italy when they play in Ireland to soak up the atmosphere in this bar. It was lively every time, the bar staff were friendly and although it wasn't the cheapest bar we visited, it was fairly equivalent to most bars we went to in Rome.
I didn't take any photos of the bar itself but you can find some here with some further reviews.
Ambience: 8.5/10 - it got a bit rowdy at times but was mostly good
Cost: $$ (Guinness was around EUR 6 a pint - more expensive than Dublin)
Food: the food menu looked reasonably priced compared to other places in Rome, of course Pizza is available (starting at 7.50). We didn't eat but it smelled pretty good.
Location: Piazza del Risorgimento 16, 00192 Rome, Italy
Toilets: Small and not very accessible, down the stairs
Overall: If you want a good pint when in Rome, visit Ris Café.
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| The revered drink - photo credit Tavis Beck |
We were staying just outside the walls of the Vatican city, which we thought would be quite touristy, but in fact was quite Italian. On our first night, it seemed like our pursuit of a good pint was fruitless, wandering dark streets where cool leather-clad Italian youths smoked in the doorways of tiny cafés and run-down clubs, until we came upon a main street on our way back to our accommodation. Dad pointed out the Guinness sign glowing in the distance and I noticed his pace quicken considerably at the thought of a creamy pint.
There were a few tables outside, again mostly populated by younger Italians chatting, but when we went through the main doors it was clear that an Irish contingent in town for the weekend (or perhaps the Irish who live in Rome?) had discovered the place before us. Mid-nineties' British tunes blared from the speakers and different groups spilled out from various alcoves and rooms off the main entrance. There were two barstools empty at the bar, a surprising sight on a Friday night in any big city, so we took our perches and ordered two pints.
I was unsure at first, the bar staff seemed to be kept busy making cocktails and exhibiting their flair for mixology (and showing off to patrons) but one guy served us up our pints and they looked pretty good. I took a deep gulp and snuck a glance to the side at my Dad, to see him revelling in the cold pint with a slight grin and smiling eyes. We were onto a winner.
Over the weekend, we stopped into Ris Café every night for 'just one more' and Dad even suggested coming over to Italy when they play in Ireland to soak up the atmosphere in this bar. It was lively every time, the bar staff were friendly and although it wasn't the cheapest bar we visited, it was fairly equivalent to most bars we went to in Rome.
I didn't take any photos of the bar itself but you can find some here with some further reviews.
Ambience: 8.5/10 - it got a bit rowdy at times but was mostly good
Cost: $$ (Guinness was around EUR 6 a pint - more expensive than Dublin)
Food: the food menu looked reasonably priced compared to other places in Rome, of course Pizza is available (starting at 7.50). We didn't eat but it smelled pretty good.
Location: Piazza del Risorgimento 16, 00192 Rome, Italy
Toilets: Small and not very accessible, down the stairs
Overall: If you want a good pint when in Rome, visit Ris Café.
