Two bars near Piazza Navona

Mimi e Coco

Address- Via del Governo Vecchio 72

Another view of Piazza Navona on a sunny summer day; there are very few people due to the travel restrictions in place

Phone- +39 06 6821 0845

Website- https://www.mimiecoco.com/

Hours- Monday- Sunday, 10 AM – 2 AM

     This bar has always surprised me. To be honest, it looks a bit like a tourist trap. I have long kept it on my recommendation list, however, because despite the close (really close!) proximity to Piazza Navona, the prices have remained low, and I have always respected this. Upon recently checking the new website and menu, I was disappointed to see that the price of the spritz has increased by 2 euros. For over 10 years, you could get a spritz for 5 euros at this central bar, a stone’s throw from Piazza Navona, on the picturesque street of Via del Governo Vecchio. 7 euro for a quality spritz with an aperitivo incluso (snacks included) is not bad and quite standard in most central parts of Rome, which is why I am keeping it on my list for now, but now recommending with ‘some’ reservation. I see from the website that Mimi e Coco have opened a second location in heart of Trastevere. Perhaps this accounts for change in price? Still, if you find yourself in either area ready for a libation, Mimi e Coco is a good option. Although they offer a full menu, I would not have a meal here, only a snack, unless it makes sense for your individual time and financial circumstances. Save your meals.

     In the Piazza Navona area, there are a number of bar and caffe options. Bar del Fico (described below) is nearby and Altro Quando (which has a good selection of beers and is located in a trendy Italian bookshop. The downside is that it is underground; on a cold or rainy day it is a good choice.) Unfortunately, the most venerated bar in the area, an institution from the 19th century called Caffe Della Pace is permanently closed. What a loss! You can read more about the controversy here. Also, at least you can see it featured in Woody Allen’s 2012 To Rome With Love and in Eat, Pray, Love with Julia Roberts. The L'Emporio Alla Pace remains just across the street. It is not a historical landmark, but it is a fine place to have a coffee in ‘peace’ and flip through some of the books on Rome that they have for sale on the wall across from the bar. I guess the moral of the story in this Mimi e Coco post (that morphed into a post on a number of viable choices around the Piazza Navona area) is that there are quality, reasonable options in the most ‘touristic’ areas of Rome. Because there are so many options, a bar on every corner, I would do some research to identify what you are looking for, so you are not floundering in the area and end up somewhere disappointing and overpriced.

Bar Del Fico

 Address- Piazza del Fico 26

Phone- +39 06 8865 7702

Website- https://www.bardelfico.com/en/lounge-bar/

Hours- Monday through Sunday, 7 AM- 2 AM

Bar Del Fico with the namesake fig tree providing some shade to the right

     You will find Bar Del Fico near the Piazza Navona, but it is tucked back into some of the meandering streets and characteristic for the large courtyard with a commanding fig tree; hence the name Bar del ‘Fico’ (‘fico’ is ‘fig’ in Italian). A little linguistic trivia: ‘fico’ also means ‘cool’; thus, this bar has a cute double-entendre in the name. (‘Fica’ the feminine version of the word is used as a slang term for vagina, however, so be sure to get your final vowels straight when using the term.) Back to the bar. It is a popular place for young locals to grab a drink and/or aperitivo when they are out in the ‘center’ which is often used to describe the ‘central’ area of the city around Piazza Navona, Piazza di Spagna, Piazza Venezia, extending to around the pantheon, Ghetto and Camp dei Fiori. The courtyard is often crowded, but in the last few years, I have not had to wait long when ordering and getting a drink from the bar. Bar Del Fico uses the popular system of paying for the drink at a cashier station, then taking your receipt over to the bartender to make the drink you have already paid for. The bartenders can craft many creative cocktails, but I usually stick with a classic spritz. This bar also has an aperitivo on offer that has improved over the last few years. In the second room, you will find a number of little pizzas and pasta salads on display, buffet style. You can fill as many plates as you like; thus if you are looking for a cheap or light dinner, this could be an option. You could also have a drink here before going to Da Tonino or Montecarlo, two restaurants that I have recommended in the Piazza Navona vicinity.