Has anyone been to a restaurant in Rome set in ancient ruins?
 

My husband and I will be in Rome for just one night in Sept. and want to go to a restaurant set in some ancient ruins. He went to one when he was a teenager, over 35 years ago, and was so enchanted he would like to relive the experience. He doesn't remember the name (of course) and I've searched but can't find anything like that.

Does anyone have any ideas? Even if it ends up being the wrong restaurant, we'll try again the next time or just figure it has closed. In any case it will be fun. Thanks

Could he be thinking of 'Ristorante da Pancrazio' restaurant? It's not set in ancient ruins but rather is the site of Julius Caesar's murder.

I believe its near the Campo di Fiori.

Hi jahlie, I sort of know what your husband is talking about because in years past I have heard of a restaurant like that although I never went to it.

I would imagine if the restaurant is still in operation your hotel would be able to give you the proper information and also make reservations for you. I could be wrong (it happens!) but it seems to me the restaurant was on one of the hills in Rome. Hope you can experience it, that would be fun.

Hi jahlie, I got curious and went onto Google. The restaurant I had always heard about, and possibly the one your husband went to was Magna Roma. It was a few blocks from the Colosseum. It was archaeological, astronomicaaly famous, to quote from a website on Google.

Notice I say "was". It has gone out of business unfortunatly.

But you might try searching Google also to see if there are any other restaurants that might sound famaliar to your husband.

Have a beautiful time in Italy.

BTW, I typed "Restauranst in Rome set in ancient ruins" in the search box.

Does it seem strange to anyone else besides me that Italy's archaeological heritage could be taken advantage of this way for the benefit of a privately-owned restaurant? Aren't all of Italy's archaeological sites protected from this sort of exploitation?

There was a scene in La Dolce Vita that took place in an outdoor restaurant amid ruins,I'm not sure where it was.I've never seen anything like that in Rome myself.

Hi brotherleelove, over the centuries Rome archaeological sites weren't protected. They were stripped.

It seems like just in recent times that the nation has woke up to the fact that they need to protect their national treasures.

Believe this is why the Magna Roma is no longer in business. From what I read on a website on google the owner had to close the restaurant as he was "having problems with the government".

Loveitaly, I've tried google with a number of combinations but haven't found anything yet except the Ristorante da Pancrazio.

J62, I did come across Ristorante da Pancrazio in my search but my husband didn't think the location or description was right. However, after all the time that has elapsed his memory isn't clear.

I'll have to watch La Dolce Vita, keep up my quest and report back when we return.

Thanks all.

Hi jahlie, did you see the website written by the teacher so talked about the Magna Roma? I thought if nothing else her description would let your husband know whether or not that was the restaurant he went to years ago as it certainly was not a typical restaurant.

Don't forget to ask your hotel also.

"There was a scene in La Dolce Vita that took place in an outdoor restaurant amid ruins,I'm not sure where it was.I've never seen anything like that in Rome myself."

That famous scene was set in Baths of Caracalla. If there was ever a nightclub there, it is long gone.

I think Italy has strict preservation laws now to protect the ruins and historical sights. A few years ago I saw aperformance on PBS of the Three Tenors and the concert was set somewhere in Rome among the ruins. Does anyone remember this?

three tenor concert was at the aths of caracala if believe

nina,think petertherabbit is correct, or at least that is what I remember. Probably Pavorotti's website would have some info on this.

Check out Trattoria da GIGGETTO, Via Del Porto D'Octtavia. It's cellar is part of the old foundation of the Portico d'Ottavia.

See:

http://www.giggettoalporticodottavia...glish/home.htm

Great food...

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Michael'nA2

Hi jahylie, me again.

Here is the website address for the article I read regarding the Magna Roma. You can skip all the paragraphs this woman wrote until you get to the description etc of the restaurant.

Website address: http://www.geocities.com/sorbox/letter6.html.

I could not find anything when I went back on to google either, even though I typed the same words into their search box. Search boxes drive me crazy sometimes. But of course I had it on my computers "history" so was able to pull it up again.

Let us know if this is the restaurant you DH was talking about, I am curious now. Take care.

J62: Yes, you are right about the di Pancrazio. I was there in 2000 for dinner. It is said that it is the site of JC's murder and if you go inside the restaurant, you'll be able to go down steps to the ancient foundation of the site. We ate outside and went in to take a look. There were tables set up down there for dining. It is around the corner from PN in a small, small piazza across from the Hotel Campo di Fiori. I believe it is Pz Biscione?
LAU

J62: The site of Julius Caesar's assassination ? That is what the restaurant will tell you, it is great PR :).
That restaurant is actually in the 'Theater of Pompey'.
www.vroma.org/images/raia_images/pompeyrecon.GIF At the bottom of the picture see the 'U' shaped theater. In the upper part of the 'U' on the left side is where this restaurant is located.
At the top of the picture in the center is a bldg with a portico on each side and 4 temple bldgs behind it.
That is the 'Curia Pompey' where Caesar was murdered, it's ~200+m away from the restaurant.

The rear foundation of the Curia Pompey is visible today
http://www.vroma.org/images/raia_ima...goargent11.jpg That tree on the right center is the middle of the rear of the Curia.
Caesar was seated on a small podium with the Statue of Pompey behind him when he was attacked. When you figure in the backwall's thickness and say a 1m base for the statue. That tree would be where he died.

Brotherleelove: Very old Bldgs like that restaurant are built over and within ancient ruins. The ruins are actually their foundation, walls and basements.
Last month on a tour with Tom Rankin of Context Rome, he on a whim looking for theater remains just popped into a shop very near this restaurant.
The shop was just a hole in the wall (rough, dirty, disorganized) selling wood to local contractors I assume. He spoke to the owner and sure enough the walls had remains of 'opus reticulatum' (small square stones set diagonally like diamonds which faced the concrete core of the walls). This very likely was a corridor beneath the theater's seating. Petertherabbit: Yes, it was the 'Baths of Caracalla'.
Regards, Walter

MicahelinA2 is correct -- you are looking for Il Giggoto in the Jewish Quarter. Food is iffy -- been there and loved it and other times quite yuck. Fried artichokes are the specialty as an app. I liked the roast veal and hated the roast lamb. good meal was Sunday late lunch and bad meal was a Saturday night. Right next door to Roman ruins still in some state of excavation.

Roman restaurants set in ruins:
Hosteria Antica Roma, Via Appia Antica 87. Set in a columbarium, romantic, torchlit dining, so so food.
Cecilia Metella. Via Appia Antica 125. Next to the tomb of the same name. The food is very good but somewhat expensive.
No longer open but one of the most well known restaurants set on a terrace overlooking the Forum of Trajen was Ulpia.

Well, I checked out the various websites and googled restaurants mentioned and
Giggetto's or Hostaria Antica Roma are definate possibilities. Especially Hostaria Antica Roma - it has "the look." We might need a taxi to get there but that's fine. From what I found about Taverna Ulpia it might also be a possibility but you say it's closed.

Our hotel is near the Ghetto area, so a quick peek at Giggetto's is possible. We will definately ask at the hotel. My husband's Italian needs all the practice he can give it.

Grazie.