A secret Roman rooftop

Where I tell you the place to have a rooftop drink without the rooftop attitude

A question I get asked a lot is for my recommendations of favorite rooftop bars in Rome. The request is usually along the lines of “we want somewhere to have a cocktail with a place to sit and a view of Rome’s famous monuments. Oh, and a sunset.” Of course, I have a list of places. And recommendations from pals.

True confession time. I don’t love rooftop bars. Rooftop cocktails are not my thing. I find the scene well, exactly that, a scene. The influencers all working on their perfect Instagram shot, the expensive drinks and mediocre snacks, the aloof service. Ugh. The rooftop where you will find me most often is my own. Scruffy and shared and if you were following me on Instagram for Italy’s early lockdown days you saw a lot of it. I prefer a drink at ground level in the piazza. My favorite spot is a table tucked into a far corner at a nondescript bar with a spritz heavy on the Campari and an unopened bag of San Carlo potato chips that get tossed to me.

At the tail end of summer last year a pal was in town and requested a rooftop view. I needed somewhere stylish so I checked with my rooftop source Elyssa of Romewise and she directed me to a place I have been keeping a secret. I didn’t even put in on a disappearing Instagram story. For you, my loyal and generous paid newsletter subscribers I am going to finally let the negroni out of the bag.