For more than two centuries, the Antico Caffè Greco has been part of the cultural landscape of Rome. Authors and artists, movie stars and princesses — even cowboys — have all made the pilgrimage to Via dei Condotti, at the foot of the Spanish Steps, to soak up the storied atmosphere of the Italian capital’s oldest coffee house.
Last month, that all changed. The café, a favorite for Romans and tourists, shut its doors. Portraits of former clientele — including Wild West sharpshooter Buffalo Bill — were stripped from its walls; plush red velvet chairs, seating booths and bar stools removed; gilded porcelain tableware carried away.
The venue, as popular among Rome’s 19th-century bourgeoisie as it was with the 1960s “La Dolce Vita” in-crowd, became an empty shell.
Antico Caffè Greco’s sudden demise was the result of a long-running rent dispute between its proprietors, Carlo Pellegrini and Flavia Iozzi, and their landlord, the Israelite Hospital of Rome. The hospital is a private institution that also provides healthcare to patients through Italy’s national health service.
It began in September 2017 when an 80-year lease expired and the Israelite Hospital raised the monthly rent from 17,000 euros to 120,000 euros — a leap from about $20,000 to $140,000. The move, it said, was in line with other properties on the street, which is home to stores that include Gucci, Versace and Dior.
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