Review: Try Caffè Delle Esposizioni For A Quick Jolt

If you plan to spend the morning at Palazzo Delle Esposizioni in Rome, be sure to take a caffeine break at their onsite coffee shop Caffè Delle Esposizioni.

I’ve been trying to focus my time and my daily coffee allotment on coffee bars that have something unique going for them. For example, Terrazza Caffarelli is a coffee shop that is part of the Capitoline Museum. The beautiful artwork with some of the city’s best views make this a definite”Must See” when you are planning your breakfasts in Rome.

Similarly, the Caffè Delle Esposizioni is more of a restaurant than a coffee shop that caters to the patrons of the Palazzo Delle Esposizioni. Once you enjoyed the exhibits and you are feeling a bit drained, stopping by the Caffè is a great way to get some energy to finish your exhibit viewing.

What Is The Palazzo Esposizioni Roma?

This museum was designed to meet the needs of a modern exhibition space. Since 1883, the year of its inauguration, it has promoted exhibitions, meetings, and reviews. It contributes to generating and disseminating contemporary cultures, basing its activity on research and experimentation aimed at the visual arts and sciences.

It invites its visitors to have experiences of knowledge, participation, and sharing, with exhibitions, film reviews, and laboratory practices. A cultural center in continuous and fruitful exchange with other realities of the city of Rome and with prestigious international institutions.

I had the opportunity to visit this museum a couple of years ago, and I was glad I did. One of the exhibits was based on the work of a famous special effects artist, and I was treated with some cool designs from a couple of my favorite childhood movies: E.T. The Extraterrestrial and Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

After reliving some fun childhood memories, I hopped down to the sotterraneo level and grabbed a quick espresso. I recently had the chance to return to the Caffè for a morning coffee and pastry, and this is my review.

Atmosphere And Design

There are really two different rooms or “ambiances” in this caffè. The first is in the actual museum. There is a modern “black leather and chrome” feel about the bar that had some neon signs and a space for performers. The feeling was more like a place you would go in the evening after a fancy exhibit opening. Imaging standing around, with cocktails and enjoying some light jazz.

The other space was right outside. This is an outdoor patio space with picnic tables covered with umbrellas. It was definitely more casual and open to patrons who weren’t going to the museum. When I was there, I didn’t see any servers taking orders, but I would expect that it is done later in the day. Similarly, the unmanned maître d’ receiving area was empty in the morning, but probably staffed in the evening.

The seating options were open, so it is your choice: Indoors on the black leather seats or Outdoors with the picnic benches. Both are lovely, so it is more about the kind of mood you are in.

Regarding the location, being attached to the museum provides it a steady stream of daily visitors, and being on via Nazionale doesn’t hurt either. If you didn’t want to go to the museum, as I didn’t on this trip, the caffè is a little less obvious from the street. To the right of the main museum entrance, there is a small sign leading the way.

Caffè Delle Exposizione Menu Highlights

Let’s be clear on this point: I only came here for breakfast. This definitely has an impact on my review, so the context is important. Their breakfast selection of pastries was definitely limited. A mix of standards, like cornetti and saccottini al cioccolato were available, as well as some oranges for spremuta. There were also some tramezzini, but I don’t usually have those for breakfast. Their coffee of choice is Lavazza and I was happy it was. 

As for the rest of their menu, I mention it only for context. Again, I was here for breakfast, so the fact that they offer 3 of the traditional 4 Roman pastas was unhelpful. In addition, they offer a complete 4-Course menu, with the addition of sandwiches and burgers.

Lastly, the bar was fully stocked with enough alcohol for a fun cocktail hour, but that will be for my next visit.

Practical Information For Tourists

Since this isn’t a stand-alone bar, some practical advice is probably a good idea.

• How to Order: I mentioned that I didn’t see waitstaff available when I was there for breakfast. In this case, order at the bar and grab a seat. This would be one of those occasions when you pay after the meal. If there are staff members there, just follow their lead.
• Peak Hours: This bar is not busy when the museum just opens. You should expect a crowd around lunchtime, and after any events or showings.
• Pricing: I didn’t notice anything too expensive, and I ate at a table. This caffè seemed reasonably priced, and the menu prices back that up as well.
• Accessibility: I mentioned the entrance is a little tricky to notice. It is a smaller sign off to the right, but dwarfed by the museum itself. I also didn’t see an elevator when entering from outside the museum, but it is possible I just missed it.
• Tourist vs. Local Appeal: The appeal is driven by the specific exhibits. This could include locals and tourists alike. 

Is It Worth a Visit?

Deciding if it is worth a visit is tricky because in the words of someone unwilling to commit, it depends. I loved the coffee and the ambiance, but the breakfast pasties were lacking. Here are four situations with differing recommendations:

• You Are A Museum Patron Already There – In this case, you should definitely stop by for a jolt of caffeine, but skip the pastries.
• You Want A Breakfast – No, skip it. While the Lavazza cappuccino I enjoyed was as delicious as I would expect, the pastries were limited and a bit stale.
• You Want Dinner – I didn’t have dinner there, but based on the menu I would guess this is their sweetspot.
• You Were Invited To A Cocktail Party –  This is probably another safe bet, so go grab a cocktail and enjoy the music!

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