Antico Caffè Greco

On.the.Road

Antico Caffè Greco, a cafe dating back to 1760, is unmistakably venerable, seated at the heart of Rome's priciest area, the Via dei Condotti, surrounded by luxury shops. Founded by a Greek, Nicola della Maddalena, it naturally bore the identity of a Greek café, a nod to the Greek community living in the area at the time. Unlike ordinary cafes, Antico Caffè Greco distinguishes between seating and the bar area, with a significant price difference. The interior, akin to a gallery, includes seats frequented by Andersen and occasionally hosts humanities seminars. In 2019, the café faced a financial crisis when the landlord proposed a six-fold rent increase, despite the café being designated as a Rome's special important heritage in 1953, implying it couldn't be repurposed for anything but the café. The Supreme Court mandated eviction based on legal grounds, yet, due to cultural activism and support from citizens and patrons, Antico Caffè Greco remains in its place, proving resilience against capitalist pressures, unlike Seoul’s Eulji OB Bear, a bar demolished under similar capitalist forces.