Via Croce 76A, Rome

Where do you go for relaxing lunch while visiting the Spanish Steps or shopping on the Corso? Try the L'Antica Enoteca. There is something special about enjoying a glass of wine in the country where the grape was grown. No California wines here! The L'Antica Enoteca is a wine bar located on the fashionable Via Croce which is one of the exclusive shopping streets off the Corso leading to the Spanish Steps.

While in Rome, I generally did not have much interest in the restaurants around the Spanish Steps. Since this is a busy pedestrian and tourist area, many of the restaurants seemed a bit pricey and crowded. This enoteca was different.

The atmosphere at L'Antica Enoteca was cozy and had warm country feeling. The walls behind the bar are covered with wine bottles and a chalkboard menu displaying the wines of the day and the prices per glass. The enoteca has a bar at the front and tables in a small dining room in the rear. I recommend sitting at the bar to observe all of the glorious bottles of wine and see what others are ordering. The bar is also a good place to sit if you are traveling alone or find yourself in need of meeting a new friend.

This is the place to try that wine which was not in your budget at home. Since this is the country where the grape was grown you can sample Amarones, Barolos and Barberas from northern Italy as well as simple Montepulcianos and Chiantis. The price per glass ranges from 6,000 to 13,000 lire ($3-7). I consider these prices to be a bargain since these were not the normal 'vini di casa' that you get at home or in other restaurants in Rome. This is the good stuff.

Wine and food is one of the most beautiful pairings of Italy. At the enotca you can order from an extensive list of salads, cheeses, meats and other tempting snacks to compliment your glass of wine. They offer a delectable antipasti mista (mixed antipasti) plate where you can sample different meats, cheeses, marinated vegetables and bread all for about $10. As you add on more food or wine they keep the tally on a post-it which is stuck to the bar in front of you. I ordered three glasses of wine (Barolo, Amarone & a Rosso) an antipasti mista plate, coffee and water (con gas) and it cost about $30. On a previous night I got only one glass of cheaper Montepulciano wine with the same antipasti mista plate and the cost was only $15. Your selection of wine will greatly affect the total bill.

Although the L'Antica Enoteca has great food and a cozy atmosphere, the staff seemed a bit stuffy. Maybe they were overworked from serving guests in this busy neighborhood all day. Since I enjoyed the wine and food, I will overlook the indifferent service.

A visit to the L'Antica Enoteca will be a treat you will remember for a long time after you leave Italy.