La Goretta has great pastries, good cappuccinos (and the sort you're hoping for as a visitor to Italy) and exceptionally friendly service in a neighborhood joint kind of way.
They're prepared to be friendly to tourists who mispronounce menu items, but it's also not trying too hard to be a tourist spot. Most of the people there when we were seemed to be from the neighborhood. The prices don't have a tourist markup. The look and feel is more regular patisserie and cafe about the food and coffee than stylized experience.
Seating is limited and a bit tight but the vibe is nice if you get a seat.
I appreciated that the friendly but efficient and casual attitude of the staff seemed to shape the interactions among customers, too. Kind, unpretentious... the wonderful kind of place that exists in cities where all sorts of people need a bite to eat, some caffeine, some space to meet a friend, and/or space to read the paper alone, and everyone wants it to work for everyone.
I don't know when I'll next be in the area, but if the circumstances arise, this is a place I'll be happy to visit again. read more