Across from the Colosseum made this a convenient place to eat but I was concerned this was one of those tourist spots where they overcharge for bad food. The prices for our pizzas were higher than we have found at a couple other places we have visited but not ridiculous and the pizza was no worse than elsewhere. My pizza of choice was their Diavola, a pie with slices of spicy salami. While I haven't warmed up to the sparseness of toppings and the crunchy crust, this was the same as we've had before on this trip, and I am here to appreciate Italian pizza, not complain it isn't Americanized. Service was fine, a little slow at the end, friendly, and the food came out in a reasonable amount of time. Unlike most restaurants on our vacation, this one encouraged tipping. read more

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Royal Art Cafe came highly recommended as a restaurant with a view of the Colosseum, and here it does not disappoint. I felt filled with awe as our taxi rounded a corner and turned down a hill to approach the ancient monument. We were greeted at the door by a hostess, who promptly showed us to a table, stopping briefly to get a welcome drink (not sure what it was, but it was fruity and refreshing). The decor is on point here, and almost reminds me of something one would encounter in Miami. We were seated upstairs on the patio, and despite several tables being free under the cover, we were placed in a corner with full sun. It set about 20 minutes later, but on a day when the high had reached 97 Fahrenheit, it was a long and sweaty 20 minutes. Service was meh throughout the whole meal. Prior to arriving in Italy, a native told me that this was standard, and I had been lucky enough not to experience it. This was also the only restaurant we dined at where we were pressured for a tip. Food was good. Not the best meal I ate in the country, and would have been a knockout back home, but was just ok. Come for the view, set your other expectations appropriately, and you'll have a good evening. read more

We were looking for a spot to sit with a view of the Colosseum, so ended up here. The place was busy and all tables on the sidewalk were filled, but we did have an upstairs patio that we decided to check out. Once seated, we didn't have much of a view due to the patio cover unfortunately. Anyways, we ordered a drink just to rest up a bit. I had a glass of House White Wine (€8) while the husband had a Jack & Coke (€13). Note if you're an American coming to Italy, the Coke is separate, so it gets quite pricey. They did offer some chips with her drinks, which was nice though. Otherwise, nothing all too special here besides the view of you do get a table. read more

Royal Art Café - Jack & Coke and White Wine. - Bed & Breakfast Near Me - Rome, RM

If I could give ZERO stars I would! The most horrible service and food. Upon arrival it took the staff over 30 minutes to give us a menu. We were promised a panoramic view and the view was not at all visible from our table. Ordered the trio tacos that included a taco with "seasonal vegetables" we received a CABBAGE TACO. Ordered the pasta dish and the pasta was severely under cooked, the ONLY thing edible was the tomatoes (AND I HATE TOMATOES) & lastly, our main dish was so terrible I had ONE bite and almost threw up. SAVE YOUR MONEY AND GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. read more

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Royal Art Cafe is an absolute gem in Rome. The views are incredible. You are looking straight at the Colosseum. The service was amazing. The host and service were great. They had positive attitudes and were very patient with us when we had questions about the menu. They even gave us a complimentary glass of sangria because of confusion about where they had seated us. The interior was stunning as well. It was very elegant and clean. Now let's talk about the delicious food. I had the Arrosto di vitella abrasata con creme di pátate which in English is Braised veal roast with mashed potatoes. The veal was absolutely delicious. The veal was so tender it melted in your mouth. The mashed potatoes underneath the veal are a perfect combination. The mashed potatoes were so creamy and well seasoned. The price is 22 euros. I also tried the Tonnarelli Amatriciana, which is Tonnarelli, tomato, Bacon, Pecorino Romano, and Black Pepper. The pasta was handmade in house. It was well seasoned. That will cost you 16 euros. The wine was delicious, we had a bottle of Chianti 'La Boncia', a good wine from Tuscany. read more

Royal Art Café - Braised veal roast with mashed potatoes underneath - Bed & Breakfast Near Me - Rome, RM

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I know they say not to eat near popular tourist attractions but this place is 100% the exception to that rule. Reserve in advance as it will be busy as it is right next to the colosseum. We got seated on their upstairs patio and you really can't beat the view. They have a sun shade as well so you aren't under the sun during your meal. I got the salmon pizza to share with my friend and a cacio e pepe by myself. Both dishes were fresh and flavorful. I highly recommend. Service is nice and professional. read more

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After a long, fascinating tour of the Colosseum, the last thing anyone wants is a long trek to find a meal. If you are looking for a place where you can walk a few steps and enjoy a late lunch with a great atmosphere, Royal Art Café is the perfect destination. During our visit, we sampled a variety of dishes to get a good sense of the kitchen's range. Our order included: Lamb chops, Hamburger, steak and Pateo Pasta. , While we enjoyed the variety, there was a clear winner at the table. After comparing all four items, the Lamb Chops were easily the best dish we ordered. They were flavorful, well-prepared, and definitely the highlight of the meal. The other items--the hamburger, steak, and pesto pasta--were solid options, but if you're looking for the best experience here, we highly recommend going with the lamb. Its location makes it incredibly convenient for tourists finishing up at the Colosseum. Combined with the quality of the lamb chops, it's a reliable and rewarding spot for a much-needed break and a delicious late lunch in Rome. read more

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Sabrina, our server, was amazing!! We sat at the upstairs terrace and enjoyed the gorgeous view of the Colosseum! I ordered the fruti di mare with gluten free pasta and my husband ordered the salami pizza. This was the best fruit di mare that I've ever had! The flavor was delicious!! I'm so glad we stopped in here for lunch before our tour. We ended our meal with some limoncello. read more

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Excellent view of the colosseum with outdoor and indoor seating. Service was a bit slow. The food was pretty solid. Nothing amazing, but way better than I expected being in such a touristy spot. Probably slightly overpriced, but if you're hungry and can't wait to get somewhere out of the immediate area this is a solid option. Ingredients are good quality and everything is fresh and flavorful read more

Royal Art Café - Anchovy burrata - Bed & Breakfast Near Me - Rome, RM

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What a lovely place for dinner! We thought we made a reservation but it didn't go through but this wasn't a problem. The hostess gave us a seat on the sidewalk with a heater, looking at the coliseum. The wine selection was nice and the food selection was varied. Our food came out nicely presented and was delicious. The sommelier poured our wine and complimented our pick which was a nice touch. Another nice place I would recommend. read more

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I arrived very early in the morning, was seated right away wherever I wanted to be and I sat outside with a beautiful view of the coliseum. Luigi quickly came and attended me, per usual I asked for his recommendations which he gave. It all came out quickly and was delicious. read more

Royal Art Café - Pistachio croissant, cappuccino and cheese omelet. - Bed & Breakfast Near Me - Rome, RM

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Whenever I visited Rome, I always made a point to stop by the same restaurant and order my favorite dish: fritto misto di mare. It became a comforting ritual. But on my last visit, things had changed--the interiors were different, and so was the menu. The fritto misto was more expensive, and to my surprise, it no longer featured seafood. Instead, it was just vegetables--mostly aubergine and zucchini. It wasn't tasty at all. To make matters worse, the service had declined. The waiter was slow and inattentive, - a stark contrast to the pre-COVID days - when an elderly gentleman used to serve with exceptional politeness and care. I'd love to go back and see if they've returned to their old standards. read more

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We came here to enjoy some drinks with the view of the colloseum. We got a bottle of rosè. All was good until it was time to pay and we were overcharged with fees that are typically for dining in to have food, as well as the bottle being more than what was first said. We knew it was a tourist trap but still not cool to be dishonest. read more

Royal Art Café - Rosé - Bed & Breakfast Near Me - Rome, RM

First meal while visiting and wanted something light. Got the seafood soup and it is delicious!! Also fried veggies and they are ok. Nice service! read more

Royal Art Café - Coke w/lemon - Bed & Breakfast Near Me - Rome, RM

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Simply the Best Aperitivo Ever! We had an unforgettable experience at Royal Art Café, right by the Colosseum. The rooftop setting offers a breathtaking, direct view of this iconic monument especially magical at sunset. We ordered the aperitivo and were blown away: a beautiful cheese selection paired with honey and prosciutto, freshly baked focaccia, and crispy fried calamari served in a traditional coppetiello. Every bite was delicious, and the presentation was thoughtful and authentic. Enjoying such high quality food and drinks with that view made it feel like a true Roman dream. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a special evening in the Eternal City and don't forget to tell them Flavia sent you! read more

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Everything was great the scenery the food and the service. If you can I suggest you eat on the rooftop where you can get an amazing view of the colosseum read more

Thank you! Everything tonight was absolutely perfect. First, the service and welcoming attitude from the staff was amazing and greatly appreciated. The menu was inclusive and I enjoyed a seafood appetizer, a pasta dish, main course and desert. The food was really well presented and delicious and the staff amazingly attentive. I want to say thank you for a truly enjoyable evening. On a side note I enjoyed a walk around the coliseum which is literally across the street. Nothing could have been more perfect. read more

Had a poor experience here today offer my tour of the colosseum. My family and I, thought we would sit down and enjoy a meal after our long tour but that was not the case. We were sat by a friendly hostess but then were ignored by three different waiters. Then when we asked if we have a waiter we were told to wait after we had already waited 20 minutes. We watched as a waiter shooed us with a dismissive hand motion, and a huff and proceeded to ignore us. We promptly left after this experience without ever being served even water. As we were leaving we noticed several different waiters standing around talking to each other. Rude, unprofessional and a very disappointing experience. I would not recommend anyone go here. read more

Best views of the coliseum. Food was pretty good too. Service was attentive at first, but the staff kinda disappeared for awhile but it was all good because I had my eyes on the wonder of the world the whole time. Can't beat the view of the coliseum here sitting out front. The amatriciano pasta was good but nothing to rave about. Cacio e pepe was good too. But again, nothing impressive. Tiramisu was pretty outstanding though. But it's all about the views here. read more

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The food and coffee was good and the ambiance was amazing considering the Colosseum was right across the street from us, it was pretty cool as a tourist. The service was okay. The prices were pretty good. read more

Royal Art Café - Coffee and croissants - Bed & Breakfast Near Me - Rome, RM

Really bad service. It's such a touristy area and they are in the business to turn tables. We had to ask for water at least 3 times. We only had appetizers so I didn't take photos. The tomatoes on the bruschetta were delicious. read more

The pasta is good, the place is nice inside. Daniel and Vlad were also very nice and helpful read more

Royal Art Café - Trofie pesto - Bed & Breakfast Near Me - Rome, RM

Believe me when I say that you should only come here if you're exhausted for walking the colosseum as we were or just want a cute picture of the colosseum. I'll get straight to the point the food was terrible and a 0/5 and I say this after my friend and I tried at least three different items. Each one being more awful than the last. If I ever have to stop by then I'll only come for bottled water or a coffee so that I can sit and take a nice picture of the background. Also, speaking of a getting a great picture here, this will only be possible if you sit outside or at one of the windows seats. read more

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midz it was okay i think the best part was that it is conveniently located by the colosseum so folks who were tired or needed a place to sit and dine can come here. it's not really a tourist trap but the food wasn't that good i got breakfast and a smoothie but it wasn't good i wouldn't come back here again to be honest. unless i had to like get a drink or use the rest room read more

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The Royal Art Cafe is a gem! We're so glad we found this place while walking around the colosseum. We had plans to eat and we knew we'd find something special. This restaurant is positioned right across the colosseum and has indoor/ outdoor and rooftop dining seating. They reeled us in with rooftop seating and it did not disappoint (see video). It was about 1:30pm on a Saturday and definitely busy. They had a couple open tables on the roof but the ones closest to the edge are reservation only. Halfway through, a table opened up closer and the waitress was so nice, she let us takeover and sit closer so that my girlfriend could get better pictures. For food we started with the fried shrimp appetizer and I have to say, it was 10/10. Texture and taste were perfect and the only thing I wished was that I had 10 more. It was flaky and buttery and I recommend everyone try these. For main courses, we went with 2 pasta Carbonaras and a Capricciosa pizza. The pastas were amazing and the pizza was one of the best we had but a little on the colder side. When we told our server, she was very helpful by taking it back and having them make a new one. The new one was still not very hot which leads me to believe that the way it's made with toppings being added after the pizza is cooked is the reason for the lukewarm pizza. We overlooked it and still enjoyed everything, grateful that they tried to accommodate every request. I forgot to mention that we ordered 2 cokes which is always a plus in my book. Overall, this place is great for pasta, pizza and other lunch/dinner options. The taste of everything was perfect and well prepared. Pizza could definitely be warmer but the taste and texture was perfect and I stand by my rating for the shrimp being 10/10. With the view of the colosseum right outside, this place is an easy 5 star review and I would suggest anybody stop in here for drinks, food and a relaxing time. read more

Royal Art Café - Capricciosa pizza & 2 pasta carbonaras - Bed & Breakfast Near Me - Rome, RM

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Everything. Great service, great food, great atmosphere and the best views of the Colosseum.

Host sat us at table around 3:30pm with family of 5. Ordered 2 pizzas, a couple beers, and drinks for the kids. Waiter took our order but then came back and told us his boss said it wasn't enough food and asked us to leave. Table next to us had same experience. No grazie. read more

Highly recommend for after having a tour at the colosseum! We made a reservation and arrived an hour earlier and they were able to accommodate. Started off with some welcome drinks then led us upstairs to the table. The view was amazing. All the staff were fantastic. Food could have been better but can't complain too much with this view! read more

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Great location right near the colosseum. We had dinner here as we were staying at the B&B above the restaurant, which was also great. Nice staff, decent food and prices and convenient location. read more

Royal Art Café - The dessert selection - Bed & Breakfast Near Me - Rome, RM

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RoYaL Art Cafè Roma has delicious food and drinks in a cool and unique atmosphere. I really like the location and view that they have available here. The staff here is very friendly and accommodating to make sure that you have everything that you need. read more

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Main reason I came here was because of the view which is spectacular, but the food did not disappoint. Service was great, location amazing, view was spectacular. The pastas were all fabulous and the dessert was that days special which was light and fluffy. Would definitely recommend read more

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Great location, get a seat upstairs for a better view. Food was okay, Italian and mix of tacos and burgers. Service was great until the bill came. They said it doesn't include tip. My bill was 90E and they said 150E okay with tip? What? They try to rip you off with the tip. Say no and add what you want. read more

I am convinced that this place is an actual scam. After finding the place on Instagram, we decided to book dinner on the last night of our Europe trip. They emailed me back and said I could book a good table with a view of the Coliseum, 6 course meal for 200 EUR. Wine and tip included. My first suspicion should have been when they asked to pay by Venmo. We arrived on time and, if first impressions were a thing, and we hadnt paid upfront, we would have left. The downstairs was completely empty, and reminded me of an outdated middle eastern restaurant. Random employees sitting around in groups. We were escorted upstairs to a completely different part of the restaurant that was very nice! The service was great, the wine was great, the view was great! But the food is COMPLETELY inedible. Not just bad, but horrible. Their business model has to be to spend as close to nothing on food, get tourists in one at a time for maximum profit, and then flood the reviews to weed out anything bad. Take a look at the number of reviews coming in for this place, compared to any other restaurant? We so wanted this to be a great experience, but we left having drank a half bottle of wine, most of the appetizers, NONE of the first our second course and didnt even try to get desert, as we just really wanted to leave the place. If you are looking for a place with a view and some pictures, this is it. If you are looking for a good meal, you wont find it here. read more

This is a very unique restaurant in the "shadow" of the Colosseum, above the crowded street below. We visited in the afternoon vs dinner, so the sun was a bit bright, but the view, food and service were superb. Our waiter was rushed since he said they were short of workers, just as the US, we told him we were fine and not in a rush. We had appetizers, pasta, pizza and desert, everything was very well prepared. read more

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IT'S A TOURIST TRAP, DON'T DO IT! I would definitely not recommend this place to anyone. As potentially delicious as everyone's food around me looked, that was not the case with the food we ordered. I'm sorry but we would've had a better experience going to Publix and buying from the frozen TV dinners. We waited for so long to be assisted while everyone around us was getting waited on, hand and foot. The drinks were so watered down. The food was cold. I will give it to them, they have a beautiful view of the Colosseum which is right across the street. That's all they have going for them. read more

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The view and service were nice but the food was not good at all. We actually couldn't even eat our main entrees. They offered something else but we didn't have an appetite anymore. And only 2 of our dinners were bad (don't order the fish, I guess). It was a nice experience but the cost was just for the view. read more

Enjoyable lunch of salmon gnocchi. It was good but the ravioli was better. Tiramisu and cappuccino were delicious! Service, wine and the view were OUTSTANDING! read more

Royal Art Café - Ravioli and Salmon Gnocchi with a view! The Tiramisu was delicious and service was excellent! - Bed & Breakfast Near Me - Rome, RM

Had the Cacio e pepe with languistin tar tar and a Hugo. I think the pasta was 16 & the drink 10. I thought both were very delicious and would love to have them again. View was wonderful & the staff was really nice. read more

Royal Art Café - Cacio e pepe - Bed & Breakfast Near Me - Rome, RM

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After a tour of the Colosseum, my group stopped by for dinner. The Arancini was great and the highlight of the dinner. For our main course we had a pizza with different toppings. I felt that the pizza was nothing special, and the toppings were overlapping in some sections, but there were other parts that had none at all. Finally, we had panna cotta for dessert. The sauce on top was tart, but overall good. The main reason I can't give this more stars wasn't the food, but the service. It just was lacking overall. Plus, at the end of our dinner we were greeted with a large creepy crawly guest who were hoping was only there because of the horrible rain. But we were left to handle that on our own and none of the staff offered to help. read more

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This restaurant is an absolute scam. I paid €100 for cold, uncooked food and terrible service. Our waitress was very condescending and inattentive. We explicitly told our waitress that my friend is allergic to shellfish, but she had an allergic reaction later that same night and we believe it was because of cross contamination. Additionally, my other friend ordered the triple chocolate cookie after our two main courses, but never received it. There were multiple times we had to ask other staff members for service because our waitress ignored us. Aside from the poor service, our two main courses were cold and undercooked, we didn't finish most of the food. My group paid a combined total of €500 in advance (€100 each) for a reservation that included a selection of wine, beer, cocktails, and/or coffee, but we were only offered wine. I emailed the same person I made the reservation with to explain my complaints and asked for a refund, but once again, I was ignored and never got a response back. Hopefully my review will save someone else from ever coming to this restaurant, it's just another Rome scam restaurant that up charges you because of the view. read more