CNN: Rome’s Oldest Café Falls Silent After Bitter Legal Battle
Dubai – Qahwa World
For more than two centuries, the Antico Caffè Greco stood as a cultural landmark on Via dei Condotti, a gathering place for writers, artists, actors and travelers drawn to the historic charm of Rome’s oldest coffee house. But as CNN reported, the iconic café has now fallen quiet after a long and costly legal dispute.
Last month, the celebrated venue closed its doors. Portraits of illustrious visitors — including Buffalo Bill — were taken down, velvet chairs and wooden booths removed, and gilded tableware packed away. A café once frequented by Rome’s 19th-century elite and the glamorous figures of “La Dolce Vita” now stands empty.
The closure followed years of conflict between proprietors Carlo Pellegrini and Flavia Iozzi and their landlord, the Israelite Hospital of Rome. According to CNN, the dispute began in 2017 when the hospital increased the monthly rent from 17,000 euros to 120,000 euros after an 80-year lease expired, citing comparable prices on the luxury-lined street.
Commercial rents throughout central Rome have surged in recent years, pushing out long-standing businesses — a trend intensified during the Covid pandemic. Pellegrini argued that the proposed increase was impossible to meet.
In 2024, CNN reported that the hospital won the final court ruling to remove the café’s tenants and seek a new operator. Until the closure, the walls still held memories of its famous past: Dickens, James, Keats, Welles, Hepburn, Loren — and even a romantic encounter described by Casanova in his memoir.
Despite premium prices, visitors continued to value the chance to drink from cups once used by figures like Picasso and Princess Diana.
Eviction came in October, with assistance from Italy’s military police. The café was sealed, locks were changed, and a “closed for vacation” sign removed.
CNN noted that staff, citing concerns about a leaking pipe, removed artwork and memorabilia worth an estimated 8 million euros before the eviction. These items were later seized by authorities and placed under the protection of Italy’s Culture Ministry.
The hospital stated that revenue from its properties supports healthcare services and said the rent increase was intended to improve patient care.
According to CNN, the hospital’s special commissioner confirmed that the café will reopen after necessary building work, with its historic character preserved under a new owner. Pellegrini, however, has vowed to continue contesting the outcome.
For now, the once-busy landmark is an empty shell on one of Rome’s most prestigious streets. Tourists peer through windows into the silent interior, where lights remain on but no coffee is brewed.
“It is a tragedy that it had to close this way,” longtime customer Manuel Capponi told CNN. “But the city has weathered worse storms. Another café will come — and its prices will likely reflect the higher rent.”
