Hespresso

I’d heard mixed reviews about this brand new café-​restaurant in Monti (it opened in December, I think) so wanted to pop in for breakfast to scope the place out. It’s certainly in a good, central location, tucked between Via Nazionale and Via Palermo in the heart of the city, and the interior is stunning. Don’t stop at the bar, have a wander round the corner and look into the main lounge to really appreciate the place — it’s in a former 19^th century tram station, and the Victorian era clock and exposed girders give a lovely vintage touch to this essentially modern and clean restaurant. The coffee was great — I had a decaf cappuccino to which my barista added a couple of spoonfuls of zabaglione — delicious! The pastries were fresh and tasty with lots of choice in a very attractive glass space so probably four and a half out of five for the breakfast experience. I popped round the corner to have a look at the lunch options — uncooked pinsas and ready-​to-​go gourmet sandwiches with deep-​fried crisps were sitting in a glass case — would be nice if these could be prepared on order but the choice looked good. I should really return for lunch or dinner to give this place a proper shot — the prices are fairly steep for lunch but not atypical for gourmet street food in Monti (sandwiches costing from € 8). The staff were friendly and full of good ideas — always a great start.