Before even crossing the doors of Museo Canova Tadolini, you can’t help but see the vast collection of sculptures inside. So large in number, they almost appear to be spilling out onto the street. An immense statue of a cavalier mounted upon his horse dominates the entrance. With the rider’s head almost touching the wooden beams above, it’s quite the welcome to this memorable building in the historical center of Rome.
Venture inside however, and you won’t be asked to check your bag or to stand in line behind velvet rope. Likewise, don’t expect to be greeted by a museum guide, instead be greeted by a waiter. Part artist’s studio, part restaurant; at Museo Canova Tadolini you can dine out in a rather unusual setting.
The story begins in the early 1800’s when Antonio Canova, an Italian neoclassical sculptor at the height of his fame, decided that his workshop and studio should always be used for the practice of sculpture. He entrusted it to his favorite and most gifted student, Adamo Tadolini. During this time the pair worked prolifically together and formed an intense collaborative relationship. Now here at Museo Canova Tadolini, two centuries later, you can behold some of their works in this historic workshop turned restaurant. Not bad considering other works of Canova have been exhibited in the V&A in London, Paris’s Louvre, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Skip across the center of Rome, and Tadolini’s sculpture of St. Paul greets you at the Vatican in St. Peters Square.
After remaining in the hands of the Tadolini family for four generations, the workshop was carefully restored and eventually opened as a restaurant in 2003. Unlike a traditional museum, the collection of sculptures is not so much curated as casually arranged. By not following a chronological or styled order, the museum hopes to allow your imagination to “travel without borders”. Indeed, upon entering and seeing the sheer quantity of artifacts it does seem as though you’ve discovered a treasure trove from the past.
The ground floor hosts the majority of the sculptures and preliminary plaster models. The almost imposing atmosphere created by such a large number of gleaming white busts and figures watching you while you eat is certainly a big leap from the usual restaurant experience.
Museum enthusiasts, however, will enjoy the concept of dining in a time capsule. The decor might look outdated were it set in a different restaurant, but here the rich wine-red walls and dark wood paneling feel entirely appropriate. Glass chandeliers and studded mustard leather couches seem to be the right choice to match the building’s character.
Sitting at one of the elegantly set tables, surrounded by fragments of history, feels like an authentic experience. Newspaper clippings that curl at the corners, vintage photographs, and original documents complete with spots of wear and tear, will hold your interest for an entire three-course meal.
In keeping with the backdrop at Museo Canova Tadolini, the menu features all the traditional Italian favorites you’d expect to find at a restaurant that caters to both tourists and locals.
As an appetizer, you can choose from classic options such as prosciutto and mozzarella, caprese salad, or eggplant parmigiana. Alternatively, the smoked swordfish carpaccio with rucola salad and balsamic vinegar might just tempt your fancy. Stereotypically the tourists’ dish of choice, pasta, ranges from €11 for a classic spaghetti alla carbonara to €18 for paccheri con frutti di mare. Lamb chops in mustard and pistachio crust, served with artichokes; or sliced beef tenderloin with rucola, Pachino tomatoes, and parmesan; should please meat lovers.
Don’t fill up completely however, as a range of desserts are made on site each day. You’ll always find tiramisu and fresh seasonal fruit, but other options change regularly. When I visited, there were fruit tarts, millefeuille, rich chocolate cake, and a range of biscotti. As with the rest of the menu, choice is extensive but expect to pay somewhat more than average for dining in this prime location.
If time or budget restraints don’t permit the full dining experience, you can have a coffee and something sweet at the bar for a fraction of the price, whilst still soaking up some Italian history.
http://www.canovatadolini.comhttp://www.canovatadolini.com
This is actually helpful, thanks.