Ducati Caffè Bar / Café / Italian Restaurant

Centro, Rome –

The first of a proposed international chain, Ducati Caffè opened in 2008 as the official bar for motorcycling enthusiasts – though a regular dive biker bar this is not.

Instead, the themed bar and restaurant has set itself up to reflect the exclusive, high-end Ducati motorcycles for which it is named, and features a chic and minimal black-and-white décor with sporty touches of red and silver.

The venue, which attracts a hip clientele of young professionals, includes lower and upper seating areas whose centerpiece – visible through the two-story windows – consists of unique two-cylinder motorcycles, one suspended on the wall next to the bar and the other atop a platform in the adjacent shop.

Popular for low-key lunches set to ambient jazz music, the bar offers a slightly livelier vibe at night, especially on Thursdays and Sundays when special deals for motorcyclists draw a sociable crowd of European and British bikers who gather to mingle and watch international races on the flat-screen TVs.

However, Ducati is not limited to just bikers and attracts a varied clientele of all ages, from tourists to sophisticated and sporty locals.