The other day I was walking from Campo di Fiore over to Piazza Navona and I noticed something new. On the right hand side before you reach Corso VE II there is a little piazza on your right (where the cd music stand is). About 20 yards down there was always this Chinese restaurant that we would go to every now and then. Now, all of the red lamps are gone and there is a new sign next to the door that reads "Da Buffetto 2". I haven't tried it yet, and not sure if it is identical to the original.

** Changed spelling from Buffeto to Bafetto **

[This message was edited by Kim on 27 February 2004 at 06:01 AM.]

I didn't try it, but I thought it strange since the original is less than 300 meters away.

Maybe it's the only way to create more space so people don't have to wait so long???

Okay - who's going to volunteer to find out for us?

Does the sign say "Buffetto" or "Baffetto"? The original is Da Baffetto(moustache). Could be some enterprising pizzeria owner saw the line at the original Da Baffetto and thought to open up a place with a similar sounding name hoping to attract unsuspecting tourists who would see the sign and think "Oh yeah, I heard that place is good."

Tony.. I also saw one on Via Parione on the way to Cafe della Pace..is this a chain? we will have to check it out.. but alas I gave up bread and pizza for lent!! By the way, how is your wine course?

I wonder if it is the same place that we went to on the recommendation of Da Buffetto. We turned up on a day of the week when they are closed and the sign on the door directed us to the place around the corner from them (I can't remember what it was called). Perhaps the two enterprises have decided to work under the same brand as Da Buffetto is so well known.

That would be my mistake. I am pretty darn sure it had an A and not a U. Sorry everyone.

Can we get a moderator to change my spelling error on the thread title? Thank-you.

Carmel, I ended up not being able to take the course after all. Got to wait until it is offerd again. I believe that will be sometime in April. How is yours going?

It looks as if Kim's hunch (and Beebee's experience) were right: see this site. As they say, "La tradizione continua..." Maybe I ought to try it, if it's as good as the original. But both times we've tried to eat at da B(1) the queues have been too long, and we've ended up a few streets away at da Francesco, which Pauline et al visited with relish (apart from the smoke) in December. Excellent pizzas at da F, IMO.

Jonathan

Everytime I read a post about Da Bafetto I re-live one of our biggest regrets during our Italy trip last year. We were in Piazza Navonna and were looking for a place to eat, I knew that Da Bafetto was near but didn't feel adventurous enough to leave the square to go look for it. So we ended up eating at the touristy Tre Scalini. True the tartufo gelati was FAB, but the restaurant was filled with tourists and not the local experience we were looking for. As we left the square, there it was. If only we had walked a few more feet we could have been one of those folks happily waiting in line for what has been said is the best pizza in Rome. It was crowded but looked like great fun. Oh well, next trip...

If there are crowds outside a restaurant, and the crowd is Italian, you know you found the place to be. This has only happened to me twice in Italy, at La Bella Napoli in Bologna and Calvino in Trapani. And both were amazing.

Ann M, standing in a well formed line outside of Da Baffetto should be your first clue that you are not having a true Roman experience .

Steph