Caffe Meletti

Caffe Meletti stands on Piazza del Popolo, the elegant travertine heart of Ascoli Piceno in southern Marche, and is among the most celebrated historic cafes in Italy. Opened on 18 May 1907 in a building bought by Silvio Meletti, it occupies a jewel of Liberty, the Italian Art Nouveau style, with white marble round tables, wrought-iron fittings, Murano-glass and brass chandeliers and ceiling decorations of cherubs entwined with anise branches. The cafe is inseparable from its signature drink, Anisetta Meletti, a sweet green-anise liqueur whose recipe was perfected by Silvio Meletti in 1870 and which is traditionally served con la mosca, with a single roasted coffee bean floating in the glass. Over the decades the cafe drew famous patrons including Ernest Hemingway and Jean-Paul Sartre, and it once held a royal warrant as supplier to the Italian royal household. The crowd today is a broad mix of locals and visitors, from morning coffee-drinkers to evening aperitivo-takers, and the atmosphere is refined but unpretentious, with prized outdoor tables looking onto one of central Italy's most beautiful squares. By day it functions as a classic Italian caffe for espresso and pastries, shifting in the evening to aperitivo, when spritzes, the house Anisetta and regional wines are served with light bites. There is no door policy or dress code beyond the smart-casual norm of the city centre, and tables are first-come, so arriving before sunset secures the best spots under the arcades. Both a living monument and a working cafe, Caffe Meletti is an essential stop in Ascoli Piceno, offering a taste of the region's most famous liqueur in a setting of Belle Epoque elegance.