Bergamo Restaurants

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VOX was next doorto our hotel (Mercure) and we called in for a early evening drink, which co-incided with Happy Hour.
Happy Hour in Bergamo means that your drinks arrive with a selection of nibbles of varying amounts. Usually from 17.30 -18.30/19.30.

In VOX this is a full buffet, spread along the bar and counter spaces, which is replenished when the levels of snacks on the plates fall. We weren't quite sure when 'Happy Hour' ended as the buffet was still being re-stocked at 21.30 hours.

We ordered our drinks - Me an Aperol Spritz, Gilly-a draught beer - for 5 Euros each - we soon found out that this entitled us to 'fill our boots' at the buffet!

Green olives, cold meats, pizzas, tortilla, crisps, nuts, bruschettas, garlic and salsa dips, potato cubes, fennel slices etc all passed our lips on the 2 occassions that we visited here - Tho' on the Sunday, the same drinks cost 6 Euros!
On the Monday morning when we passed by, we spotted bowls of olives again, plus covered plates of pastries, croissants etc. - not sure if these were 'free with a drink' or not

The buffet bar is on the lower level -There is also a restaurant on an upper level

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When planning our trip to Bergamo, Suvanki was very clear of an absolute need to pay homage to the home of Italian ice cream (in her opinion), Grom. She was keen to try the shop in Bergamo (which she had previously visited) again as well as two shops in Padova.

Our first stop was on the way to our hotel - probably within 45 minutes of Suvanki arriving in Italy!

I have to say, her judgement is well-founded. My first selection was a coni medio (medium cone) with caffe (coffee) and panna montata (whipped cream) - it was divine.

A second visit led me to try a coni medio with dark chocolate fondant ice cream and strawberry sorbet - this taught me the lesson to think carefully about choosing flavours; whilst both the chocolate and strawberry were, independently delicious, together, the chocolate overpowered the strawberry.

In Bergamo, Grom is situated in the Citta Bassa on Viale Papa Giovanni XXIII.

Favorite Dish: The coffee ice cream is still one of my favourite flavours - but there's many a flavour still to be tried! More importantly, you have to visit at various times of the year, as flavours change with seasons.

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This restaurant, located in Citta Alta, offers a great tourist menu with a good selection of dishes.

For €18, you can choose from a starter of Lasagna al Forno, Casoncelli alla Bergamasca (a traditional 'raviolo' Bergamo style) or Pennette alla Verdure (penne pasta with vegetable sauce).

Follow this with a main course selected from Arosto al forno con funghi porcini e polenta (roast beef with porcini mushrooms and polenta), Braciola alla piastra con patatine (grilled cutlet with French fries), Bocconcini con piselli e polenta (veal bites with peas and polenta) or Seppie in umido con polenta (stewed cuttlefish with polenta).

Finally, finish your meal with coffee.

Your €18.00 includes service and cover charges.

Favorite Dish: I had Casoncelli alla Bergamasca, which was delicious, followed by Arosto al forno con funghi porcini e polenta. Both Suvanki and I had decided to choose dishes with polenta, a local speciality; many will know that polenta (a corn-meal porridge) is very filling, so be sure not to go eating all your porridge before the rest of your main meal or you may feel overly full!

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Again, I was desperate for somewhere to provide me with quick filling food and a drink.

This place too was on my way back to my hotel. Very pleasant interior, and very pleasant young waitress (with good English). The menus were in English too, which is always helpful.

I decided, in the end, not to bother with a proper meal (not even the 10 euro fixed price one, which is good value). I chose a grilled vegetable panini with truffle oil instead.

The coffee was excellent (they know how to make an Americano) but the waitress' attempt to make a grilled vegetable panini out of only thinly sliced and not-grilled courgettes didn't really work. But she was only trying to be helpful (the grilled vegetables were not available) and the panini itself was good.

I might try this place again next time. Perhaps.

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Caffe del Colleoni is perfectly situated for people-watching, being on the corner of Piazza Matteotti and Largo Porta Nuova and well=placed for observing those on the passegiatta (some interesting sights indeed!).

I decided to have an aperitivo here in the early evening. A small glass of white wine (glass was huge, amount of wine was not so) and accompanying 'nibbles'.

The place was packed (it was a public holiday) and the staff were very stretched, so service was a bit slow. But I understood that, and it was not a problem for me.

The nibbles were very pleasant, but I felt they were surpassed by those on offer at the Caffe Teatro Donizetti over the road.

This was the only time in Bergamo I was troubled by a beggar. He was exceptionally persistent, both with me and with other customers, until a very fierce young waitress most firmly ushered him away. I was much impressed by her ability! :-)

Caffe del Colleoni has a large indoor dining area and offers meals as well. Closed on Mondays.

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I really liked this place, not least because the building which houses it is ancient and rambling and because the garden has fantastic views) and had every intention of eating there. But my visit on a public holiday proved it is hugely popular with the good people of Bergamo (as I suspected it would be). Its huge outside area (with a bowls area!) was absolutely packed out and the interior (several huge rooms) was also very busy indeed.

So it will have to wait for next time.

But I did manage to have a quiet beer and espresso there earlier in my visit (which is when I decided to eat there later). It's a mixture of bar, cafe and restaurant and offers a good range of local dishes (including, of course, a wide range of pizza). Prices are very reasonable indeed.

I found the staff to be very pleasant indeed and there was a feel, almost, of a sort of local pub or club....the sort of place elderly gentlemen while away their hours...local flyers for customers to peruse, newspapers, interesting bts of history and newpaper cuttings framed on the walls and so on.

Well worth seeking out this place. Although it's on a narrow dead-end side-street there's a big sign on Via Colleoni, so keep your eyes open!

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I really liked this place.

The Ciao chain consists of self-service restaurants across Italy. Not really 'fast food' ...the food is well-cooked and there's a huge amount of choice.

You can have set 'meal deals' or just choose your own (including your own e.g. steak which is then cooked for you).

I thought it was excellent value, personally. Opening hours are long, so you can get a meal at Ciao when other places might not be serving.

I had a rather good serving of melanzone alla parmigiana plus salad (I chose my own ingredients and served myself) followed by an entirely gorgeous tiramisu (I could have eaten several of those!). With a bottle of water the bill was around 10 euro, which I thought was pretty good value.

Staff were pleasant and the outdoor terrace overlooking Largo Porta Nuova is a good spot for people-watching whilst you eat (and sparrow-watching too, because the local birds have long learned that there is easy food available on the terrace!).

I shall definitely eat there again next time I'm in Bergamo, and will now try out other branches elsewhere in Italy when I come across them.

(And, for those from the UK...if you try out a Ciao compare it (and the prices) with what we get in our self-service restaurants. Puts the UK to shame, imo.)

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You'd think that ice-cream in Citta Alta's Piazza Vecchia would be more expensive than in Citta Bassa, wouldn't you?

It wasn't. It was cheaper (2.30 euro for a two-flavoured cone).

And I thought it was better ice-cream as well, although that is purely a personal opinion.

Caffe del Tasso has been on Piazza Vecchia for a very long time indeed. The building itself dates from the 1400s, and was known as the 'Locanda Delle due Spade' (Inn of the Two Swords) in 1476. It took the name of the poet Torquato Tasso in 1681, when a statue of that poet was erected in the piazza. An impressive history indeed!

As well as its gelateria counter (lots of flavour choices) and pasticcheria, it is a 'proper' cafe, with tables outside and a sit-down area inside.

But I just wanted the ice-cream. And it was lovely! :-)

I had to trim the photo because of all the people sitting outside enjoying their ice-creams!