Caffe Pedrocchi

Caffe Pedrocchi opened in 1831 and quickly became more than a cafe: it was a meeting place for students, writers, officers and politicians, and a symbol of Padua's liberal spirit. The building, designed by the architect Giuseppe Jappelli, is a graceful neoclassical block with a loggia and stone lions flanking the entrance. For decades it was famous as the cafe without doors, because it stayed open day and night, and the story goes that its patrons were free to sit with a single coffee and read the newspapers for as long as they liked. The ground-floor rooms are named by colour, with the White Room, Red Room and Green Room each offering a slightly different atmosphere, polished marble tables and a menu that goes beyond coffee to include light lunches, pastries and cocktails. The house speciality, a coffee topped with mint cream and a dusting of cocoa, has become something of a local ritual. Upstairs, the piano nobile has a suite of rooms decorated in different historical styles, including Greek, Roman, Egyptian and Renaissance, which were designed for balls and gatherings and now form part of a small museum. History also left a mark on the building: it is associated with the student uprisings of 1848, and an old bullet hole is still pointed out. The result is a place where elegant surroundings meet real everyday life, because many locals still stop in for a standing espresso at the bar.

You can use Caffe Pedrocchi in two ways. As a cafe, it works at any time of day. Mornings are lively with commuters and students at the bar, afternoons are slower, and evenings often bring aperitivo drinks and quiet conversation. Prices at a table are higher than at the bar, which is true across Italy, so if you are on a budget stand at the counter for an espresso or take your mint coffee at a table and treat it as a modest splurge for the setting.

The speciality drink is sweet and creamy, so order it once for the experience, then switch to a regular espresso if you prefer something lighter. As a museum, the upper floor is entered separately and is usually ticketed. It is worth a short visit if you like interiors, with each room echoing a historical style, and it provides a pleasant look into nineteenth-century social life.

The building's position is hard to beat, at the junction of the university district and the market squares. It sits next to Palazzo Bo and a short walk from Palazzo della Ragione, so it is a natural pause on a walking tour. Pair it with a visit to the covered markets, then end the day at one of the nearby wine bars. The cafe is popular, so seats can fill at peak times, but turnover is quick. There is a small pastry counter next door for takeaway.

If you have dietary requirements, ask staff, as the menu changes by season. Dress is casual, though people tend to look neat in this part of town. If you want a quieter experience, visit mid-afternoon on a weekday, when the main rooms are calm and you can choose a table by the windows. Ask the staff about the pastries and about the small sweet biscuits sold in the shop, which make good gifts to carry home.