This exquisitely beautiful cafe tucked down a backstreet near the Piazza Navona in central Rome combines history and style, while maintaining a hip, laid-back vibe and serving coffee and cake that will make you swoon.
The sun was dazzling during our four-day day stay in the capital and it took a minute for my eyes to adjust to the low-lighting of the cafe interior.
When they did, they settled on a single marble column supporting a beamed ceiling - then travelled to an antique brass cash till decorated with scrolls and flowers, dark wooden panelling and chairs, tables with white marble tops, and brass art nouveau lamps in the shape of nymphs holding glass globes.
It was like stepping back in time, except the staff and clientele inside at least appeared to be fashionable and young - designer jeans and sunglasses.
Ambient music played in the background.
It was still officially Christmas in Italy.
Large sprays of white flowers and red berries erupted from crystal vases like fireworks and white baubles the size of ping-pong balls dotted the ceiling.
The walls were wrapped with garlands of dark foliage. These were Christmas decorations Italian style.
I could go on forever praising the cafe's features.
I won't, but will take the liberty of mentioning the polished walnut bar with mirror panels along the back.
Established in 1891, the cafe has apparently been a meeting place for artists, writers and all manner of creative people since.
We ordered decaffeinated coffee apiece and some kind of flan chosen by Spooky.
It turned out to be a delectable combination of pastry base and velvet smooth vanilla custard sprinkled with pine nuts and icing sugar, plus something indiscernible (orange ? cardamom ?).
The coffee was equally divine, its frothed milk so light it melted to nothing on sipping.
Before leaving Caffe della Pace, the washrooms need a mention.
When giving a talk to students on the art of reviewing restaurants, Sheffield Star food writer Martin Dawes advised them to always check the toilets.
He has an interesting anecdote about strawberries at a Michelin starred restaurant ...
I fear the della Pace may fail his litmus test.
Spooky returned from a visit with the comment that it had been "an interesting experience". I would have to go see for myself.
So I did, first navigating a young Italian preening her long black hair in a mirror behind the counter.
Period detail and style ended at that point.
The door to the sole unisex lavatory was a make-shift piece of wood lent against the frame. It was as much as I could do to lift it.
Once inside came the tricky job of propping it to cover the entrance.
Having achieved this, I then noticed gaps the size of the Dartford Tunnel either side. The potential for embarassment was high.
When I returned to our table, dignity thankfully intact, I again passed the girl checking herself in the mirror. Very Italian.
We would have tarried longer in the della Pace but it had been a long day.
We had walked to the Spanish Steps, Pantheon, Trevi fountain and Piazza Navona and still had the Jewish quarter on our agenda.
As we opened the door to leave, I noticed my hand was resting on a polished brass door handle styled like an unfurled scroll. Was there no end to the beautiful fixtures ?
Although set up at the same time as Babington's, the della Pace is less formal, more authentically Roman and still serving the artistic community it attracted over 100 years ago.
Just don't go to the loo - or if you do, take a look out.
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