Harry's Bar (Rome)

Harry's Bar Rome
Industry Restaurants
Founded 1918 in Rome
Headquarters Via Vittorio Veneto 150 - Rome
Key people
 Pietro Lepore
Website http://www.harrysbar.it/en/

Harry's Bar Rome is a historic bar and restaurant located on the famous Via Veneto in Rome Italy.

It gained international fame when it was featured in director Federico Fellini's classic 1960 film La Dolce Vita.

Today It operates on trendy Via Veneto as a bar and restaurant and attracts an upscale Roman and international crowd (at times celebrities).[1][2]

It is not related to the other Harry's Bars in Venice, Florence, Paris, or London.

Story

The history of Harry's Bar Rome has been handed down by the ones who lived it and who decided to share the most incredible moments happened in it.

Harry's Bar Rome

This place was born in 1918 with the name of Golden Gate.

The owner was an American woman who lived in Rome, her origins form San Francisco (California) gave her the hint to name the place. Golden Gate infant is a strait on the west coast of North America that connects San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean, where is located the famous Golden Gate Bridge since 1937.

The mentioned woman, sick and tired of the monotonous life in Rome, decided to open this place in order to have a spot where spend the days talking with friends. It was a refined and renowned tea saloon.

In 1950 a new owner bought the spot and decided to make a change.

After a period of renovation, the new owner decided to change the name: from Golden Gate to Harry's Bar Rome, as it is known today.

In the meanwhile the service offered changed too, It was no more a tea saloon, but it became a bar, pastry and restaurant.

The strategy switch increased the revenues and they kept to increase at the end of the 50' and the beginning of the 60'.

Dolce Vita years

During the "Dolce Vita" years, this bar/restaurant knew the best period of its life.

In Italy, especially in Rome, it was the period of the economic boom, and after many years of struggling due to the second world war, the country was ready to rebuild.

People began to vent their needs and passions, looking for the entertainment given by a city in its golden age. Cinecittà became a hot spot, attracting American directors, producers, actors and actresses.

It was the 60's and Harry's Bar Rome represented the meeting point of the Rome by night, of the Dolce Vita, the place where the most exclusive parties were located, where entangled loves were born, where never revealed agreements were signed, where everything was familiar.

In this Bar many celebrities were used to spend their time. Among them; Jean Paul Belmondo[3], Ava Gardner[3], Federico Fellini[3], Lana Turner[4], Marlon Brando[4], Alberto Sordi[3], Audrey Hepburn[5], Sophia Loren[5], Silvana Pampanini[5].

Frank Sinatra played the piano and the most famous actress showed off. It was usual to see in this period the beautiful Anita Ekberg[5] seated at the table drinking with her friend after shopping in Via Frattina[5].

The "Paparazzi" crowded the exit of the Harry's Bar Rome in order to take a picture of the many celebrities, One of them was Rino Barillari, historic Dolce Vita photographer[6].

From Dolce Vita years to Today

During the 80's, Harry's Bar Rome was bought by the Cremonini's group, a large company operating in food delivery and production across Italy and Europe.

Harry's Bar Rome - Inside view

Under the new management, the place was renewed increasing the inside available space.

At the beginning of the new millennium, Harry's Bar Rome was bought by the actual owners, Lepore's family. The management also changed, now more orientated to the family business management.

A new renovation was done, with a special focus on upholstery and furnitures. Furthermore, the outside space was expanded.

Today this restaurant/bar shines in its boiserie and in its renewed decorations, recreating the same atmosphere of the Dolce Vita years.[5]

As in those years, many are the celebrities who seat at Harry's Bar Rome: Mel Gibson[7], Woody Allen[7], Katherine Kelly Lang[7], Romina Power[8], Carla Bruni[9], Antony Hopkins[5], Pamela Prati[10], Paolo Sorrentino[11].

In 2011 has been visited by Hillary Clinton in quality of Secretary of State[3].

Curiosity

In 2013 was used as set for the oscar movie "The Great Beauty" by Paolo Sorrentino.[11]

Notes

  1. ↑ Frommers Review http://www.frommers.com/destinations/rome/N21756.html
  2. ↑ "Harry'S Bar Roma - Roma". PagineGialle.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2018-04-05.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Quando Hillary arrivò a via Veneto come una star della Dolce Vita". Retrieved 2018-04-05.
  4. 1 2 "Caffè letterari a Roma nei mitici anni '60, di Giovanni Russo".
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Roma, via Veneto: si rinnova l'icona della Dolce vita". Retrieved 2018-04-05.
  6. ↑ "Rino Barillari, a Foiano in mostra gli scatti del "King of Paparazzi"". Retrieved 2018-04-05.
  7. 1 2 3 "Addio a Rino Lepore: via Veneto perde la sua star | Vecchia Versione – TridenteRoma.it – Vecchia Versione". www.samiriacovone.com (in Italian). Retrieved 2018-04-05.
  8. ↑ "Romina Power con Daisy Questa è la vera... Felicità". Retrieved 2018-04-05.
  9. ↑ "Una notte con Rino Barillari - Aromaweb". Aromaweb (in Italian). 2014-09-15. Retrieved 2018-04-05.
  10. ↑ kaoma. "The King of Paparazzi, Rino Barillari". www.rinobarillari.com. Retrieved 2018-04-05.
  11. 1 2 Spa, TITANKA!. "The Great Beauty Rome Locations". www.aureliagarden.it. Retrieved 2018-04-05.

See also

  • Harry's Bar (London)

Coordinates: 41°54′33.14″N 12°29′17.8″E / 41.9092056°N 12.488278°E / 41.9092056; 12.488278

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