In Civitavecchia, there's a hidden restaurant inside a petrol station where Judges and Lawyers have lunch

A restaurant inside a petrol station in Civitavecchia frequented by judges, lawyers, and hunters. This isn’t the start of a weird novel, but what happens at Panama Cafè in Civitavecchia. The place was established fifteen years ago by a very young chef, Chiara Romiti, then twenty-five, and her cousin Riccardo di Luca, who decided to create a hidden spot where people could drink wine and buy single bottles at the corner shop. Panama Cafè is a bar & bistro, as the sign says. "For a while, it was also a night spot on Friday evenings, we did a lot of tastings and also monthly tasting dinners with wine producers," says Chiara Romiti. The format is unusual for a petrol station: "We have always been somewhat discriminated against because of the location: it’s difficult to convey that inside there’s something different from the typical service station offer," explains Romiti, emphasizing the importance of "high-quality raw materials" that are "selected daily to include in simple menus: this is why prices aren’t very high, we choose to work with, for example, artisanal preserves or pasta, or fresh seasonal fish, but in simple preparations to keep prices low for customers."

Panama Cafè: the hidden restaurant in a petrol station

You stop in the forecourt with the petrol pumps, park your car, and then enter a place where expectations are immediately dashed: the common idea is to find a dingy canteen with overpriced pre-packaged sandwiches and burnt coffee before embarking for Sardinia (Panama Cafè is indeed only 5 minutes from the embarkation point at the port of Civitavecchia), yet it’s quite the opposite. Crossing the threshold, you find yourself in a spacious establishment with about thirty seats and customers sipping wine from glasses. Everything is designed to offer a decent lunch break to clientele who, for logistical reasons or just affection, frequent the place. "Judges and lawyers have lunch here too because we are very close to the courthouse," says Chiara Romiti. It’s also a morning coffee spot for hunters boasting of their latest exploits; when schools are open, "a lot of students gather here for breakfast or to skip school," Chiara Romiti says with a smile. Additionally, "It’s also a meeting point for many chauffeur drivers," explains Romiti. There’s both an indoor space and an outdoor area where you can enjoy a beer or an aperitif.

The cuisine and wines

"My cuisine is market-driven with seasonal products," explains Chiara Romiti, who diligently visits the Civitavecchia market every morning to find the best fish and vegetables to feature on the menu that same day. The creative process begins right there: "We decide the menu day by day based on what the market offers," so she might plan to offer grilled swordfish but switch to a fresh tuna fillet if she finds it, proposing a different dish instead. The food is freshly prepared, and the service is kind and welcoming: there are no paper menus or QR codes on the tables; the waitress takes her time to come over with a chalkboard menu and explains the chef’s choices for the day in detail.

The highlight dish is Spaghetti alle Vongole, a highly requested item. The cuisine is simple yet refined at the same time: for example, you might find Tagliatelle with zucchini, pesto, yellow tomatoes, and bergamot-aged caciocavallo, or local grilled swordfish with vegetables, fried shrimp with herb and lemon mayo, bruschetta with ricotta, herring, and pesto. Prices are affordable: starters range from 3 to 5 euros, main courses around 11 euros, and second courses at 13-15 euros. The homemade desserts include tarts, ring cakes, and cookies, except for the pastries. Panama Cafè places special emphasis on wines: "We often choose local wines from small producers who work naturally and cleanly, so mostly Lazio wines. Then we also select other labels that we discover while travelling or reading, and those that intrigue us are added to the menu. We don’t have a proper distributor," explains Chiara Romiti, who also serves half glasses at the table: "It’s a way to let customers taste the wine, which they can buy from our corner shop and take home." The establishment also has a delivery side, primarily offering poké bowls, where fresh fish is prepared, frozen, and marinated on-site.

Chiara Romiti, Chef of Panama Cafè

"My path is somewhat unusual: I graduated in Law, but while studying, I took professional cooking courses because I’ve always had this passion," says Chiara Romiti. She started as a personal chef and then moved to professional kitchens in Rome, including the one run by chef Andrea Dolciotti. Before opening the business, she was also a food blogger: "We had a lot of fun (she and her current husband, a journalist and writer), but with the opening of the restaurant, we couldn’t keep up and had to abandon it." However, the blog is still online, and you can still find some of Chiara Romiti’s culinary gems.