La Botticella, a Taste of Pittsburgh in Rome with this Unique Steelers Bar
Steelers bars have gained a bit of a name for themselves across the globe because of their prominence and the intensity of the fans who frequent them. So, naturally, one of the best can be found in one of the world’s most historically important capitals, Rome. La Botticella has become a mainstay of Steelers fans visiting the Eternal City.
It doesn’t matter if you’re here during Steelers season or not, if you’re from Pittsburgh, La Botticella needs to be on your Rome itinerary. It’s worth visiting even during the offseason to see all the Pittsburgh memorabilia on display here.
Between the bar’s collection and its ambience, you’ll feel like you stepped right out of Rome and into your local Pittsburgh bar!
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The Phenomenon of Worldwide Steelers Bars
The Pittsburgh Steelers rose to national prominence during the 1970s when they were on their way to winning four Super Bowls in six years. Because of their performance on the field, their games were often on national TV. This meant people across America became well acquainted with the team.
They also had a roster filled with colorful personalities who found their way onto various commercials during the decade. Between their successes on and off the field, they were one of the top teams of the 70s. Everyone knew them, their fanbase grew and Steelers Nation was born.
While Pittsburgh had success on the field towards the end of the decade, the city suffered most everywhere else. Most notably, the steel industry collapsed causing thousands to lose their jobs. As a result, many of these people were forced to move away from the city. Even though they left Pittsburgh, they took their sports allegiances with them across the nation, further growing the team’s influence nationwide.
These same forces helped to grow the team’s reputation internationally. Expats and tourists began to gather at designated bars and pubs where the proprietors were able to show games from America.
Today, international Steelers bars have gained notoriety. They’re often featured in Pittsburgh sports media and fans have created online databases that list all the bars for Steelers fans to visit across the globe. It’s not just the Steelers, either. Many of these bars have Pittsburgh memorabilia unrelated to the football team and will also show games from other Pittsburgh sports when possible.
History of La Botticella, Rome’s Steelers Bar
Which brings me to La Botticella. Giovanni Poggi opened La Botticella on Rome’s Via di Tor Millina in 1991 as a typical, not-Pittsburgh-related pub. Over time, La Botticella gradually transformed from a standard pub to the legendary Steelers bar that it is today.
Born in Italy, Poggi himself followed the blueprint above on his way to becoming a Steelers fan. When his family moved to Canada, he began watching the Steelers during the 70s while they were creating their dynasty in the NFL. Like many others, he became hooked, and another lifelong Steelers fan was born.
Once La Botticella began to be recognized as a Steelers bar, Pittsburghers from far and wide began to come. With them, they brought their own pieces of Pittsburgh to be displayed in the bar. Poggi has amassed a wide range of memorabilia, including police badges, bobbleheads, college pennants, jerseys and much more.
But what’s a Steelers bar without the big game? La Botticella has that covered! Poggi had a satellite installed to show games on the screen he has at the back of the bar. Pittsburghers fill the place each Sunday to watch their Steelers while in the heart of Rome.
My Visit to La Botticella
I had heard of La Botticella years earlier when the NFL ran a segment on it during a Steelers game. Since then, I kept it stored away in my mind as a place I’d like to check out if I ever got to Rome.
That day finally came in 2022. After a busy morning and early afternoon visiting the sights of Ancient Rome, I woke up from a nap and headed to La Botticella by myself. It was pretty easy to find the location on my phone’s map, but I was a little unsure if I put in the right name since there wasn’t any indication on the outside that I could see suggesting this was a Steelers bar.
I went in anyways. If nothing else, I could still grab a drink. Immediately upon walking in, it was clear I came to the right place. La Botticella was like a small museum of Pittsburgh sports and cultural history with the added bonus of booze. As a Pittsburgher and big sports fan, it brought an immediate smile to my face.
I grabbed a seat at the bar hoping to eventually get a chance to talk with the owner, Poggi. The bar was a bit chaotic – I think they were understaffed, possibly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. I had to wait a bit for a drink, but I didn’t mind since it gave me a chance to look at all the Pittsburgh knickknacks behind the bar. It was fun to just sit back and take in the somewhat hectic scenery. Whether intentionally or not, it reminded me of some of the bars I used to frequent in the Italian neighborhood of Pittsburgh I lived in while in school.
This also gave me an opportunity to look at the drinks they had available. La Botticella seemed to feature a beer called Tre Fontane made from a Trappist monastery in Rome. It turns out this is one of only 14 Trappist monasteries that brew beer in the world, making it a pretty rare drink. It was a nice change of pace from the Italian lagers I had been having throughout Italy.
Once I got my Tre Fontane – the first of two because it turned out to be very tasty – I walked around La Botticella to see what all I could find. Poggi had assembled a very impressive collection of Pittsburgh objects. I won’t list out everything because I’m not sure I even saw everything, but suffice to say, it was a lot. Whether a picture of the Steelerettes, the first cheerleaders of the NFL from the 1960s, or a picture of Poggi with the NFL Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris, La Botticella seemed to have it all! It even had a Kennywood sign from Pittsburgh’s own amusement park.
Yet, the highlight has to be what has come to be known as Pittsburgh Jesus. This is a large statue of Jesus Christ adorned with a Steelers helmet. It’s a great symbol for this Roman Steelers bar!
I came back to my seat at the bar where I eventually had a brief moment to talk with Poggi. Unfortunately, it was only a couple minutes before he was called away to help with something at the bar, but I found him to be personable and enjoyable to chat with.
During my hour or so at La Botticella, I saw several other people from the Pittsburgh region filter in and out. A few came in just to take a look at it before walking back out, but most stayed for at least a drink and to tell Poggi how much they enjoyed his place. It made me feel like I was sitting in any typical Pittsburgh hangout despite the historic monuments just steps away from the bar.
My only disappointment is I didn’t get a chance to experience La Botticella during gametime since I was there in the thick of the NFL offseason. Next time!
Where to Find La Botticella
You can easily find this popular Steelers bar by heading to Piazza Navona. From the plaza’s central fountain, you’ll see a road on the west side of the square. Head down this road until it becomes Via di Tor Millina. Walk one more block, and you’ll see La Botticella on the corner.
Don’t let the absence of any Steelers or Pittsburgh signage on the outside of La Botticella deceive you. I thought I was in the wrong place when I first laid my eyes on it, but once you enter, you’ll quickly realize you’re in the right place.
Things to do Near La Botticella
Visitors to La Botticella have no shortage of things to do either before or after catching the Steelers game. The most obvious thing to do near La Botticella is to stroll around Piazza Navona. This large plaza was my favorite in Rome and second favorite in Italy behind Siena’s il Campo. It has three stunning Baroque fountains, plenty of cafes and gelaterias, and more people watching than you could ever need.
If you’re the type of Steelers fan who needs to invoke God before the big game, the most important church in Christendom, St Paul’s Basilica, is just a short walk away. With some extra time, take a tour of Castel Sant’Angelo to see the fortress used by popes during times of siege.
Another popular attraction to visit near La Botticella is the Pantheon. With its impressive dome, this former Roman temple turned Catholic church is one of Rome’s top things to see. It’s worth seeing even if you only go to admire its outer portico with a prosecco at one of the nearby cafes.
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