Bar Necci in Rome celebrates its centenary with exhibitions and new spaces

Bar Necci in Rome's Pigneto district, founded in 1924 by Enrico Necci, marks its 100th anniversary. Originally a dairy, then a bar and ice cream parlor, it gained fame for supplying furniture to Pier Paolo Pasolini's 1961 film 'Accattone'. Current owner Massimo Innocenti, together with his partner Agathe Jaubourg, has transformed it into a bistrot. In 2020, during pandemic closure, they discovered and restored an ancient Roman hypogeum (pozzolana quarry) beneath the bar, used as a shelter during WWII. To celebrate the centenary, two exhibitions are on view in the hypogeum until October 6, 2024: 'Cent'anni di foto al Pigneto e dintorni' (historical photos from 1870-1970) and 'Incontri al bar. Dieci artisti raccontano un luogo' (works by ten artists inspired by Necci). Innocenti plans to open a new complex near Necci by late 2024/early 2025, including a public bakery, an evening wine bar, a ceramics shop by Utol, and an event space for concerts and comedy. He also considers opening a small contemporary art gallery.