A hip new neighborhood cafe — Photo courtesy of DeaPeaJayWhen a new bar opens in Rome, the locals definitely take notice. So, when Yeah! Pigneto Caffe opened its doors a few months ago in the up-and-coming neighborhood of Pigneto, Romans flocked to the coffee house to see what all of the fuss was about. Tired of the same old scene in Testaccio and in the centro storico, Romans were yearning for something new.

Years ago, the Pigneto neighborhood was once thought of as a sketchy neighborhood full of crime. Today, the neighborhood has transformed itself into the new trendy hot spot for the shabby-chic; it's sprawling with great little restaurants, bars and pubs.

Though, despite the change in the neighborhood, what was really missing until recently was a punto di ritrovo (a meeting place) where everyone feels at home. That all changed once Yeah! Pigneto Caffe opened its doors a few months ago. Hanging out at this cafè feels like you're at your best friend's house. Its couches, tables and plush chairs give it a 'homey' atmosphere.

Walk in here at any time of the day, and you'll always see a crowd of people. The cafè is open in the morning serving up delicious cornetti (croissants) and cappuccini for breakfast. Around lunchtime, they also serve delicious salads, panini and veggie and fruit smoothies. In the evenings, this place really livens up around aperitivo time (the Italian happy hour), when there's a generous spread of finger foods, sandwiches and pastas to choose from.

You definitely won't want to miss Yeah! on the weekends. On Friday nights, you'll find locals lounging on the couches listening to the sounds of the live bands playing. On Saturdays, there's a live DJ set playing anything from reggae, R&B, soul, funk, blues and even Top 40.

Don't like what the DJ is playing? Not a problem here. The cafè has an extensive collection of vintage vinyl LPs that you can choose from and request a song. Did we mention this place also has free Wi-Fi? Just another great reason to check out Yeah! Pigneto Caffe.