Mama Mia (Friuli pizzeria, Tarvisio, Italy)

Search for Best Café in Europe 2014

Day 8

Despite it being another rainy morning today was the last chance for an Alpine cycle cafe review before we left. I was also keen to give Italy the chance to put forward a contender for Cake Crusader European cafe of the year 2014. Fortunately all of the other 8 members of the von Frazer singing famille were up for the challenge so armed with bikes and our favourite songs we once again set off on an alpine adventure.

We got off to a slow start as the weather wasn't the only think not playing ball. A serious of gearing and chaining issues meant two returns to the local bike hire shop within the first mile (or kilometre as we say sur la continent) to exchange the original bikes for ones that worked. Eventually we all had our bikes in order and were doe-a-deering on our way.

Attempting to fix broken chain on hire bike

It was a gentle down hill ride on my number one rated cycle path anywhere in the whole world (see my new feature "my favourite stretches of cycle path anywhere in the world what I have cycled on") down to the small Italian town of Tarvisio.

On arrival we found the restaurant hub and selected Pizzeria Friuli from the 3 places available. This was mainly based on the fact that it had stopped raining and they appeared to have a suitable out door seating area where we could make full use of the rare dry spell. 

Outside Friuli Pazzeria

Our choice proved to be a poor one as apparently there was not enough room outside so we were ushered into the modern looking indoor seating area, which was nice but they had crammed a lot more chairs and tables in than the space could really cope with and everything felt a bit rushed.

The waitress didn't speak anything but Italian and as we spoken nothing but English there was a bit of a language stand off as we attempted to order our food and drink. I wanted a real Italian hot chocolate but despite franticly pointing at the menu and shouting 'hot chocolate' very slowly the waitress just shock her head. I eventually gave in and ordered a beer.

Beer although I really wanted a hot chocolate

Without the variety of the hot chocolate the drinks were standard fair although I was told the apple juice was good.

As they say in these parts "when in Tarvisio do as the Tarvisions do" so we limited our menu choices to pasta or pizza. I went for the lasagne.

The lasagne was just lasagne with no accompaniments

It was quite nice lasagne but not like my mama used to make (thank god). It had an awful lot of lasagne sheets, I counted 8 layers, and very little meat or sauce. However the general consensus was the food was good and had warmed us up ready for our return ride.

Friuli pizzeria had been an ok stop but once there had been no hot chocolate on offer it was always going to struggle to make its mark on the Cake Crusader European cafe of the year 2014 leader board.

Returning in the rain to Slovenian Alpine base

We went back outside just in time to catch the first drops of rain which continued to get heavier during our gentle up hill cycle home. On arrival we packed our bags ready for the return to the UK for some traditional british hot chocolate led cycle cafe reviewing.

European league table after 12 cafés.   

Cafe                                                            Drink   Food    Ambiance  Score

Hotel Vitranc, Podkoren, Slov.                        8.        8.5             8            8.17 

Morgenstond cafe, Griendtsveen, NL              8         8.5            7.5          8.00

Central cafe, Baarlo NL.                                  8         8.75           7            7.92

Hererg de bonged, Bassel, NL.                        8         8.5.            7.           7.83

D'hefren van Baarlo, Baarlo, NL.                    6.          8.             9.           7.67

Gasthof W@nker, Arnoldstein, Austria          7.          8.             7.5.        7.50

De Ijsvogel (kingfisher mill to you),                8          6              8.5          7.50

Arcen, NL

Passi cafe, Horst, Holland.                               7         7.5            6.5          7.00

Friuli Pizzeria, Tarvisio, Italy                         6.5        8               6.           6.83

Gostinstvo in turizem cafe,                             7.5.       5              5.5          6.00

Monstrana, Slov

Tučarjev dom, Vršič moutain, Slov                 5          7               5            5.67

Dakepello, Panningen, NL                               5         6.5             5            5.50