It is not easy to eat badly in Trieste and even the service in the privileged main squares seems pretty good. I had eaten well in this location the night before but stupidly I decided to have a change. I ordered a simple meal - mixed Bruschette and a Spaghetti with Pomodoro. I never got the Spaghetti and the Bruschetta were probably the worst I have had. They were not really mixed - just two types on a piece of dried toast. the San Daniele was fine and the miniscule Mozzarella OK. But the chopped tomatoes uninspiring. There was virtually no olive oil and the staff don't put oil on the tables. They charge coperto but they do not put bread on the tables either.

After a long wait a waiter did come and apologise for the delay to the spaghetti. But I assumed at that point it would actually be brought to my table. After waiting another 15 minutes (and offering to cook it myself) I paid the bill and left.

It's a young staff - and there are many - but there seems to be no organisation or management. Only one member of staff seems allowed to take orders so others simply stand and watch. I wonder what their business plan is! So many staff and so little service.

To be fair the PIzzas looked very good and seem to be cooked without an hour`s waiting time. So it's probably a good place for PIzza and not much good for anything else.

I spent two weeks in Trieste studying and ate here 3 times in total. Twice I had pizza, 4 stagioni, and salad, and all were very good. The pizza is better than DNapoli or Fratelli di Bufala, two other common choices. The other meal I had was eggplant parmigiana and "verdure", eggplant, peppers, and squash baked in small iron pans (these are listed as "tegame" on the menu, which means "pan").

Most restaurants in Italia serve terrible bread as part of the "coperto" that tourists seems to infuriate tourists from Northern Europe and Asia. Di Fronte Al Verdi serves wonderful bread, which they actually make themselves (as it should be in a pizzeria! if a pizzeria gives you lousy store-bought bread you can be sure your pizza will be bad too!). Once they gave me a loaf with black swirls in it: this is their "pasta nera" that is made with carbon from their oven. At the bottom of the pizza menu there's a description of this "pasta nera"- note that "pasta" is also used to refer to pizza dough in Italia- and offers to use it in any pizza on the menu. It didn't really taste much different to me, but the black crust looks very interesting and is most definitely unique.

The servers were patient if not friendly at each visit. Once my wife spilled water all over our table and the waiter was very nice and helpful. There is a tall friendly waitress with blue glasses who is simply outstanding; I twice saw her go out of her way to take care of children in the restaurant, one of whom had set off the alarm in the bathroom and panicked the whole staff :)

The restaurant is just beautiful inside, very modern with lots of wood and glass, but rather small. The tables on the piazza are wonderful and have a lovely view of Teatro Verdi. Piazza Verdi is overshadowed by the famous and much-publicized Piazza Unita' d'Italia and the Grand Canal, but it is a lovely little space just steps from the main square. Kids often play in the square, and the two bars on either side of the theatre are popular with Triestini, so people-watching is quite good.

We came in a rush to catch a bus explained that to the waiter who rushed the order through for us. The pizza was amazing the best I've ever had. The waiter was excellent. If ever I go back to Trieste I would return.

We came here on the weekend and liked the location and look of the place.

We enjoyed the simple food and very friendly service.

What we didn't enjoy is the 3 euro cover charge per person. But, its a general thing in Italy.

The location is great - close to Piazza dell'Unita but not on the main square which makes the place a bit calmer. Pizzas (margherita and San Danielle) as well as pasta (a la vongole) were really good. And the biggest plus for the staff who did not seem at all disturbed by our two noisy children - on the contrary, they were very helpful. The pricing was reasonable.