Every morning before opening his atelier in Rome, Gilbert Halaby orders an espresso at his local bar and sits to people-watch. His life wasn’t always this idyllic—Halaby grew up in the foothills of Mount Lebanon during the country’s civil war. He discovered a love of painting early on, watching a neighbor at work. “I knew there and then that this is what I want to be,” he told Air Mail in 2024. “But I couldn’t. I had to keep it on the side, you know, hide it.”
After studying archaeology at Lebanese University, in Beirut, Halaby arrived in Rome in 2003 and opened a jewelry and handbag shop a year later. The city reminded him of home, where he used to play in a Roman temple near his aunt’s olive grove. In 2016, Halaby launched Maison Halaby, an eclectic store and gallery that he calls a cultural salon. Never letting go of his passion for painting, he presented his first exhibition three years ago and, in January, will be hosting a solo show at the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art.
Halaby continues to live in Rome with his partner, just steps away from his studio. Here, the Lebanese-Italian artist shares his favorite spots in his adopted city.
Amanita
To see a fresh, dynamic, youthful vision of contemporary art, I go to Amanita, on Via dei Banchi Vecchi. (spazioamanita.com)
MAJA ARTE CONTEMPORANEA
I love Maja Arte Contemporanea, on Via di Monserrato, for its thoughtful research and curating. (majartecontemporanea.com)
PIERLUIGI
Lunch at Pierluigi, always. I go for the friendship with the owner, Roberto, and all of the staff, as well as the delicious food and the piazza. It’s like home—and it’s across the street from my gallery. (pierluigi.it)
PIANOSTRADA
For dinner, I love Pianostrada. Paola and Claudio are my favorite cooks, and there’s a new menu almost every month. Then there’s the marvelous welcome from the hosts Flaminia and Alice. It’s another place we call home. (pianostrada.it)
È Passata la Moretta
I love La Moretta at lunch for the carbonara, the Pushkin, and the conversations with the servers, most of whom are university students. It’s a corner for us Romans rather than another tourist trattoria. (turismoroma.it)
Libreria Fahrenheit 451
There are no trendy windows and no Instagram reels here. Fahrenheit, in Campo de’ Fiori, is one of the few remaining independent bookshops in the Eternal City. Every time I go in, I ask the sellers Catia, Angelo, or Gabriele for a book I ought to read before I die. This is how I built my Roman library at home. (libreriafahrenheit451roma.it)
ANTIQUEs PAR FORCE
Nicolò, the owner of Antiques Par Force, is an extraordinary expert and a breath of fresh air. It’s wonderful to see a young antiquary opening a shop in Rome and keeping a long and precious Roman tradition alive. (antiquesparforce.com)
ROSCIOLI
Roscioli forever—all three addresses. In the morning, I go to the bar on Piazza Benedetto Cairoli for coffee and a maritozzo. At the Forno, on Via dei Chiavari, I visit my darling Giusy Roscioli and have the best caponata with pizza bianca. And at the Salumeria, on Via dei Giubbonari, it’s Champagne and cacio e pepe with Alessandro Roscioli. (roscioli.com)
HOTEL LOCARNO
Hotel Locarno, on Via della Penna, is one of the last real Roman hotels with a story to tell. (hotellocarno.com)
National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art
Of course, this one is a must. (gnamc.cultura.gov.it)
GALLERIA BORGHESE
Head to the Galleria Borghese to see the true glory of the Renaissance. (galleriaborghese.cultura.gov.it)
CHEZ DÉDÉ
My beloved neighbors on Via di Monserrato. I go to Chez Dédé for illustrations, photographs, and all of the creations made by the store’s creative directors, Andrea Ferolla and Daria Reinae. (chezdede.com)
L’ARCHIVIO DI MONSERRATO
Soledad Twombly’s L’Archivio di Monserrato, also on Via di Monserrato, carries a marvelous bespoke clothing line and the precious antique fabrics Soledad brings back from her wondrous travels. (soledadtwombly.com)
FABIO SALINI
My dear Fabio Salini, on Via di Monserrato, makes breathtaking jewelry designs with extraordinary craftsmanship. (fabiosalini.it)
TENUTA DI PATERNOSTRO
My favorite escape from Rome, about an hour away. Tenuta di Paternostro is a spectacular maison d’hôtes, decorated magnificently with objects that its owner and host, Olivia Mariotti, has brought to Tuscia from the four corners of the world. It’s the nicest stay in Etruscan country—a harmonious marriage of unspoiled nature and highly sophisticated savoir-faire. (tenutadipaternostro.it)