and this sometimes led to thermopolia being scorned by the upper class

The thermopolia, alternately called popina (a limited menu of simple foods such as olives, bread, stews etc.), were usually patronized by those who did not have the facilities to cook at home or chose to take their afternoon meal there. The thermopolia also affiliated with some disreputable conotations. Plautus, for example, speaks of effeminate Greeks and thieving slaves frequenting them (Curculio, II.iii.288ff; Trinummus, IV.3.1013), and Dio records that Claudius once commanded that such places be closed altogether.

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The concept of serving food for immediate consumption in public spaces seems to date back at least to the 5th and 4th centuries BCE in Greece, where similar establishments began to appear. Interestingly, while the term thermopolium exclusively appears in Latin texts and inscriptions, there are also Greek parallels, called tavern, with food-serving establishments being documented as early as the 5th century BCE. It was during the priod of Roman Empire (circa 510-27 BCE), particularly in the bustling cities of ancient Pompeii and Herculaneum, that thermopolia reached their fully developed shape and form.

Archaeological evidence shows thermopolia prominently in cities with large populations, often catering to the lower classes who lived in apartment buildings (insulae) without kitchens or cooking facility. These establishments were equipped with counters containing large dolia (jars), used for storing food and beverages. This setup can be traced back to circa second century BCE and persisted throughout the Roman Empire.

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A typical thermopolium usually consists of a room attached to, but not accessible from, a house, with a distinctive masonry counter in the front. An example can be seen in the House of the Painted Vaults in Ostia Antica. Embedded in the front counter were dolia, earthenware jars used to store dried food such as nuts. A dolium in the thermopolium attached to the House of Neptune and Amphitrite in Herculaneum held the carbonized remains of nuts. Fancier thermopolia would also be decorated with frescoes. These frescoes depicted a range of Roman mythological and religious imagery, as well as images and scenes of day to day life in the ancient city. Like modern advertisement, thermopolia frescoes were not only artistically oriented, they served a practical function as well. The images depicted in frescos could signify what that thermopolium was selling, i.e., fish, poultry, baked goods. Thermopolia fresco would have been an important aspect in grabbing the attention of customers in the ancient city. Well-preserved ruins of thermopolia can be seen in Pompeii, Herculaneum and Ostia.

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Thermopolium of the Via Diana
This shop, a thermopolium, situated in a very prime location near the forum of Ostia Antica, sold hot food and drink. In the center is the bar counter, with shelves for placing wine-jars and basins for washing dishes. To the right is the kitchen with a large pottery storage jar and a built in stove.

The building, used as an inn with a wine bar, was installed in the third century CE inside a complex of the Hadrianic period (first half of the second century CE). It opened onto the street with three entrances, provided with seats and covered by balconies resting on brackets. The interior was divided into three rooms; the middle one had a bar counter, shelves and basins for washing dishes made of marble. The still life paintings above the shelves show the foods served in the bar.

One of the rooms, used as a kitchen, had a dolium (large terracotta container) set into the ground for keeping food cool. The courtyard behind, with a little fountain and masonry seating, allowed the patrons of the establishment to eat outdoors.

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Regio V Thermopolium
The so-called thermopolium of Regio V, or the Thermopolium with Painting of Nereid and Amphorae (Termopolio con Dipinto di Nereide e Anfore), is one of the latest most excavated part of the ancient Pompeii.

In 2020, a well-preserved thermopolium, or Roman fast-food stall, was fully excavated in Pompeii's Regio V. This particular thermopolium featured eight dolia (large terracotta jars) embedded in its counter, which were used for storing food and drink. Frescoes adorned the counter, depicting foods that may have been sold, including mallards and roosters. One fresco showed a dog on a leash, possibly as a reminder to customers to leash their pets. Remarkably, the skeleton of a very small adult dog was found on-site, suggesting selective breeding practices during the Roman era to achieve such miniature sizes.

Food remains discovered included pig, goat, fish, duck, and land snails, providing insight into the variety of dishes served. Crushed fava beans, found at the bottom of a dolium, were likely used to flavor wine, as described in Roman culinary texts. Additional artifacts included a bronze patera (drinking bowl), amphorae, and ceramic jars, reflecting the shop's role in preparing and serving meals.

This thermopolium also yielded a unique snapshot of life during Pompeii's final moments before Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 CE. Human remains were found, including those of an older man, possibly a shopkeeper or resident, and another individual, speculated to be a thief, who died during the disaster. These discoveries highlight the tragedy of the eruption while shedding light on daily life in ancient Pompeii

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Thermopolium of the House of Lucius Vetutius Placidus
The thermopolium consisted of an open space on the road with a stone bench still containing original dolia (terracotta containers) with food. The thermopolium of Vetutius Placidus is divided in to two area; one for public customers and other one for private and family use. It is one of the best examples of this kind of commecial-private building found in the ancient cities of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Ostia Antica. In oneof the dolia a cache of coins was discovered, mostly coins of little value, perhaps abandned by its owner during the dramatic phases of eruption Mount Vesuvius. On the wall at the right side of the counter with dolia, there is a painted lararium (shrine) in the shape of a little temple with Corinthian columns. The public part used by customers is also made up by the oecus, a dining room, and probably by the triclinium, where food was served in the backroom.The privated part was characterized by the triclinium, the room where Pompeians used to eat laying down on the beds, according to the Greek custom and by an evocative viricarium-triclinium, a garden with the summer triclinium.

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Thermopolium of Asellina
The Thermopolium of Asellina stands as one of the most well-preserved examples of a thermopolium in Pompeii. Archaeological discoveries included intact jugs, dishes, and even a kettle still containing water. The establishment's ground floor functioned as a space for patrons to eat and drink, while stairs led to guest accommodations on the second floor.

This thermopolium featured a characteristic layout with a wide street-facing doorway and a counter embedded with four jars (dolia) used for storing food or wine. Small shrines dedicated to the Lares (household gods), Mercury (god of commerce), and Bacchus (god of wine) reflected the importance of these deities to the trade. The upper floor contained guest rooms, suggesting that the establishment may have also operated as an inn. However, inscriptions of several women's names on an election notice outside the thermopolium have led some to speculate that it might have served as a brothel, or alternatively, that these names referred to slave girls employed as barmaids. Behind the counter, remnants of wooden racks suspended from the ceiling were discovered, likely used for stacking amphorae.