在一家罗马餐厅中,聚集着在此晚餐的人们。一位父亲邀请久未谋面的子女们,可他们却不停的争吵,一个日本家庭正在拍照,一位导演正在指导演员,一位有心理疾病的年轻人,一位被女学生狂热追求的教师,不接受女儿宗教倾向的母亲。加斯曼教授从一桌走到另一桌,串起了故事的线索,而另一位观察着人们生活的人,是餐厅的老板阿丹特,她是一位堪称完美的女人,为了她的餐厅放弃了一段神秘的爱情。An evening at an Italian restaurant. Hosted by tolerant and relaxed Flora, various parties of middle-class people come in -- large and small, young and old, regulars and tourists, married and single -- to dine, converse, argue, celebrate, make confessions; to overhear other people's discussions, to interrupt them, to sing, listen to music, and enjoy life. The camera, just like the people, moves constantly from table to table, into the kitchen and the back room to observe the staff's petty jealousies and frustrations -- until two hours later it's time for everybody to go home.