A RESTAURANT in Rome which presented a Japanese tourist with a bill for nearly 700 euros ($A1224.31) after a meal with his fiancee has been closed down by the authorities, Il Messaggero daily reported.

The young couple, who have not been named, were outraged by the 695 euro bill on June 19 which included two plates of pasta, a bottle of water, a bottle of wine and a fruit salad. The service charge alone was 115 euros ($A201.14).

Their protests however were brushed off by the manager of the restaurant, located close to the tourist hub of Piazza Navona.

Il Messaggero said that the closure notice followed a raid by health inspectors and pricing investigators, ordered by the Italian capital’s mayor, which found a series of breaches of hygiene and administrative regulations.

Diners slugged $1000 for simple meal | Travel News | News.com.au