Posto in una palazzina porticata che chiude l'omonima piazza, il Caffè Canossa, fin dalla prima edizione di Festivaletteratura, è diventato un piacevole luogo d'incontro con gli autori del festival e dal 1998 ha ospitato le colazioni letterarie. Trasformato in ristorante, al momento il locale è chiuso.
It is said that the aristocratic Veronese family Canossa moved to Mantova where they were given the marquis title by the Gonzagas. In 1659, they purchased Count Alberigi's residence. After having bought the contiguous properties, the marquises built their palace on the remains of such residence. They demolished most of the buildings around the palace and, in the 17th century, they closed the square with a bright porticoed villa (now the Caffè Canossa). The square acquired its current shape in 1759, when the church was built. The Piazza Canossa has the same configuration as the Piazza Sordello, in smaller dimensions, but with a very different spirit : a little bit outside the main streets of the city; cosy and pretty at the same time, the Piazza Canossa is a marvelous example of the seventeenth century aristocracy's habits.
