Un Amante Del Cibo a Roma (A Food Lover In Rome)

Each time I visit, Rome doesn't disappoint. Great food, friendly people, an easily walkable city/museum and luckily for us, blue skies in January! This time I was introducing my daughter, Anna, to the city and it was timely, since there are fewer tourists than in the summer and much cooler climes. She, too, is a food lover, an enthusiastic walker, and a student of art history. We did try to eat as many good quality meals a day, as was physically possible, and walked about 9 hours daily, throughout the different districts, to work off the meals and get to really know the city.

Maurizio from Roads to Rome

Before I go on to the food, I'd like to mention the tour operator, Roads to Rome Private Tours. I wanted Anna to see as much as possible over the five days we were there.  The guides the company provides are art historians or archaeologists therefore very knowledgeable.  Because it's private, you can specify which sights you want to see, the order you want to see them,  and whether to travel by foot or car. I thought they were excellent, and our guide Maurizio seemed like an old friend after several historical monuments and museums. In tourist packed Rome, it is a relief to be skipping the queues and groups of tourists via special entrances or seeing a sight before it opens to the general public.


















Back to the food and eating like the locals. Italian food is not complicated but focuses on the quality of the ingredients, which shine through each dish. Starters feature artichokes (fried, jewish style), burrata (soft cow's cheese) with an assortment of toppings (tomatoes, anchovies, truffles, etc),  courgette flowers, and anchovies.

Roman focus on pastas with sauces like all'amatriciana (garlic, cured pork jowl, tomato sauce), carbonara (cured pork jowl, eggs, cream), cacio e pepe (pecorino cheese and pepper), and pasta alla gricia (pecorino, pepper and cured pork jowl).

Main courses are comprised of grilled meats (lamb, beef), coda alla Vaccinara (oxtail stew with pine nuts, tomatoes, red wine and cocoa),  saltimbocca alla Romana (pounded veal with sage and prociutto, cooked in wine), and trippa alla Romana (tomato sauce with mint and pecorino) Typical sides are brocolli in garlic, chicory with garlic and lemon (chicoria ripasatta) roast potatoes, spinach in (guess?!) olive oil and garlic.There are a few good fish restaurants, as well, for the pescatarians, and the allergy labelling in many restaurants helps those with food intolerances or allergies.

Roman desserts are rich and calorie laden, tiramisu, gelato (one place had 120 flavours but stay away from brightly coloured pistachio, a good indicator of the quality of the gelato), torta caprece (chocolate and almond cake), pastiera Napoletana (ricotta cake)

Of course, Roman pizza is famous for its thin crust, but we couldn't face a pizza after all our big meals. My son swears by Pizzeria Da  Remo in Piazza di Santa Maria Liberatrice.

Armando al Pantheon

Located right in front of the Pantheon, you would expect this restaurant to be very touristy.  Fortunately, it was packed with locals having lunch.  It was excellent!

We kicked off with the bucatini all'amatriciana. (Please, never eat pasta with a spoon.  It's a big no no for Italians, like having cappuccino after lunchtime). It was superb! The oxtail stew (coda alla Vaccinara) was tender and flavourful, as were the lamb chops.  The chicory and artichokes were very tasty.

Rigatoni all'amatriciana

coda alla Vacinnara

Veggies: artichoke with mint, parsley and garlic, and sautéed chicory with lemon and garlic

Honestly, after meals like this, which we had early afternoon, we would walk for hours then head off to an enoteca (wine bar) to just have some of the local wines and some antipasti for dinner.   It is impossible to have two huge meals a day, plus a full cooked breakfast from the hotel. We went to places like Vyta Enoteca (good local wines) and La Buvette near the Spanish steps. The bars serve selections of antipasti so you will never go hungry! Or try suppli, a snack comprised of fried rice balls with meat and cheese inside.

Bar snacks of assorted cured meats.

Or grab a black truffle snack in one of the many truffle stores in the area.

Another interesting place to go to is Canova Tadolini, which was the studio of the sculptor Antonio Canova. You can have a nice aperitivo here and a snack in the most unusual of settings. Find it near the Piazza Popolo.

We were craving some steak the next day and since nothing really quite beats a bistecca alla Fiorentina, we dined at Ristorante Nino, on Via Borgognona. It was recommended to us by a friend and we thoroughly enjoyed it.  

Florentine steak and brocolli at Nino's.

For the local bar scene, we headed off to bohemian area of Trastevere. It's full of artisan shops, pretty streets and  hopping bars and clubs.  Of course, you still cannot run away from the antipasti, even at a bar with a live band, to go with your aperol spritz.

Trastevere

Another interesting trattoria we went to was called Antica Osteria Brunetti near the Piazza Popolo. Again, packed with locals on a late Sunday afternoon, we sampled their deep fried crispy artichokes, fried anchovies and lamb chops and chicory. We thoroughly enjoyed it and had to walk an additional ten miles to avoid having a food coma! 

Lamb chops and chicory

Fried anchovies and fried artichokes

Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina.  Now that's definitely a must. So good, we went back to try the cafe, as well.

Roscioli is a restaurant, deli, cafe, bakery and wine shop.  It's absolutely wonderful but don't forget to book if you are eating in the restaurant.  It's packed even if it's on three floors and has a cafe next door.

Anchovies with olives on crispy bread

Burrata with black truffle pearls

Their famous carbonara

Biscuits with molten chocolate to go with your espresso

And at their cafe:

Burrata with tomatoes and olives

Pasta with anchovies, breadcrumbs and tomatoes

Maritozzo.  Sweetened bread with whipped cream.

I'm still dreaming of those meals. 

A special mention of Pierluigi and Maccheroni. Pierluigi is a fish restaurant that's attracted famous people like (presidents, actors, etc) and Maccheroni (casual) is supposedly one of Jamie Oliver's favourites.  I went to them the last time I was in Rome with my friend Louisa,  so didn't visit them this time but they are worth booking if  you have never been. Both are centrally located.

Arrivederci Roma.  I'll be back for a few more meals soon!