Much like many before me, I have fallen in love with Rome. Charmed by its character, history and of course, the food. It’s always the key to my heart. Here are my top 7 favorite foods to eat in Rome and exactly where to get them.
1. Pizza
Of course, we need to start any Italian food list with carbs. Italy’s claim to fame is of course pizza. I have never met a carb I don’t like… especially when it is covered in sweet sauce and bubbly cheese.
Pizza al taglio (pizza by the slice)
Pizza al taglio is one of the top foods to eat in Rome hands down. You can eat pizza al taglio for breakfast, lunch or dinner. You pay by weight rather than slice. The pizza is rectangular and best eaten straight off a napkin after being slightly warmed in the oven.
There are lots of pizza al taglio places that have become quite famous with tourists and locals. The two that come to mind are Pizzarium and Panificio Bonci. They are known for artisanal toppings and recently opened a shop in Chicago as well.
I have two favorite spots for pizza al taglio, Forno in Camp de’ Fiori and La Renella Forno in Trastevere.
Neapolitan pizza
As you probably guessed, the real difference is in the crust. Neapolitan pizza is round, the base is thin and the crust has more chew to it. You can’t pile it quite the same with toppings, otherwise, the base will get soggy.
This is the pizza we usually think about when we think of pizza. It’s thicker than New York style and the crust is so tasty you usually want to dip it olive oil until the last crumb is gone.
I had the best Neapolitan style pizza in a suburb of Rome at La Gatta Mangiona. It was so good, that it deserved an entire post.
Let’s move on to pasta before I take a bite out of my keyboard.
2. Cacio e Pepe
If there is one pasta dish to order in Rome, it’s this. A perfectly sophisticated version of everyone’s childhood favorite, mac n’ cheese. Cacio e Pepe literally translates to cheese and pepper. As the name not so subtly suggests, the ingredients include fresh tonnarelli pasta, cracked black pepper, and plenty of Pecorino cheese, that’s it.
If I had to choose my favorite Cacio e Pepe in Rome it would have to be at Ba’ Ghetto Milky, located in Rome’s Jewish quarter. Although a close second is at Hostaria Costanza.
3. Parmigiano-Reggiano
Did I mention I love cheese? Parmigiano-Reggiano is the precious sapphire of cheeses. Feed me a crystal of this nutty, salty, oily cheese and I’ll be smiling almost as wide as if you had just passed me a rare sapphire.
The cheese must be aged for no less than 12-months for it to be considered Parmigiano-Reggiano, but the most pungent and delicious wheels are aged for up to 24 months. Grate it, slice it, melt it, I really don’t care, Parmigiano-Reggiano always exceeds my expectations.
The most convenient place to buy your own wedge of this pricey cheese or have a few free samples is at the market in Campo de’ Fiori.
4. Carciofo alla Giudia
Ba’ Ghetto Milky places in first again as far as artichokes are concerned. Carciofo alla giudia, “Jewish style artichokes” are reason enough to go to Rome in springtime.
Between February and May storefronts and restaurants display Romanesco artichokes in ornamental towers to entice diners to stop in for lunch or dinner. Romanesco artichokes are purple bulbs with bright-green stems.
They are best suited for carciofo alla giudia because they are fuzz and pricker free. Their nutty and meaty hearts stay soft and almost buttery while their outer leaves can be fried up in olive oil to a crispy chip-like texture.
5. Cappuccino
I like to say I don’t drink coffee.. and that’s true most of the time. But when in Rome, do as the Romans do. Romans drink coffee. Cappuccino in the morning and espresso in the afternoon. The most famous coffee bar in Rome, Antico Caffe Greco, located just at the base of the Spanish steps, hurriedly serves up cappuccinos for locals on the go and breakfast for the less time-restrained tourists each and every day.
6. Wine
Winemaking is one of the country’s greatest passions, and not surprisingly, they are quite good at it. Table wine is always offered at trattorias (it’s generally not half bad) and enotecas offer overwhelmingly lengthy wine lists. In Italy, there is a wine to pair with every snack, meat, cheese, or veggie, so don’t miss out.
7. Gelato
Last up, gelato. If you don’t like gelato, I don’t like you. Roman streets are filled with some of the best gelaterias in all of Italy. I have tried plenty but I seem to keep returning to one that constantly appears in my food dreams, Giolitti.
Giolitti gets all the press and all the celebrity visitors, but honestly, it’s all well deserved. I have never met a flavor I didn’t like… and do not refuse the cream or the cone, they’re both free and almost better than the gelato itself (as pictured below, Mom refused the cone… bad girl)!
Clearly, it’s incredibly difficult not to fall in love with Roman foods. If you can ignore… or better yet “appreciate” the dirt, odors, and congested streets that makeup Rome, you can eat your way through Rome like the Romans do.
So, those are my top foods to eat in Rome. What’s your favorite food to eat or place to go in Rome?
