Food
Pizza
Much thinner than the Neapolitan variety, Roman pizza has a crunchy bottom but is never hard to chew. It’s always cooked in a wood-fired oven and not overloaded with toppings, two or three at the most does the trick.
Rome also offers a great line in pizza a taglio (takeaway pizza by the slice) and the incredible potato and rosemary is a Roman speciality. Grab a slice from Forno di Campo de’ Fiori (Campo de’Fiori 22).
Other Rome food specialities
You’ll be able to find all your favourites, but do not miss these Roman specialities:
- Pasta cacio e pepe: pasta with pecorino cheese and black pepper sauce.
- Carciofi alla Giudia: artichokes fried in a very special way so that they are soft and tender inside and crispy and crunchy outside. A typical food from the old Jewish roman tradition. Try them at Sora Margherita – a hole in the wall no-frills trattoria in the ghetto (Piazza delle Cinque Scole 30; 06 687 4216).
- Romans also love gnocchi, so lovers of these tasty potato-balls take note that Thursday in Rome is gnocchi day. Wash them down with a local frascati.
Gelato
Roman’s love their gelato – Italian ice cream made with milk and sugar. Lighter than regular ice cream (it’s got more air and no cream), you’ll see locals indulging in a coppe (cup) of the cold stuff in the afternoon or in evening while partaking in an after-dinner passagiata (stroll). Get your fill at La Fonte della Salute in the Trastevere neighbourhood (Via Cardinal Marmaggi); or Gellateria della Palma (Via della Maddalena – around the corner from the Pantheon).
