A Roman holiday ...
... and a list of my favourite eats and treats in Central Rome
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I spent the last couple of years of my 20s living in Rome thanks to a secondment from my law firm job in London. Living in Rome was in many ways a dream come true. With an apartment in Monti (a small neighbourhood wedged between Termini train station and the Colosseo) and an office in Piazza del Popolo underneath sprawling Villa Borghese, I had the almost comical choice of making my way to the office on a route that took me either via Fontana di Trevi, down the Spanish steps or along Via del Corso, one of Rome’s main shopping streets. And my morning runs took me down Via dei Fori Imperiali, past the Colosseo, around Circo Massimo and back home. As a Milanese cab driver once told me - whereas Milan is a city, Rome is a living monument.
All that being said, Rome is not an easy place to live, not even as an expat. The lack of public services, overcrowded trains and buses (the works for the highly anticipated Linea C metro were already ongoing when I lived there and are yet to be finished), the lack of parking space, badly maintained roads and pavements etc. are just a few examples of what makes Rome such a challenging place to live. And then there are of course all the tourists - while an important contributor to the local economy they do make the city centre hard to navigate. And before you ask, there isn’t really an off-season. Back when I lived in Rome, November seemed to be the only month where Rome was a little emptier (I think it was the combination of hardly any school holidays anywhere and the wet and cold weather). But even that appears to have changed - the city was heaving with tourists when we were there.
After not having been in the city in many years, the last few months I felt a sudden longing to go back. To visit my old haunts. And to show my husband and toddler where I used to live. Rome also turned out to be the perfect location for our trip this first week of November. The Rome in November I remember was a wet and rainy one with temperatures dipping into the single digits. But that could not have been further from our experience this time around - while mornings were crisp, by noon temperatures were in the low 20s with bright blue and sunny skies. Perfect for a week spent walking all around central Rome.
Since both my husband and I know Rome well, and our toddler isn’t particularly into ancient history yet, there was no pressure to sightsee. Instead we could just enjoy being in Rome - stopping by a local bar for breakfast, watching our toddler collect all the fallen leaves in Villa Borghese, getting our fill of Roman pasta dishes, and introducing our toddler to the pleasures of pizza al taglio etc.
Friends, family and colleagues always ask me for tips for Rome, so I thought I would share a short list of my go-to places in the centre of Rome for this week’s newsletter. Because as much as I can recommend trying to venture out of the centre, realistically I know that if you are only coming to Rome for a weekend or long weekend, you probably won’t find the time to do so - there is simply so much to see and take in in the centre alone.
So scroll down for my go-to places in central Rome - from where to grab a pastry and a coffee in the morning, the best pizza al taglio place within a 10 min walk from the Colosseo to where to get your fill of gelato, granita, pizza and pasta and what dishes should be on your “must try” list!
Breakfast and Coffee
If you have not been to Italy before, know that breakfast for most Italians is a hurried affair and typically sweet. Many friends and colleagues of mine would have no more than an espresso and a couple of dry biscuits (Mulino Bianco being the brand of choice for many Italians) or fette biscotate with jam and a milky coffee at home first thing in the morning. Alternatively, they would head to their nearest bar for a cappuccio e brioche enjoyed standing at the counter (much cheaper and quicker than sitting down for breakfast).
Walking into a packed bar on a busy midweek morning with limited or no Italian skills can be intimidating at first but bars in Italy essentially all work the same. You first go to the cashier to order and pay and you then wave your little scontrino (receipt) standing at the counter until one of the baristas notices you. Also, it is worth knowing that most bars will now offer both regular coffee and decaf as well as milk without lactose and various non-dairy milk options, you just have to ask. And while there are notable exceptions to this, also know that the pastries in most bars are not particularly special and that a Roman cornetto is often much drier and breadier than their French counterparts (and typically comes brushed with sugar syrup) and will typically be factory made and baked from frozen. Speaking of which - see here for a interesting article from long-time Rome resident Katie Parla on How the Factory-Made Cornetto Transformed Italian Breakfast.
Here are my go to places for breakfast in Rome:
Barnum, a small cafe just off Corso Vittorio Emmanuele II near Piazza Navona, was one of the first places serving specialty coffee in Rome and became one of my go-to places for breakfast on days I wasn’t working. I must have spent hours at one of their tables writing posts for my old food blog!
A newer addition to the list of breakfast options in central Rome is Roscioli just a few doors down from Roscioli’s Salumeria con Cucina and only a few minutes walk away from Campo dei Fiori. The space is tiny but weather permitting they do have a few tables out front and some at the back. Both their coffee and their pastries are really excellent. And leaning into the current trend around Maritozzi (Roman cream-filled buns), they offer both sweet and savoury versions. When we were there they also had excellent Sfogliatelle.
If you are headed to the Vatican first thing in the morning, avoid all the overpriced cafes on Via della Conciliazione and instead head to Panificio Bonci, just a short walk down Via Leone IV on Via Trionfale for some of their excellent pastries. Gabriele Bonci initially became famous for his inventive take on pizza al taglio (and managed to convince Romans that it’s ok to eat pizza that isn’t just thin crust), but he definitely knows a thing about bread and pastries too!
A place that wasn’t on my radar for breakfast or coffee but that I heard about through my old friend Giulia, a Rome native, is that Marzapane, a restaurant I highly rated when I lived in Rome, had a new location not far from Piazza del Popolo and had expanded into specialty coffee and pastries. While we only had time to squeeze in a quick coffee (which was excellent) when we went, their pastry offering looked and sounded delicious. Plus they also do a proper sit down brunch. (And if you are travelling with young children, it’s less than a 5 minute walk away from Rome’s excellent children’s museum) (And do follow Giulia on instagram - she knows her coffee and travels a lot so her instagram is a great place to pick up tips for your own travels)
If you have caught the Maritozzi bug and want to try the original version, one of the best places to do so is Pasticceria Regoli just off Pizza Vittorio Emanuele II and not far from Termini station. While Regoli was initially take-away only they now have a small area with tables and chairs too.
And for a proper sit-down breakfast in beautiful surroundings, I can highly recommend Coromandel near Piazza Navona.
Lastly, if your introduction to all things Italian came via Sicily and you are hankering after some Sicilian treats like Cannoli Siciliani, Sfogliatelle, Cassata etc, head to Pasticceria Dagnino behind Piazza Repubblica.
If it’s only coffee you are after, then besides Barnum and Roscioli Cafè, I can strongly recommend Tazza D’Oro, just a few steps from the Pantheon and Sant’ Eustachio just off Piazza Navona, both old school Roman institutions. And speaking of Roman institutions, there is also Antico Caffè Greco on Via dei Condotti near the Spanish Steps. A truly old school place with interiors that probably haven’t changed in around 100 years it is a fun place to visit. But beware, if you are not simply stopping for a coffee at the bar, the prices are eye-watering (think EUR 35 for a cocktail, EUR 20 for a small pastry, EUR 15 for an ice tea etc.).
Pizza
First things first, pizza in Rome can mean one of several things:
Pizza alla pala is what you will find in most bakeries (including in larger supermarkets) and refers to long slabs of pizza sold by the slice (and by weight). There is typically a limited choice of flavours - from pizza bianca (plain pizza, similar to a focaccia), to pizza rossa (pizza simply covered in tomato sugo) to maybe a few simple toppings like sliced potatoes for example. And yes, if you ask my Roman friends, it is a perfectly acceptable breakfast to eat a couple of pieces of pizza rossa, stacked on top of each other saucy sides facing each other (to keep your hands clean).
Pizza al taglio or pizza in teglia is what you will find somewhat all over Italy and is what you might grab as a quick lunch while out and about. The pizza is typically baked in large sheet pans and also sold by weight and reheated to order. However, here you will find lots of variety when it comes to toppings, some of which may be seasonal only. You will probably find the classics like Margherita and Quattro Formaggi but you might also find pizzas topped with fresh mozzarella, anchovies and cherry tomatoes or like the one pictured above, with puntarelle and mortadella.
Lastly, there is pizza tonda, i.e. individual round pies. Unlike the Neapolitan style chewy and fluffy pizza dough, a Roman pizza tonda is thin and crispy with barely any rim. That being said, you do find Neapolitan style pizza in Rome as well.
My favourite place for pizza al taglio in Rome is Da Milvio. A mere 10 minute walk from the Colosseo they make their own sourdough pizzas and bread and it is honestly some of the best pizza al taglio I have ever had. I used to go a lot when I lived in Rome because it was in my local neighbourhood, but given its central location, it is a great spot to add to your list. Da Milvio also acquired some new fans on this trip in the form of my husband and toddler - I think we went there 4 times at least while we were in Rome!
Another favourite pizza al taglio place for me is Gabriele Bonci’s Pizzarium near the Vatican. While Pizzarium is definitely on the pricier side when it comes to pizza al taglio it is worth it for the delicious dough and inventive toppings. And if you go and try the pizza and enjoy it, know that Gabriele Bonci has published an excellent book on making pizza at home (with options for using sourdough and commercial yeast) and his recipe helped me make the best homemade pizza I have ever managed to pull off. But beware, Pizzarium has standing room only.
Other safe bets for pizza al taglio are Antico Forno Roscioli and Forno Campo dei Fiori - both by Campo dei Fiori.
If you want to try a Roman style pizza tonda, my favourite place is Pizzeria Emma in the Centro Storico.
And if you want a more extensive guide to Pizza in Rome, I came across this great overview by Katie Parla from earlier this year.
Gelato and Granità
When it comes to ice cream in Italy, you are spoilt for choice. But even in Italy not everything is what it seems and many places have started using additives and thickeners in their ice cream. A notable exception to this trend is Fatamorgana, a small chain of gelaterie that opened around when I moved to Rome and that has since expanded to several locations around Italy’s capital (including one right in my old neighbourhood Monti and one not far from the Spanish Steps)
Fatamorgana prides itself on making ice cream that is free of artificial flavors, colorants, preservatives, thickeners, emulsifiers, ripening agents, growth hormones, semi-processed bases, pastes or any additives. At the same time, and in addition to covering all the traditional Italian flavours, where Fatamorgana really excels are their more inventive flavours. E.g. last week I enjoyed a delicious scoop of Seadas - an ice cream inspired by a traditional Sardinian pastry made with young pecorino cheese, orange zest and honey.
I should also mention Giolitti here - a bit of a Roman institution not far from the Pantheon but sadly a place often packed with tourists.
If it is granita I am after, a stop at Tazza d'Oro right around the corner from the Pantheon is a must. Because as much as I like their coffee, what makes Tazza d’Oro a must for me on any visit to Rome is their coffee granita with whipped cream. It is hard to put into words just how delicious the contrast is between the bitter, sweet and icy coffee granita and the very rich and creamy whipped cream.
Pasta
You cannot come to Rome and not try at least one of the holy trinity of Roman pasta dishes la Gricia, Cacio e Pepe and Amatriciana. My favourite restaurants in Rome to enjoy a delicious plate of pasta include:
La Carbonara in Monti.
Cesare al Pellegrino not far from Campo dei Fiori.
Flavio al Velavevodetto in Testaccio - great if you have spent your morning wandering around Testaccio market or checking out an exhibition at the nearby Mattatoio.
Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina near Campo dei Fiori.
Note: to be on the safe side, you should book a table at all of these.
And if it is cheap and cheerful (but delicious) you are after, my colleagues in Rome introduced me to Pastificio Guerra a stone’s throw from the Spanish Steps. An old school pasta shop where you can buy both fresh and dried pasta, the reason this places draws a crowd are the two types of delicious freshly cooked pasta served daily for lunch for around EUR 5 - an absolute steal for the quality of the food and the location. The downside is that there is no place to sit so you will have to eat your pasta off a plastic plate standing in the middle of the street.
I will be back next week with a new recipe. Until then, have you recently been to Rome and have any tips to add to the above list? Share them in the comments below!
I know Rome is well known for all the historical sights but this seems like the perfect foodie tour ✨
I'm keeping this for the next time I go to Rome!