Rome addendum - Renato's Notes

Rome was really good to me (more on that here) and, as you will see, it was equally good to Renato. If you combine our Rome Eating Notes, you will most likely have a few amazing meals. At the very least, you will eat extremely well (and, hey, it’s Rome..it’s kind of hard to go terribly wrong no matter where you eat).

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Renato’s Tips for Eating Around Rome

Classic Rome Dining

Coramendel (Via di Monte Giordana 60/61) in Piazza Navoni offers a wonderful tasting-type dinner for about 35 Euros. I believe they offer a la carte options as well, but best to verify before going if that is what you have in mind.

Want classic carbonara and amatriciana? Seek out Felice (Via Mastro Giorgio, 29) for a taste of authentic Rome.

Local and inexpensive fave (yup, Renato has pals in Rome) worth looking up: Roscioli at Via dei Giubbonari, 21.

carbonara

Pizza

You are in Rome. You should be eating a LOT of pizza. And you should absolutely add Nuovo Mondo (Via Amerigo Vespucci, 15) to your pizza crawl. The crust is super thin (almost cracker-like) and the people watching is a breeze from the outside tables.

Bar / Aperitivo

Nato really enjoys the funky vibe and Aperol Spritz at Bar del Fico (Piazza del Fico, 26). What I wouldn’t give for a warm March “Aperol Spritz” type day right about now….

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aperitivo

Bakery / Pasticceria

The beautiful/trendy/hot: Antico Forno ai Serpenti on the corner of Via dei Serpenti and Via Panisperna is the opposite of “old-school”. The interior is modern, white, and airy. And the baked goods (both savory and sweet) are bountiful and elegantly presented (and tasty).

anticoforno

A bit more atypical though no less delicious: Cristalli di Zucchero is a local fave and very consistent. The original is located on Via di Val Tellina, 114 and a new location popped up near Circo Massimo.

Gelato

Renato recommends the Sicilian pistachio with meringue at Gelateria dei Gracchi, Via dei Gracchi, 272 (How can one not want Sicilian pistachio with meringue? Shouldn’t this flavor be as widely distributed as vanilla?) and the wine with peach at Fatamorgana (many locations throughout Rome).

gelatogracchi

cristallidizucchero

Markets

Mia Market is both cute and adorable and “little” (relative to some of the sprawling Rome markets), but it still has a great selection of veggies, salumi and prepared foods with a sharp focus on local/organic.

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miamarket2

Eataly Roma is insanely large (the Eataly in New York City looks like a corner bodega in comparison) and somewhat mind-boggling. This Eataly takes over a newly restored abandoned train terminal and is the perfect one-stop-shop to gather last minute packaged gifts for friends back home (or for yourself). As expected, the restaurants aren’t half bad either.

eataly

Treat yourself with a trip to Volpetti in Testaccio. Yes, it is a bit (okay, more than a bit) pricey, and yes it is on many tourist maps (this is not necessarily a bad thing), but it is well worth popping in to inhale all of the aromas. And, by the by, Renato’s Roman pal, Massimo, considers it the “Bulgari of Salumi”. Reason enough to go!

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