Rome’s culinary scene is a delightful fusion of tradition and innovation, reflective of the city’s rich history and vibrant cutlure. Rome is renowned for its iconic four pastas Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe, L’amatriciana, and Gricia.
Pasta
Pasta alla Gricia
Pasta, typically bucatini or a tube pasta like rigatoni, made with a simple olive oil sauce with savory guanciale, which is cured pork cheek similar to bacon cut in small cubes, topped with sharp pecorino cheese. I think of it as a mixture of carbonara and cacio e pepe making it my favorite of the 4 Roman pastas.
Cacio e Pepe
Spaghetti or buccaniti pasta topped with a rich olive oil sauce with a pepper kick balanced with the sharpness of pecorino. Simple, classic, and delicious! It lets the quality ingredients shine.
Pasta all’Amatriciana
The only of the 4 pastas with a spiced tomato based sauce made with bucatini pasta and guanciale topped of course with pecorino. The acid of the tomatoes balances well with the salty fat of the pork making it a must try.
Carbonara
Similar to cacio pepe, it’s spaghetti pasta but with the added richness of egg, cream, and guanciale.
Places to try: Trattoria da Enzo, Antica Pesa, Mastrociccia – Osteria Bistrot, Mimi e Coco, Cybo, Armando al Pantheon, Ai Tre Scalini
Street Food
Suppli
Suppli is what you may know as arrancini which is a rice ball mixed with a tomato sauce, mozzarella, and meat and fried in an egg and bread crumb batter to perfection.
Places to try: Supplì Roma, Borghiciana Pastificio Artigianle
Gelato
With its slow churn process at a higher temperature, gelato has a more intense flavor and denser texture than ice cream. My favorite flavor is the nocciola which is a light hazelnut and cream flavor similar to but as overpowering as Nutella. I also love pistaccio and for those who want to feel like a kid again try Stracciatella which is a fancy name for vanilla with chocolate chip shavings.
Places to try: Il Gelato di San Crispino, Verde Pistacchio, Gelato g Italiano, Flor Gelato
Other Dishes
Carciofi alla Giudia
Carciofi all Giudia are artichokes double fried in olive oil and topped with salt that can be found in the Jewish quarter in Rome. They make an excellent starter for your meal and a good way to get in some vegetables before pasta which is always my go-to in Rome.
Places to try: Nonna Betta, Sora Margherita
Saltimbocca
Saltimbocca translates in English to “jumps in your mouth” so who wouldn’t want to try that? Veal gets layered with prosciutto and fresh sage leaves then rolled and fried in butter and white wine. If you are tired of pasta or maybe your body is just craving some protein, Saltimbocca alla Romana is for you.
Places to try: Cybo, Saltimbocca Ristorante
Maritozzi
Maritozzi is a leavened bread dough baked and filled with an obscene amount of whipped cream.
Places to try: Regoli Pasticceria, Maritozzo Rosso, Bar San Calisto (from Stanley Tucci’s show)
Drinks
Spritz
You will see spritzes on the menu EVERYWHERE. The most common is an Aperol spritz made of Aperol, Prosecco, and a splash of sparkling water. Aperol has a bitter and sweet taste with flavors of orange, rhubarb, and herbs. It is not for everyone but worth a try. If you want something a little sweeter try the lemon spritz made with limoncello or a peach bellini.
Places to try: ANYWHERE
Coffee
Espresso is serious business in all of Italy and you can see it everywhere. Most people start their day with an espresso that is rich and thick. I preferred a cappuccino along with my breakfast, as tradition has it in Italy – no cappuccinos after noon. If you want something more along the lines of dessert, try a nocciola which is espresso with hazelnut cream. Also, the price to enjoy your coffee standing at the bar is a fraction of what you will pay to sit at a table with service so take your pick.
Places to try: La Casa del Caffè Tazza d’Oro, Sant’ Eustachio Il Caffè
Wine
One of my favorite things about traveling is trying the regional wine. When in Rome look for wine from the Lazio region which should be on the label. The majority of grapes grown in the region are white but you will be able to try wines from any region in such a large city.
For a zesty white that tastes of peach and citrus with slight minerality from the nearby volcanic soil try a Trebbiano with fried artichokes and pasta alla carbonara. Bellone is a rare and forgotten white wine grape from the region which has tasting notes of pear and spices. If you can find it, try it! One of my favorite easy drinking wines is Grechetto which is a dry white wine with lovely light minerality with tasting notes of strawberry, peach, and melon.
As for red wine, if you like Pinot Noir try a Cesanese which is a lovely tannic red with tasting notes of strawberry, pomegranate, and plum that go wonderful with saltimbocca and other meat. Super Lazio wines are a red blends using cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah, and sangiovese which is reminiscent of Bordeaux blends.
Tip: Service is usually included in the coperto and additional tip is not expected but appreciated.