Last weekend I took my boyfriend to Rome for his birthday. I had had it booked for months so got the flights super cheap, and asked him to book the Friday off work. He had wanted to go for so long and I was excited to go to Italy for the first time, but I kept it as a surprise until we got to the airport.
We had an amazing 3 days; the weather was perfect, we saw lots of the touristy stuff (and it wasn't too crowded) and we experienced some amazing classic Italian food.
I thought I would compile a list of my favourite foodie things from Rome.
1. Breakfast
Now this one has to be split up into some sub-sections.
Firstly, pastries. Normally, I am not a huge pastry fan. However the incredible selections available make it hard to resist. We had breakfast in little patisseries each morning, on the way to the first of our day's activities. Sitting outside in the sunshine with an Italian breakfast is a pretty great thing.
Secondly, coffee. We all know the Italians are famous for their coffees, but I don't think a coffee from a cafe anywhere else in the world is quite the same as an Italian coffee, in Italy.
Thirdly, orange juice. Standing there watch while the staff squeeze the sweet European oranges by hand reassures you that you made the right decision with your choice of beverage. It has to be served with a spoon as it is so fresh that it separates quite quickly.
There is something about the combination of an Italian coffee, freshly baked pastry and orange juice that can't quite be beaten on a warm Autumn morning in Italy.
2. Antipasti
The perfect afternoon snack after a morning trek around the Vatican and St Peter's Basilica. Amazing cured meats carved freshly, with cheeses, home made chutneys and warm baked bread.
Not to mention an Aperol Spritz and a beer to wash it all down with!
This was on our first night. Pretty hungry after hours of delays, thankfully a bar offered us some amazing cured ham.
3. Snacks
Roasted horse chestnuts, sold as street food on the sides of the little roads leading to the main piazzas. The amazingly sweet smell travels so far you can smell them from far and wide!
Freshly baked foccacia. Warm, baked with rosemary and with a sprinkling of olive oil to finish. This one was from a restaurant in Campo de Fiori.
4. Pizza
I would have predicted this one. I think everyone thinks there is amazing pizza in all of Italy.
It is true, but if I hadn't been to this one place, then I don't thinkI would have put pizza on this list because none of it had been OUTSTANDING. You expect pizza to be amazing in Italy, right?
So one night we met an Italian guy when we were at our favourite bar (more on that later) and he took us to the place where both me and my boyfriend said we had the best pizza we have ever had in our lives.
Our Italian friend told us that in Italy, a Margherita pizza shouldn't need any other toppings (except maybe capers and anchovies). This pizza place was from Naples in Southern Italy, hence why a Margherita's full name is a Neapolitan Margherita pizza.
So I did sort of ignore his advice, but only because I hadn't yet had any artichokes in Italy, and they are definitely one of my favourite vegetables, especially fresh.
5. Gelato (ice cream)
So gelato isn't exactly ice cream. It is so much better! We saw a couple of tiny shops by this brand, Fatamorgana, in Rome.
They had the vastest range of flavours. There were 3 fridges with at least 10 different flavours in each. I tried a couple, including Madagascan chocolate, which was intensely creamy and delicious, but maybe too rich for lunch time!
I chose raspberry and mango. It was by far the best ice cream I have ever had, and was a bit like a cross between a sorbet and an ice cream.
6. Booze!
Of course Italy is famous for its alcohol. From Italian wines, to Italian beers, to Italian spirits, there is something for everyone who likes a tipple, and always a drink suitable for every time of day!
Aperol and a beer. Aperol spritz is now my favourite drink. I don't yet love gin, but am envious of how gin is a great Saturday afternoon drink. Now I have Aperol spritz!
We sat in the square in Trastevere and watched the world go by. Italian performers would come and go, and we sipped on our coffees and then, of course, Aperol and beer!
When I was doing my research before the trip, I had read that somewhere in Trastevere (where we were staying) sells beers for €2 each.
After taking a bit of a battering with the bar tab in the square, we had a look and realised this bar was just around the corner. It was a proper locals' bar, where we sat and observed the real Italian life. We made it our 'base' for the weekend, and went often for the cheap beer and free entertainment (in the form of the drunks in the evening, hanging around nearby).
Just in case you didn't believe me, this is the menu for drinks.
I also discovered a new... Well I'm not really sure what to call it. A sort of granita? I asked what it was called, and the answer was Sgruppino. This turns out to be a local word, as a friend of mine who is half Italian wasn't sure what it was and had to check!
It was made from a lemon granita/sorbet type of thing, and a double shot of vodka poured over the top. The Italians have it either as a palette cleanser after dinner before continuing to drink, or as a night cap.
The bar is called Bar San Calisto, and is right by the square in Trastevere. Go and have a beer for €1,50 (or €2.50 for a large) at a proper Italian social spot.
I had such a great time in Rome. 3 days was perfect. We did the touristy stuff we wanted to do (including the Vatican, the Spanish steps, Trevi's fountain, Piazza Navona, Campo di Fiori, the Pantheon and the Colosseum.
Having chatted to some Italian foodies, the places I definitely want to visit next are Naples and Florence. If you have any suggestions of other great foodie places in Italy, please let me know!
We had an amazing 3 days; the weather was perfect, we saw lots of the touristy stuff (and it wasn't too crowded) and we experienced some amazing classic Italian food.
I thought I would compile a list of my favourite foodie things from Rome.
1. Breakfast
Now this one has to be split up into some sub-sections.
Firstly, pastries. Normally, I am not a huge pastry fan. However the incredible selections available make it hard to resist. We had breakfast in little patisseries each morning, on the way to the first of our day's activities. Sitting outside in the sunshine with an Italian breakfast is a pretty great thing.
There is something about the combination of an Italian coffee, freshly baked pastry and orange juice that can't quite be beaten on a warm Autumn morning in Italy.
The perfect afternoon snack after a morning trek around the Vatican and St Peter's Basilica. Amazing cured meats carved freshly, with cheeses, home made chutneys and warm baked bread.
Not to mention an Aperol Spritz and a beer to wash it all down with!
This was on our first night. Pretty hungry after hours of delays, thankfully a bar offered us some amazing cured ham.
Roasted horse chestnuts, sold as street food on the sides of the little roads leading to the main piazzas. The amazingly sweet smell travels so far you can smell them from far and wide!
Freshly baked foccacia. Warm, baked with rosemary and with a sprinkling of olive oil to finish. This one was from a restaurant in Campo de Fiori.
I would have predicted this one. I think everyone thinks there is amazing pizza in all of Italy.
It is true, but if I hadn't been to this one place, then I don't thinkI would have put pizza on this list because none of it had been OUTSTANDING. You expect pizza to be amazing in Italy, right?
So one night we met an Italian guy when we were at our favourite bar (more on that later) and he took us to the place where both me and my boyfriend said we had the best pizza we have ever had in our lives.
Our Italian friend told us that in Italy, a Margherita pizza shouldn't need any other toppings (except maybe capers and anchovies). This pizza place was from Naples in Southern Italy, hence why a Margherita's full name is a Neapolitan Margherita pizza.
So I did sort of ignore his advice, but only because I hadn't yet had any artichokes in Italy, and they are definitely one of my favourite vegetables, especially fresh.
I would recommend this place to anyone, and we even tried to go back there before our flight but Italian restaurants often close between 4pm and 7pm-ish. If anyone is going, please head to Regine, 77 Viale de Trastevere. Well worth it!
So gelato isn't exactly ice cream. It is so much better! We saw a couple of tiny shops by this brand, Fatamorgana, in Rome.
They had the vastest range of flavours. There were 3 fridges with at least 10 different flavours in each. I tried a couple, including Madagascan chocolate, which was intensely creamy and delicious, but maybe too rich for lunch time!
I chose raspberry and mango. It was by far the best ice cream I have ever had, and was a bit like a cross between a sorbet and an ice cream.
Of course Italy is famous for its alcohol. From Italian wines, to Italian beers, to Italian spirits, there is something for everyone who likes a tipple, and always a drink suitable for every time of day!
On our first night, we had an amazing bottle of chianti in a little bar just off the square where we were staying in Trastevere.
We sat in the square in Trastevere and watched the world go by. Italian performers would come and go, and we sipped on our coffees and then, of course, Aperol and beer!
When I was doing my research before the trip, I had read that somewhere in Trastevere (where we were staying) sells beers for €2 each.
After taking a bit of a battering with the bar tab in the square, we had a look and realised this bar was just around the corner. It was a proper locals' bar, where we sat and observed the real Italian life. We made it our 'base' for the weekend, and went often for the cheap beer and free entertainment (in the form of the drunks in the evening, hanging around nearby).
Just in case you didn't believe me, this is the menu for drinks.
I also discovered a new... Well I'm not really sure what to call it. A sort of granita? I asked what it was called, and the answer was Sgruppino. This turns out to be a local word, as a friend of mine who is half Italian wasn't sure what it was and had to check!
It was made from a lemon granita/sorbet type of thing, and a double shot of vodka poured over the top. The Italians have it either as a palette cleanser after dinner before continuing to drink, or as a night cap.
The bar is called Bar San Calisto, and is right by the square in Trastevere. Go and have a beer for €1,50 (or €2.50 for a large) at a proper Italian social spot.
I had such a great time in Rome. 3 days was perfect. We did the touristy stuff we wanted to do (including the Vatican, the Spanish steps, Trevi's fountain, Piazza Navona, Campo di Fiori, the Pantheon and the Colosseum.
Having chatted to some Italian foodies, the places I definitely want to visit next are Naples and Florence. If you have any suggestions of other great foodie places in Italy, please let me know!
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