Almost exactly a year ago, I spent 10 days in Rome, so, basically, I was in the center of the world. Or at least that’s what it would have been a few thousand years ago. And, in a way, Rome still seems to tug at me, to draw me in during forlorn moments. So perhaps that whole ‘center of the world’ thing, though hopelessly Eurocentric, is not a complete falsity.
Rome is not a simple place. George Eliot has written of its “unintelligible weight,” and it is certainly burdened with the triumphs and failures of Western culture. But it’s also a living city, the corrupt capital of a modern country, and a home to millions where you are likely to happen upon a trattoria serving the simplest of food wedged between an audacious basilica and a Bernini fountain.
What struck me most about Rome was its symbolic weight; it’s a city crammed full of meaning, or of people looking for it. Every church, every monument, every fountain, every piazza was built for a reason; and similarly, the food is made in a purposeful way. Yet Rome is almost embarrassingly provincial. It can be difficult to find food from other parts of Italy, let alone other parts of the world. I imagine this is because Roman food is pregnant with meaning; it is the result of thousands of years of living off the fruit of Lazio and has been hubristically preserved in the face of globalization. Were Rome not such a bustling, vital city, it would be in danger of becoming a monument to itself.
I think the best way to experience any city is through a food crawl: to walk the streets, soak up the atmosphere, and eat the best food available. To experience Rome through its food is to make the unintelligible intelligible. And therefore, in the morning, you should start at the Campo de’Fiori, the main market in the city’s historic center. Pick up a few blood oranges or whatever fruit happens to be in season; examine the goods; pretend to be Roman.
Only a few yards away is the historic Piazza Farnese, site of the French embassy and the lovely Caffé Farnese, with waiters in old-fashioned uniforms. Its coffee is not famous, certainly not compared to the coffee at Sant’Eustachio or Tazza d’Oro, but, when in Rome, one should probably have coffee at least 4 times a day. If you order at the counter, an espresso costs only 80 cents (the price of coffee is regulated by the government), and it’s therefore one of the best bargains around. If you sit down at any caffé, however, they will most certainly charge exorbitant prices. The cornetto, or croissant, is a classic Roman breakfast, but you will probably want to save room in your stomach for other, more intriguing things.
Back on the Campo de’Fiori, you’ll find a lovely bakery, labeled only as Forno (or Oven). On offer are a wide variety of breads and pizze al taglio, or by the slice. You will have to let the attendants know how much pizza you want by gesturing the approximate width with your hands, and then you will pay by weight. Forno is revered for its “pizza bianca,” which is a thin crust spread only with salt and olive oil. It’s simple and tantalizing, but many of their others are good as well. I still remember a pizza topped only with thinly sliced zucchini, and another sublime one topped with sliced potatoes and rosemary. Utter perfection. Properly fuelled with carbohydrates and caffeine, it’s probably time to head over to the Pantheon for some gelato and an additional coffee.
Visit the tiny gelateria across from the Pantheon called Cremeria Monteforte. Though not nearly as famous as San Crispino, it’s close to everything, and most importantly, quite delicious. I particularly enjoyed their semifreddo, a soft, mousse-like concoction made from a mixture of gelato and whipped cream. The piazza in front of the Pantheon is also one of my favorites. It somehow manages to seem intimate and imposing at the same time. And already it’s time for more coffee. It may seem ridiculous to consume another frozen treat right after gelato, but the granita di caffe at Tazza d’Oro, only a few steps away, is world famous. It’s essentially a coffee slush topped with whipped cream, and though, to my eternal regret, I somehow forgot to try it while I was in Rome, it is by all reports a transcendent experience. Their coffee is also delightful.
If it’s nearly lunchtime, it’s time to head over to Sora Margherita in the Jewish ghetto. Though it’s a bit of a walk, it is most definitely worth it. Sora Margherita serves classic Roman-Jewish food, including the most beautiful carciofi alla guidia, or whole fried artichokes. The leaves are crisp and can be peeled away and eaten like potato chips. Before you eat any carciofi, however, you’ll have to find Sora Margherita. It’s hidden away on the small Piazza delle Cinque Scuole and does not have a sign. You’ll just have to look for the door where all the people are gathering.
Another thing about Sora. Due to some kind of government regulation, it’s technically a “cultural association” so you have to be a “member” to eat there. Thankfully, anyone can become a member, and, in fact, I still have my membership card on my desk. I occasionally look at it fondly. When you finally find it, order an artichoke to share and then follow it with a plate of handmade pasta. I had an incredible agnolotti topped with ricotta and pecorino, but their cacio e pepe, or pasta with pepper and cheese, is also well-respected. If you’re daring, they also occasionally have pajata, a sauce made from the intestines of unweaned calves, from which the mother’s milk cooks out into a creamy conconction. I assure you, it’s very Roman.
Now that you’ve eaten a meal, it’s time for more coffee. Back in the area of the Pantheon, you’ll find Sant’Eustachio, Tazza d’Oro’s eternal rival. Strangely, it was the only place in Rome I encountered where the coffee came with sugar by default, so you have t order it “senza zucchero,” or without sugar, if that’s how you prefer it. It might also be a good time to sample the lovely caffe correto, or corrected coffee, which is essentially coffee with booze. You’ll have to choose from the wide variety on offer, but sambuca and grappa are traditional (and sambuca is my favorite).
Surely it’s nearly time for second lunch. Head over to the Piazza Navona and soak up the sites, including a lovely Bernini fountain. Next, head over to Cul de Sac, the oldest enoteca, or wine bar, in Rome. The wine list at Cul de Sac is intimidating. The list of bottles available comes in a notebook at least an inch and a half thick. But their offerings by the glass are reasonable (from about 1.50 euro) and wide-ranging. If you’re in the mood for lighter fare, you can enjoy your wine with a selection of cured meat and cheese, perhaps from the local Lazio region. However, their coda alla vaccinara, or braised oxtail, was a memorable experience .I also had a lovely cicoria dish.
If you’ve made your experience at Cul de Sac long and leisurely, it’s probably time for dinner, and there are many, many options available. I love the intimate Hostaria Farnese, the reasonable Pollarolla (for its roast chicken), the rustic Augusto across the Tiber in Trasevere; I could go on and on. Walking the streets of Rome, be sure to sample the street foods available. Many shops sell arrancini and supplí, both of which are essentially fried risotto balls. Men perched on the sides of roads sell roasted chestnuts, and of course there are many bakeries with wide varieties of sweets available (I particularly remember a pignoli cookie at a bakery near the Chiesa di Sant Andrea della Valle). And then there are the endless arrays of sandwiches available in streetside shops. And of course, Porchetta. You cannot leave Italy without eating Porchetta. At Aristo Campo near the Campo de’Fiori, they serve a wonderful rendition of this classic pork sandwich, redolent with crispy skin. They also have a wide range of toppings available, from sautéed broccoli rabe to marinated zucchini to sundried tomatoes.
Though by this point you may not understand why Romans have so many churches with so few people in them, or why no one seems to pay for the buses, I hope you have come to find that their foodways are tied inextricably to their culture, to their land, and to their history.
Caffé Farnese
Via dei Baullari, 106, 00186 Roma, Italy
Antico Forno Campo de’Fiori
Piazza Campo de' Fiori, 22, 00186 Roma, Italy
Cremeria Monteforte
Via della Rotonda, 22, 00186 Roma, Italy
Tazza d’Oro
Via degli Orfani, 84, 00186 Roma, Italy
Cul de Sac
Piazza di Pasquino, 73, 00186 Roma, Italy
Sora Margherita
Piazza delle Cinque Scole, 30, 00186 Roma, Italy
Sant’Eustachio
Piazza di Sant'Eustachio, 00186 Roma, Italy
Aristocampo
Campo de’Fiori, Roma, Italy
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