Page 322 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Rome

320  TR A VELERS ’ NEEDS

Light Meals and Drinks

Rome can delight the most demanding gourmet and satisfy around the world. Usually run
the keenest appetite, whatever the hour. An enticing array by experts, keen to share their
of gelaterie, pasticcerie, pizzerie, enoteche, rosticcerie and knowledge and advise on the
gastronomie means that good food and drink are, literally, best combinations of wine and
food, many are simply stores
around the corner. for browsing and buying wine.
Hotel breakfasts often aren’t up to scratch and you would be Others, such as Achilli Enoteca
better off starting the day with a genuine Italian breakfast at al Parlamento (see p343) and
your local stand-up bar: a cappuccino or latte with a hot cornetto Angolo Divino (see p354), offer
(croissant) or fagottino (similar to a pain au chocolat). If you are the traditional mescita – wine
in Italy during late winter, when blood-red oranges from Sicily and champagne tasting by the
glass, accompanied by snacks
are in season, order a spremuta, a freshly squeezed orange juice. and canapés. Prices are fairly
A heavy morning’s sightseeing may leave you ready for a reasonable: about €3 for a
coffee or an apéritif in one of Rome’s elegant 19th-century glass on tap, €5 upward for
bars, followed by lunch at a wine bar or Roman-style fast food a quality wine or for a prosecco
joint. Later, enjoy tea in a tearoom or coffee and cakes at a or spumante, Italian champagne.
pasticceria. Once the sun starts to set, there are many places to Il Nolano on Campo de’ Fiori
is a typical spot for mescita,
sip a drink, linger over an ice cream and reflect on another especially at night. Nearby, the
wonderful day in the city. beautiful Il Goccetto, with original
painted ceilings, serves excellent
wines and delicious food.
Pizzerias
eggs, olives) or anything else Some of the oldest wine bars
Roman pizzerias are an obvious the pizzaiolo fancies. Draught are inside historic buildings, such
choice if you feel like an beer or birra alla spina is the as Caffè Novecento, which serves
informal meal: they are noisy, classic drink, but wine is always excellent food, mainly vegetarian.
convivial, and great fun. Many, available, even if limited in For more substantial food for
however, open only in the choice and quality. You should around €20–30 per head, try
evening. Look for the forno a expect to pay around €14 per the bistro- or restaurant-style
legna (wood-burning oven) sign person for a meal. enoteche, open from lunch until
– electric ovens simply don’t The most representative late. Particularly recommended
produce the same results. In the Roman pizzerias, from all points of are Verso Sera, Trimani
best pizzerias you can sit in view view, are Da Baffetto which can (see p343), Il Tajut serving
of the vast marble slabs where be easily found by looking for the specialties from Friuli, and
the pizzaioli flatten the dough line outside, and its offspring, La Cavour 313, which boasts
and whip the pizzas in and out Montecarlo. Da Remo in hundreds of wines from all over
of the oven on long-handled Testaccio and Dar Poeta and Italy. Nearby is Al Vino al Vino,
pallets. The turnaround is fast Pizzeria Ivo in Trastevere, where a well-stocked bar with locals
and lines are common so you tables line the road in summer. taking their glasses out onto the
may not be encouraged to Another place not to be missed bustling Via dei Serpenti. Food
linger after you have eaten. is Panattoni – L’Obitorio, where emporium ‘Gusto (see p343)
The running order is fairly a huge variety of customers has a wine bar with a gourmet
straightforward: you might patiently line up for a pavement cheese selection, while Cul de
have a bruschetta (toasted seat on Viale Trastevere in Sac offers cheese and cured
tomato or garlic bread) to summer, or clamour for one meat platters to accompany
start, some supplì (fried of the marble-topped tables great wines, as well as pasta
rice croquettes) or fiori di zucca (which gives it its nickname dishes. The Antico Forno
(zucchini flowers in batter, filled “the mortuary”) inside. For slick Roscioli is particularly creative,
with hot mozzarella and interiors and Neapolitan-style with great dishes such as pasta
a single anchovy). Alternatively, (high-rise) pizza, try ‘Gusto, with radicchio and orange peel
try the filetti di baccalà (battered but once again, be prepared to and pear pastry with coconut.
cod fillets) or perhaps a plate stand in line. Over in Testaccio, the Enoteche are often tucked
of cannellini beans in oil. Follow take-away Trapizzino outlet away near famous sights or
this with a crisp calzone (folded- gives its own totally delicious in unlikely places. Vinando is
over pizza) or the classic Roman take on the pizza formula. extremely convenient for the
pizza – round, thin, and crunchy Capitol, the Tuscan Vineria Il
– with a variety of toppings: Enoteche Chianti is near the Trevi
the basic margherita (tomato, Fountain, and Etablì is behind
moz zarella), napoletana Enoteche or wine bars offer a Piazza Navona. Over in Testaccio,
(tomato, anchovies, mozzarella), very fine selection of wines, Divinare offers fine labels
capricciosa (ham, artichokes, mainly from Italy, but often from alongside top quality preserves

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