Despite exorbitant prices and swarms of tourists, this historic market - the biggest in the centro storico - retains oodles of charm.

This wonderful shop roasts its own espresso beans and has lots of Italian regional specialities and imported foodstuffs: it's the place for expats hankering after anything from...

A reliable if limited department store. Romans come here for tights or sheets that last. The make-up counter and lingerie collection are good points. There's also an excellent...

This cavernous cellar has a seriously comprehensive collection of wines as well as some gourmet extras such as chocolate, olive oil and pasta.

Though it specialises in Viennese cakes, Dolceroma is also the place for American-style carrot cake and chocolate-chip cookies. It's not cheap.

Hundreds of bottles of spirits and the best Italian wines fill the wooden shelves of this warm shop. There's also delectable honey, balsamic vinegar and regional specialities.

This market used to fill piazza Vittorio Emanuele and be absolute chaos. In 2003 it moved to rather more salubrious - though somewhat less colourful - quarters in a revamped...

Run by three dour ladies, this tiny shop has no sign but is immediately recognisable by the line of slavering regulars outside. Among other goodies, they come for the...

A dream of a deli, for just about anything you could ever want to eat: cheeses from everywhere, cured meats and ready-to-eat meat and seafood dishes prepared fresh.

Il Canestro offers a huge range of natural health foods, cosmetics and medicines, including some organic versions of Italian regional specialities. Prices tend to be steep. The...

Pulses spill from great sacks stacked around this treasure trove of foodie specialities from all over the world. Currants for your Christmas pud? Crunchy peanut butter? Look no...

This former London model-turned-pastry-goddess, bakes up sumptuous cheesecake, chocolate fudge cake, carrot cake, cupcakes and cookies. Dangerously rich and almost too...

This Roman institution in the down-at-heel Esquilino neighbourhood has a mind-boggling (and often strikingly ugly) assortment of clothes, shoes, luggage, jewellery and linen....

This fairytale chocolate shop with beautiful gift-boxes is especially lovely at Christmas, when you'll have to fight to get your hands on the excellent marron glacé. It usually...