How to eat like a local in Rome

We know what you’re thinking, but don’t be afraid of tripe. The golden rule of eating in Rome is to pretty much trust them with your life – these guys know what they’re doing. Tripe, or  trippa, dates back to when Europe’s largest slaughterhouse operated in the city, by the Tiber river. Ever since, it’s been a beloved dish in the city, simmered softly in tomato sauce and topped with cheese. The texture takes a little getting used to for newbies, but the flavour is worth it. 

Where to get it: Checchino dal 1887

Not to be confused with chewy Neapolitan-style pizza, pizza alla Romana is cracker-thin and should always finish with a good crunch to the crust. The round pizza can be served with plain marinara sauce or piled high with toppings like olives, artichokes, egg and prosciutto alla capricciosa. The budget-friendly meal is most popular with young Romans, who hardly let a week go by without a night out with friends over pizza.

Where to get it: Pizzeria Ai Marmi

While most of Rome’s best dishes are slow-cooked plates best enjoyed over a three-hour lunch, supplì are the exception to the rule. Similar to Sicilian arancini, a classic Roman supplí is a ball stuffed with mozzarella, marinara and risotto-like rice before being fried golden. With a crunchy exterior that quickly gives way to the gooey interior, these fried morsels are the perfect street food. But while ideal for eating on the go, the calorie bombs are traditionally served as an appetizer in pizzerias.

Where to get it: Supplizio

The typical breakfast throughout Italy is coffee and a cornetto - a lightly sugared pastry with a vaguely croissant-like shape. Unfortunately, Italy’s carb-forward morning meal can be slightly disappointing, so Romans know to splurge for a maritozzo. These sweetened bready buns are baked golden before being sliced down the middle and filled with obscene amounts of whipped cream. Maritozzo were traditionally only available around Easter, but they are so delicious that many of Rome’s bakeries make sure to turn them hot out of the oven every day.

Where to get it: Maritozzo Rosso

There are few dishes simpler or more satisfying than cacio e pepe–pasta with cheese and black pepper. The cheese in question is cacio–the word for Pecorino Romano in the local dialect. The finely grated pecorino is emulsified in starchy pasta cooking water to create a smooth sauce that is essentially pure cheesy goodness. Freshly ground black pepper helps to cut through the fattiness and adds a kick to the dish that Romans love. With so few ingredients, the key to cacio e pepe is a speedy chef who can ensure that the sauce comes out creamy instead of clumpy.

Where to get it: Flavio al Velavevodetto

A love for pizza Bianca is instilled in little Romans early on, but the flatbread pizza topped with olive oil and salt can be enjoyed at any age. Often served as a plain snack, the pizza can be cut in half and stuffed with meat and cheese. The filling of choice is usually mortadella—cooked pork from Bologna sliced deli thin. Known as pizza e mortazza in Rome, the sandwich can be found at bakeries known as “Forno” and should be eaten wrapped in brown paper as soon as possible after the pizza comes out of the oven. 

Where to get it: Il Forno Campo de' Fiori

Romans consider this second course so delicious that it “jumps in your mouth”— saltimbocca translated to in English. The dish is thinly cut pieces of veal layered with prosciutto and topped with a fresh sage leaf before being rolled together and pan-fried. For the plate to really “jump,” the tasty morsels must be eaten immediately while still hopping hot from the stovetop. Be sure to have bread on the side to mop up the savoury juices.

Where to get it: Felice a Testaccio

It is hard to separate fact from fiction when it comes to the origins of carbonara. The most popular rumour says that the dish came about during World War II when American GIs were craving bacon and eggs, and a clever chef found a way to mix them into pasta. Egg yolk is the key to a good carbonara because the dish is never made with the addition of cream in Italy. Some newer Rome restaurants riff on the dish, offering seafood or vegetarian versions, but there is nothing like the umami explosion of the classic egg, bacon and cheese.

Where to get it: Trattoria Da Danilo

Perhaps it is true that anything will taste good fried, but there is a special place in Roman hearts for carciofi alla guidea. Looking like bronzed flowers, these deep-fried artichokes are a speciality in the city’s old Jewish quarter. The meaty globe artichokes attain their creamy-on-the-inside and crispy-on-the-outside perfection by being fried not once but twice. No need to separate the leaves or look out for thistles; these artichokes are eaten whole.

Where to get it: Nonna Betta

Pecorino cheese and guanciale (jowl) bacon are essential ingredients in Rome’s most iconic pasta dishes, including carbonara and amatriciana. But whereas these pastas include additional components to the sauce (egg and tomato, respectively), spaghetti alla gricia allows the cheese and bacon to stand on their own. The result is a dish so rich it leaves little room to miss the adornments that grace the city’s other famous pasta.

Where to get it: Armando al Pantheon