Literally meaning ‘the other side of the Tevere (Tiber River)’, Trastevere is one of the most historic neighbourhoods of Rome. It used to be a working-class district, and although much has changed since those times, plenty of its charm has remained: the tight alleys with fascinating angles, laundry hanging from building to building, old men playing cards in the bars, the smell of tomato sauce wafting from homes and trattorias alike. Its streets abound with historical sights such as churches and palazzos to explore. And at night, you can find the same streets buzzing with huge crowds of young people out for a drink and a bite in one of Trastevere’s many bars, or in its extraordinary piazzas. Here are a few of the best places to eat while in Trastevere.
1. La Norcineria di Iacozzilli
Near the characterful San Cosimato market, this family-run deli shop has just turned a century old and is still where locals do their shopping. The market itself is well worth a visit, while this old-school deli — with all the retro vibes of a corner shop from the movies — is the perfect spot for a snack or a light lunch. It has a large variety of salami, hams and other types of cured meat, as well as cheeses and a very good porchetta (pork roast), which you can have in the form of a panino, if you want, with the addition of mozzarella.
Many locals still do their shopping in the historic San Cosimato market, which sells local meats, cheeses and other produce.
Photograph by Marina Spironetti, Alamy Stock Photo
2. Supplì Roma
It’s traditional to have fritti (a variety of deep-fried bites) before a pizza in Rome and Naples. The classic Roman fritti are deep-fried courgette flowers (fiori di zucca) stuffed with mozzarella and anchovies; deep-fried cod fillet (filetto di baccalà); and supplì, little rice balls dressed with tomato sauce and stuffed with mozzarella, then breaded and fried. Some compare supplì to Sicilian arancini, but they’re supposed to be different, both in size and in condiment. Supplì Roma in Via di San Francesco a Ripa has gained fame for making its supplì using other traditional Roman recipes such as cacio e pepe, aubergine parmigiana and even non-traditional options such as pulled pork — the latter two are especially popular. Many locals have these supplì for a workday lunch.
The narrow and historic streets of Trastevere are dotted with restaurants.
Photograph by RTimages, Alamy Stock Photo
Many Trastevere locals enjoy eating supplì for a workday lunch.
Photograph by Carpe Diem Tours
3. Alice Pizza Trastevere
There’s a Roman tradition of pizza al taglio that is quite unmatched in the rest of Italy. Literally meaning pizza by the slice, pizza al taglio is made in large trays, topped with a variety of ingredients that can be quite far from the classic round pizza flavours, and is sold in the quantity you want — so it’s a perfect solution for a little snack, a light lunch or feeding a big crowd at a party. Alice Pizza, born 35 years ago in Rome, is famous for its light and highly digestible pizza dough, which manages to retain its quality across branches throughout the country. Alice’s toppings, however, are locally provided, which means the pizzas in different cities are not quite the same. Go for the classic potato and the amatriciana if they’re available.
4. Taverna 51
This one of Rome’s oldest and most classic trattorias, run by generations of trasteverini who have been making the same dishes for more than 70 years. It’s a trusted institution run by generations of trasteverini. They make tonnarelli (a fresh pasta not unlike spaghetti) in house and serve it with amatriciana, carbonara, gricia or cacio e pepe — all the Roman classics to try. Another standout menu option at Taverna 51 is the tonnarelli with mussels and pecorino — an unlikely but very interesting combination. For the main, the meatballs (polpette) and saltimbocca alla romana (veal with ham and sage cooked in wine), are highly recommended choices.
Trastevere’s Taverna 51 makes tonnarelli (a fresh pasta not unlike spaghetti) in house.
Photograph by Carpe Diem Tours
Fiordiluna takes great care to use as few ingredients as possible for each gelato flavour.
Photograph by Carpe Diem Tours
5. Fiordiluna
For over 25 years, this small gelateria has been a source of refreshment on cobbled Via della Lungaretta. The pleasantly surprising element about Fiordiluna is its attention to the ingredients; not only does it source them from fair-trade and local producers — many of which are organic — it also takes particular care to use as few ingredients as possible for each gelato flavour. You can also find sugar-free gelato that’s truly indistinguishable from the conventional kind.
Plan your trip:
There are flights from most major UK cities to both Fiumicino and Ciampino airports in Rome. From the city centre, bus H (from Termini station) and tram 8 (from Piazza Venezia) go to Trastevere. You can also take a taxi, but renting a car is not advisable in the centre of the busy Eternal City. To learn more about Rome’s culinary traditions, consider taking a food tour. To find out more, go to carpediemtours.com
This paid content article was created for Carpe Diem Tours. It does not necessarily reflect the views of National Geographic, National Geographic Traveller (UK) or their editorial staffs.
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