This blog post was originally posted on March 4, 2019 and was updated on September 23, 2020. As famous as its sights and museums are, Rome is a city of millions of ordinary people, most of whom have a favorite local restaurant “Eating like a local” is a phrase thrown around a lot in travel […]
Pasta
The Top 5 Spots for Cacio e Pepe in Rome You Need to Try ASAP
This blog post was originally posted on February 2, 2019 and was updated on September 8, 2020. Cacio e pepe is the classic flavor of Rome, and one of its best and most beloved dishes. Cacio is Roman dialect for “cheese”—in this case, assertive sheep’s-milk pecorino romano—and pepe is black pepper. Put it all together, […]
How to Read an Italian Menu (And Order Like a Local)
One of the best parts of traveling is experiencing the culture through food, and in many cases, eating out can be the highlight of your trip. But how are you supposed to eat like a local if you don’t understand how to order off the menu? While understanding how to read an Italian menu can […]
Classic Roman Cacio e Pepe Recipe
Forget bolognese, and cast carbonara aside. When you’re in Rome, the first pasta you need to try is cacio e pepe. This is Roman cooking at its best. Just take a handful of ingredients, cook them with love, and you get one delicious dish. Cacio e pepe means “cheese and pepper” in Italian, and that’s […]
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Picks for a Perfect Sunday in Rome
There’s a saying here in Rome that Sunday is about three things: church, soccer and food. We’ve got you covered when it comes to the third thing. Any trip to Rome should include a Sunday. Like all Italians, Romans use Sunday to relax, eat big meals, get coffee and go for walks. The advantage of […]
7 Trattorias in Rome for the Italian Meal of Your Dreams
When we Romans want to indulge in authentic local cuisine, there’s no place like a trattoria: a rustic, family-run restaurant with generous portions. Cucina romana is known for its simple ingredients, and for the most heavenly antipasti, classic primi and hearty secondi, these no-frills, family-run spots are your best bet. So you don’t waste valuable […]
Hidden Rome: Dining in Centri Sociali
If you’re looking for cheap, local food, served with a side of politics, you’ve got to go to a Roman centro sociale Centri sociali are one of the great, hidden protagonists in Roman cultural life. There are Centri sociali all over Italy, but we’re going to focus on the Roman ones in this blog. Dining in […]
The Survival Guide to Pasta Shapes in Italy: How to Order like You Know What You’re Doing
If you think all pasta is the same, you’ve got it completely wrong! From different shapes to varied widths and lengths, there’s a whole world to discover! The most important thing to understand when it comes to pasta is that each shape is best paired with a certain type of sauce due to its form […]
The 5 Best Cheap Eats in Rome That All Budgets Should Try
Rome is a city full of high quality food bargains. A scoop of gelato is rarely more than €2.50, and an espresso costs about a euro. Street food and pizza are great options to save your food euros, but you’re probably craving a plate of pasta amatriciana and a glass of wine, too. Rome is […]
The 5 Best REAL Carbonaras in Rome That Italians Love
As we say here in Rome: it’s never too cold to eat gelato, and never too hot to eat carbonara. Compared to Rome’s other pasta classics, pasta alla carbonara is the new dish on the block. No trace of it can be found before the 1950s, but in these few years it has become, perhaps, […]