Sure… the Colosseum, the Vatican and the Pantheon should definitely be on your to-do list during your Roman holiday.<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

But let\u2019s get real for a second: no trip to Rome is complete without diving into its culinary culture. And essential to that culinary culture are Rome\u2019s food markets. So buckle up and get ready to discover a whole new world with these five food markets in Rome!<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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1. Mercato Testaccio<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

We\u2019re obsessed with tasting local dishes. Should we try the amatriciana<\/em>, the porchetta <\/em>or the carciofo alla romana<\/em>? How about all of them?<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

But where?<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

That\u2019s when you wish you could have all of Rome\u2019s best restaurants serve you in just one place. Lucky for you, there\u2019s a place where you can actually go to taste the best Rome has to offer. It\u2019s called Mercato Testaccio<\/a>, and it\u2019s the food market you can\u2019t leave Rome without trying!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., the Testaccio food market is the perfect place to taste Roman street food<\/a>. For delicious express handmade pasta get yourself to Le Mani in Pasta<\/a>; for panini with Roman specialties like porchetta <\/em>don\u2019t miss out on Mordi e Vai; and for the gelato lovers, you can\u2019t go wrong with a couple of artisanal scoops of gelato from Frigo<\/a>!<\/p>\r\n

The marketplace is full of delicious street food-style bites, like Roman porchetta. Photo credit: zero.the.hero<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

2. Mercato Centrale<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

If you\u2019ve got a train to catch at the Roma Termini station, we\u2019ve got some great news for you: there\u2019s an underground food market where you can spend your time stuffing your face with amazing local specialties. Those Trenitalia waiting times actually have a purpose now!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Take the escalators and you\u2019ll be welcomed to Mercato Centrale<\/a>, a.k.a. one of the best food markets in Rome open 365 days a year from 8 a.m. to midnight! Enrico Lagorio mans the meat stand, serving exclusively Chianina meat. If you\u2019re in the mood for a burger, his Tuscan meat stand is the place to go, serving only grass-fed beef.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Feeling like something completely Roman? Head to Stefano Callegari<\/a>\u2019s shop to taste the trapizzino<\/em>: a pocket of pizza bianca<\/em>, crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, filled with tasty ingredients like meatballs and parmigiana di melanzane<\/em>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Craving some pizza? Pier Daniele Seu<\/a>\u2019s crunchy pizza is heaven on a plate, not to mention Gabriele Bonci<\/a>\u2019s pizza al taglio<\/em>!<\/p>\r\n

A meatball Trapizzino always hits the spot.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

3. Mercato Trionfale<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Get a taste of a real Roman food market by strolling through Mercato Trionfale<\/a> near Vatican City<\/a>. Unlike other more contemporary food markets like Mercato Centrale and Mercato Testaccio, this food market is exclusively for purchasing fresh produce.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

With its 273 stands, it\u2019s the largest food market in Rome, not to mention one of the largest in Italy and in Europe! But don\u2019t worry about getting lost\u2014the market is made up of halls filled with boxes of different colors. Each color represents a food category: green for vegetables and fruits, red for meat and blue for fish.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Stop by box 229 for fresh handmade pasta. From tagliatelle <\/em>and fettuccine <\/em>to lasagne<\/em>, Anna Maria Moretti\u2019s Le Mani in Pasta<\/a> won\u2019t disappoint. For honey, fresh eggs, jams and organic produce, da Peppino\u2019s box 192 is not to miss. Open since 1924, the stand is now in the hands of the family\u2019s third generation, and is one of the most historic stands in the market.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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