Dishes to try when in Rome – the best local food and drinks

Eating is easily one of the best things to do in Rome because food is a huge part of Italian culture and a good enough reason to visit Italy especially Rome. 

While you must have heard about some of its more famous dishes such as “spaghetti alla carbonara,” others aren’t popular overseas – so a trip to Rome will give you the chance of discovering new flavours.

Here are some of them:

1. Pizza   – Roman style

Whether you call it Roman-style pizza, Roman pizza, Pizza Romana or Pizza al taglio, one thing is certain, Roman-style pizza’s popularity is on the rise. Some may think it’s a fad, but this style of pizza originated in Rome in the early 1960s and is now widespread throughout Central Italy and gaining fans in the United States.

2. Fritti – (appetisers/finger foods)

They come in all shapes, sizes, batters, breading, fillings, foods and depending on where you are in Italy they are called Fritti, Petiole, Pittule, Crispeddi, the list goes on. NEVER argue with an Italian about what they call a dish!!! Everyone is right!! 

3. Arancini balls

Arancini are Italian rice balls that are stuffed, coated with bread crumbs and deep-fried, and are a staple of Sicilian cuisine

4. Cannoli

Cannoli are Italian pastries consisting of tube-shaped shells of fried pastry dough, filled with a sweet, creamy filling usually containing ricotta—a staple of Sicilian cuisine. They range in size from 9 centimetres to 20 centimetres

5. Gelato

Gelato is a frozen dessert of Italian origin. It is made with a base of 3.25% butterfat, whole milk and sugar. It is generally lower in fat than other styles of frozen desserts

6. Supplì

Suppli is a Roman snack worth seeking out. You can find good suppli at just about any Roman deli or pizza takeaway spot.

7. Gnocchi

Gnocchi are a varied family of dumplings in Italian cuisine. They are made of small lumps of dough composed of semolina, ordinary wheat flour, egg, cheese, potato, breadcrumbs, cornmeal or similar ingredients, and possibly including herbs, vegetables, and other ingredients.

Main ingredients: Potatoes (or semolina or wheat flour or breadcrumbs); sometimes eggs, cheese

8. Filetti di Baccalà

This is a  major part of the fritti family, made with fillets of salt-preserved cod, or baccalà, dipped in a light batter and deep-fried until golden and crispy. They can be found in Rome’s pizzerias where they are served as an antipasto (appetizer) along with other fried classics such as supplì, olive ascolane, stuffed fried olives. This fish meal can also be found pan-fried and served with vegetables or chickpeas and is traditionally eaten on a Friday in Rome.

9. Frittura di Paranza

This delicious fish meal is named after a type of fishing boat called a paranza.

It is a fried appetizer made from a mix of small fish, shrimp, and squid which are lightly floured and then quickly deep-fried to create a crunchy exterior then accompanied by a squeeze of lemon and a glass of something bubbly.

BONUS TIP

For wine lovers, you must visit an Enoteca or 2. These wine shops are everywhere in the central room. Near Campo Fiori, in Trastevere, everywhere.

Enoteca Trimani is the oldest wine shop in Rome with a cast collection. 

Antica Enoteca is another at a Great location,  few blocks away from the crowds at Spanish Steps and they have good wines

If you are looking for an Intimate, lunchtime-only eatery with a huge wine selection, serving hearty, home-style Italian fare then visit Enoteca Corsi

Trimani is another good Enoteca in Rome. It has been a household name in Rome for over a century, with its ancestors selling wines since 1821. It is one of the most renowned enotecas in the Italian capital. The wines on sale are from all over the world and range from champagne to local labels, without ever neglecting quality and fair prices.