Testaccio in Rome

Trattoria Pennestri was one of the best meals we had in Rome (and that is really saying something). Reservations are a must and you have to call to make them.

We really enjoyed the Eating Europe Taste of Testaccio tour in 2024. Great orientation to the neighborhood and a lot of fun.
The Protestant Cemetery is an easy walk. John Keats and others who weren’t Catholic are buried there because it was outside of the city. It doubles as a cat sanctuary.
If you’re up for a walk, you can climb the steps from Testaccio and walk through the orange grove and rose gardens all the way to Circus Maximus and into Rome. There are some great views of the city along the way. None of these places were crowded when we were there.

A sandwich from Mordi & Vai in the market. Another vote for the cats in the cemetary.

On or very close to the piazza is Pizzaria san Remo, Trapazzino sandwich shop and Linari bakery and coffee shop/bar.
I really enjoy walking around Testaccio and discovering cafes and restaurants.
Across Via Marmorata, on the Aventine Hill, it is worth climbing to the top for the views and to visit historic churches. There are many transit options on via Marmorata.
Will you be arriving in Rome? If so, the Tastevere train station has local trains to the airport and tram 3 to Testaccio.

Thanks, all, noted!

Becky, forum veteran Laurel says that Pizzeria San Remo is her favorite pizza in Rome, which is saying a lot. So we're flying from Chicago into Roma Fiumicino, and the landlord will pick us up. We'll be jetlagged so don't want to have to deal with public trans. And after a week, we're headed by train to Torino/Bra for a few days, then up into the Alps, also by train. Stopping in Bellinzona, Switzerland and Freiburg, Germany near the Black Forest, flying out of Geneva or Zurich.

Your trip sounds great Jay!

We plan to stay in Testaccio this fall so the answers to this question are helpful to us.

If I learn of anything additional I will be sure to post.

A Roman chef I know recommended Da Felice to me in Testaccio. He said it was the best Roman cuisine in town. We went and could see why it was his favourite. My husband said it was the best pasta he had ever had.

We always stay in Testaccio whenever we're in Rome, and we'll be returning this November. If you're in the area, you absolutely have to check out L'Oasi della Birra (also called Palombi). I'm not sure why it has two names, but it's the same place. Its a historic wine bare from I think 1917.

This is our favorite spot in all of Rome. The menu is incredible, with an extensive selection of wines, meats and cheeses, pastas, and a huge beer list as well. The interior is great, with several cozy little rooms surrounded by shelves of wine sold in the shop.

If this is your kind of place, don't miss it. It's located in Piazza Testaccio and stays open late. Ending the evening there with a glass of wine and a platter of meats and cheeses is the best late night snack.

Our go-to place on the last several trips to Rome has been an Airbnb facing Piazza di Santa Maria Liberatrice (maybe same place?), and it’s the best neighborhood! As mentioned above, it’s great for reaching nearby places, and we’ve walked to/from Circus Maximus and/or Baths of Caracalla at least a couple of times from there. You’re also close to the Piramide Metro station (Serves Metro Line B), and I’ve gotten very comfortable using the Roma buses, with a convenient stop on Via Marmorata.

Historical tidbits: the Eating Europe food tour that Ruth mentioned is a fantastic introduction to the area - you’ll learn lots of history, as well as places for eating. Visiting the Testaccio Market, learning about the former slaughterhouse for Rome that once identified the neighborhood, along with the manmade hill that gives the neighborhood its name. I won’t spoil the surprise where you’ll have lunch at the end.

The pyramid actoss from the Piramide Metro is modeled on an ancient Egyptian pyramid, and not quite as big or old as the one at Giza, it’s still 2,000 years old, built as a burial tomb for Cestius, an ancient Roman bigwig.

The nearby Porta San Paolo (which looks a bit like a castle) was the southern gate in the ancient walls of Rome.

And just up the street is a big post office, built to Mussolini’s orders in a unique, Fascist architectural style.

The newer, indoor Testaccio Market replaces the former market, which used to be located where the current Piazza Testaccio is now. The piazza was too small to contain the current market. And that market closes in the early afternoon, so plan your visit(s) there early.

The sidewalk in front of our Airbnb building has some little gold squares set into it, as do buildings throughout Rome, indicting the Jewish people who lived there but were then taken away by Nazis in October 1943.

Food favorites (sone of which were included in the Eating Europe food tour):
La Scopettaro - dinner
Bucatino - dinner
Pizzeria Remo - pizza (it can be crazy busy)
Panificio Passi - morning baked goods
Giolitti - gelato
Panna & Co. - gelato and affogato

Couple other notes: across from Pizzeria Remo, in the northeast corner of the Liberatrice park, there’s a glassed-in building that’s curiously marked as if it’s a TI - tourist information office, but it’s just a place for people to pay to plug in and work on a laptop/computer. Also, we used to love the Felice a Testaccio restaurant, but our last two times there were very underwhelming and disappointing. The kitchen and the attitude of the servers has clearly changed, and while we’ll be staying again in Testaccio this fall, we won’t be returning to Felice ever again.

Cyn, Thanks for your recommendations. We have been to many of your favorites, but not all. We plan to return this fall and will check them out.

OK, then, great info Cyn & all.

One question: past years I've gone to a tabacchi shop and bought weekly passes to ride unlimited on the bus and Metro, which used to be 24 Euro (I think 29 now). But with the tap & go feature now that I can use my own debit (or credit?) card and only be charged 1.50 Euro, does it even make sense to get a pass anymore? We also will take advantage of the Uber-like FreeNow (but ain't free) app.