I keep reading that Trastevere is where you eat authentic Roman food and I am staying in that area but there are so many places and reviews it is hard to keep track. I am staying closer to Piazza Mastai than the Trastevere station and am renting an apartment and like to cook so I also am interested in delis that have things I can warm up or use in preparation of a wonderful dish or markets with fresh local fruit and vegetables, good butchers, etc. As far as restaurants I like the ones on the less expensive end but where I can still enjoy some wine or beer and I am interested in places that specialize in local or regional dishes and where actual locals eat themselves. I know everywhere central in Rome will be full of visitors but I'd like an authentic local feel if I can find it somewhere nearby-and if not where should I be looking?
Posted by
Northeast Ohio, USA
707 posts
I have no financial interest in this app, and for that matter have not even been to Italy yet (I leave in 4 days). But it looks promising. You can download a teaser version for free, then if you want (I did) pay for more detailed information on particular cities:
http://www.elizabethminchilliinrome.com/apps-rome-venice-florence/
I bet there are other apps that do about the same thing too. Not as good as personal recommendations from the forum, but a place to start.
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11848 posts
Personally we found that Trastevere, with a few exceptions, was overrun with over-rated restaurant catering to loud Americans and Brits. Get away from the cute piazzas and you may do OK. Although I will say one of our top three pizzerias is there, Dar Poeta. And yes, Italians eat at DP too.
Alternatively, Prati, just north of the Vatican, has some great restaurants very few tourists venture to. SiciliainBocca (Sicilian food) is fabulous and we always enjoyed Osteria delle Commari.
Try the Testaccio market for your shopping. Great pizza at Da Remo in Testaccio.
Posted by
3485 posts
Posted by
8 posts
I did Eating Italy Food Tour for Trastevere and it was awesome.
Posted by
OP
20 posts
Thanks for your suggestions! Testaccio has been mentioned to me before too and I suppose I definitely need to check it out. Someone else mentioned a Mercato Trionfale? How is that?
Posted by
Tucson
4183 posts
I'll be staying near the Vatican and plan to shop at the Trionfale Market. Here's a link -- http://www.marketsofrome.com/home/trionfale-market.
The other markets deserve a look-see, too.
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11848 posts
Someone else mentioned a Mercato Trionfale? How is that?
It is amazing! It is simply huge and I had never seen anything like it. We went there about once-a-month since it was across town from where we lived, but great produce, meat, fish, olives, nuts, household items.
Posted by
OP
20 posts
Thanks again everyone, it sounds like Trionfale is definitely the market to check out! One of them anyway, but especially since people say it's where to get seafood.
Along that same line of thought I asked on another forum since people seemed less than impressed with Rome's seafood, if a day trip to Ostia or some other beach city might be a good idea? I'd like to enjoy a day at the beach since I don't get that kind of nice beach weather where i live and Ostia looks easy to get to on the train. I just wondered if there are other easy beaches to get to on the train or bus that people recommend more and am happy for suggestions of where to eat good seafood at any of these places. The fish has to be better by the sea, yes?
Posted by
Philadelphia
44 posts
We were in Rome recently and did a food tour, "Twilight Trastevere", with Eating Italy Food Tours. We really enjoyed the food tour. We did not find this area overrun with tourists actually it was quite the opposite. The first place we went to was Da Enzo and it was my favorite. It's located off of Via Della Copple (phone 06 6880 6349). It's not a fancy place and it's small so advance reservations would be needed. We regretted not going back on our own for a full meal. On the tour we also went to Antica Norcineria for the most yummy porchetta. This place is actually a deli so it's really not a dinner spot but it is definitely worth checking out. Antica Norcineria is located on Via Natalie del Grande, 15. We heard Impiccetta located on Via dei Fienaroli is very good but we never made it there.
If you are interested in trying some northern Italian cuisine consider going to Taverna Lucifero located at Via del Pellegrino, 51 (phone 06 6880 5536). Reservations are needed. By the way this restaurant is not located in the Trastevere neighborhood. The owner is great and can make some great suggestions on what to try.
Pretty much any restaurant worth going to will require advance reservations and some can be reserved via Trip Advisor but you could always email your hotel asking them to help make reservations for you. Also keep in mind many tourists dine early while the locals tend to go at 8:00P or later. So try to make your reservations on the later side.
Hope you have a great time!
Posted by
San Antonio, TX, USA
98 posts
We had a wonderful meal at Pizzeria Ai Marmi. It doesn't look fancy, but we luckily got there early, then were treated to a show of pizza making and Italians enjoying their meal. By the time we left, there was a line down the block to get in. We only saw one other couple that looked like they were tourists. We spotted them because they had a RS guidebook in hand.
https://m.facebook.com/aimarmi/
Posted by
14 posts
Hey, i would like to cook for you and improve my English, feel free to text me [email protected](for free, of course)
(it will be pasta with seafood and Abruzzo wine!)
looking forward to hearing from you!