The final leg of our aperitivo tour was the country’s capital city of Rome, the land of the Colosseum and pizza, among other things. Okay, that was a joke. Rome is an ancient city, that is rich in art, architecture, culture and cuisine. It was the centre of the world for centuries and has been both revered and destroyed over time. The modern Rome of today is a bustling city; people warned us about the crowds and the traffic but it was nothing worse than Sydney in peak hour. Rome is big but easy to walk around, and at every turn, there is something to marvel at, from the tiny cobblestone laneways dotted with cafes and shops to the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain. Rome was a great way to wrap up our aperitivo tour.
Il Goccetto
Via dei Banchi Vecchi, 14 Rome, 186
ilgoccetto.com
This quaint enoteca is one of Rome’s oldest wine shops. Hugely popular with locals stopping in for a quick glass of vino, some cheese, and rustic Italian fare like prosciutto di parma topped with peppery rucola. Warm and buzzy, the crowd fills the space and spills out onto the laneway in the warmer months.
Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina
Via dei Giubbonari, 21, 00186 Roma
A deli, restaurant and wine bar in one, this is a hot ticket in Rome, mostly thanks to its delicious kinds of pasta. Roscioli in fact, means ‘many things in one’ and it has been operating for more than 200 years. In 2002 Alessandro and Pierluigi Roscioli transformed the family grocery store into a gourmet bottega.
Forno Monteforte
Via del Pellegrino, 129, 00186 Roma
@fornomonteforte
Sometimes when you’re in Italy, you don’t feel like sitting down for a three-course lunch. Sacrilege, right? But this little pizzeria/ bakery in the centre of Rome, does pizza by the weight (you choose the size of the slice).
Enoteca Il Piccolo
Via del Governo Vecchio, 74-75, 00186 Roma
@enoteca_il_Piccolo
How could we not visit the ‘other’ Piccolo Bar? Located in the bustling laneways of Rome, where tables crowd the streets, people are smoking cigars and cigarettes, eating porcetta, gelato and drinking wine. The menu is simple. There are about 10 red wines and 10 whites to order by the glass, a couple of cocktails and snacks, salumi and cheese. A local favourite and always packed.
Santo Palato Roma
Piazza Tarquinia 4a, San Giovanni, Rome, 00183 Roma
@santopalatoroma
The reputation of this restaurant and its young chef Sarah Cicolini, has spread far and wide. About a 15-minute taxi ride out of the centre of Rome, you feel like you are in ‘real’ Rome; like this is the cool retro take on Roman cuisine that young creatives would eat. Think Fitzroy in Melbourne, or Enmore is Sydney. Known for dishes with offal, our favourites were the osso bucco tortellini, the trippi alla romana and the oxtail meatball (pictured above).