Rome and Naples

[Michael M]

My partner and I returned from a trip (March/April, 2007) to Rome and Naples. I've reported before on previous trips to Italy, and since I use this forum as one of my guides, I am once again repaying the debt in hopes that someone finds this information valuable.

Our focus on these trips has been food and wine, for the most part. A great morning for me will include checking out 2 or 3 bar-pasticcerrie, have a coffee at each and sample their pastries, after a while finding a good one, then frequenting it the remainder of the trip. A great late afternoon/early evening will have us prowling the city for wine-centric wine bars (they aren't always), with knowledgeable and passionate people behind the bar. Later in the evening, I want a menu in my hand that has no English translations (though that's not always possible in some good places in these larger cities). This is the lens you should read this through; I'm trying to provide the kind of pre-vacation information I'm often seeking here on eGullet!

Previous Rome/Campania report available here.

Previous Rome/Bologna trip report available here.

We've been to Rome 5 times before, so I'll just break down the food-related parts of the visit into categories:

RESTAURANTS (TRATTORIE/OSTERIE)

Cul de Sac started its life as a wine bar, but has morphed into a wine-focused restaurant. The wine list is excellent, Italian in focus and well-priced. The food is inexpensive and tasty, which explains the throngs of people that wait outside for a table. It's best to get here early for lunch or early/late for dinner. Because of its fluorescent lighting inside, I'd recommend this more as a lunch place, though if you can snag an outside table, it wouldn't matter. I reported on this in last year's trip, and recommend it for a light dinner or lunch. I think they have especially good soups and salads, and have a number of small plate items to try with the wines.

Obika , the mozzarella bar/restaurant, we happened upon for a Saturday brunch, which would be a different experience, I expect, from their usual. One chooses from items at the bar (salumi, mozzarella, frittate, salads), then later from the dessert bar (pastries, puddings). Friendly service, a nice space, pleasant savory food, not-worth-it sweets, a small but interesting wine list with well-informed servers to guide you. It wasn't even the best mozzarella we had on the trip. It was only one visit, but the food itself didn't stand out enough to hasten our return, though we were recommended a great bottle of wine.

Ditirambo I've reported about before, and gets plenty of press. We like it because it was our first "nicer" dinner in Rome years ago, when I'd mustered up enough fluency to ask for my own reservation; thus, it has a special place in our hearts. It's also just off the Piazza Navona, so it has a special place in many, many other tourists' hearts, though it has plenty of local patrons, especially later. What I like about them is their bit of ingenuity in their food, a smaller, more focused menu, and their excellent pastas and salads. I also reported more about them last year, with pix.

Al Bric also gets lots of press and plenty of tourists. We fell into it against our better judgement on our first night, tired from the flight. There are two rooms, and on that night one seemed to be for Italians, the other for non-language speakers (English, Dutch, German, Japanese). As soon as I realized this I regretted our choice, even though we were in the apparent "non-tourist" room. Both rooms were packed at 10 p.m., and our waiter seemed to be working the entire place alone, with two helpers. Understandably harried, he nonetheless warmed up when asked for wine guidance, but rarely showed up after serving the food. The Vermentino was great, the two pastas fine, and the vegetable sides boiled in unsalted water, served with bottles of balsamic and olive oil. It was a great wine list, and we got the feeling we may have just ordered the wrong dishes (though the contorni were pretty sad). With so many great places, we won't be rushing back here, though.

Roscioli Enoteca-Restaurant also gets plenty of love from the food press at large. We really enjoyed this. Their card says "Salumeria - Vineria - Formaggieria," though we went there for dinner. A totally superb experience all around, with the help of a great server who loved wine and was happy to make recommendations. A great wine list, great vegetable dishes, a fantastic tagliatelle with cinghiale, our favorite mozzarella di bufula of the trip, and a wonderful cheese and salumi selection. I wish our non-flash pictures had turned out better, because it's also a nice space. We will definitely go back. The family also runs the Antico Forno Roscioli around the corner.

Ristorante Ferrara has impressed us on two previous visits. It has a more expensive menu, more creative touches, a well-trained, friendly and knowledgeable staff, and a nice space. There is a wine bar connected to the restaurant (Piazza Trilussa, 41) and an Enoteca on the other side (where we've often found some great wines we couldn't find elsewhere). This meal impressed us a little less than the others, but if you'd like a slightly fancier meal with dishes that stretch creativity a little, this is a good place. Examples: a "study" in baccala: one piece fried, another encased in ravioli, both moistened with an oyster sauce. Another, a tagliatelle with deer ragu - both dishes a bit mild, but interesting. The wine list is extensive. If you like Italian amari, please try the Di Meo Ratafia, made from Aglianico and herbs. It's even somewhat hard to find in Campania, where it's from, and you can sample it here and buy it if you like at the Enoteca.

Spaghetti with anchovies at Ferrara:

La Fraschetta is exactly the kind of place you want to stumble on your last night when you're trying to avoid any place that might have tourists. We usually stay in the Testaccio neighborhood, and I can't possibly recommend a better area. Full of Romans, especially young families with children, and not an English word to be heard. This place is very casual and inexpensive. They have beer, or a delicious, fresh house red for 7E/liter. I would skip the aperitivi at the bar except the excellent mozzarella di bufula, but the contorni would have been a great substitute, based on our neighboring table's dishes. The spaghetti fraschetta was excellent (tomato sauce with prosciutto and pepperoncino), as was the tagliatelle with cinghiale ragu.

GELATERIE

First, if the pistachio is neon green, I leave without trying the gelato. Occasionally you do find a place where they have a neon-green for the kids, and another for the adults. As a result, I'm less impressed by some well-touted gelaterie in Italy. Again, just keeping my point of view on the table. A new one for us, we thought Gelateria Pasqualetti had great gelato, and we returned three times to sample its choices. We never made it to perennial favorite San Crispino (though we should have). We were also a little less impressed with our one try of Gelateria A. Pica . We were more surprised by it last year, surprised by how much we liked it and had never heard of it. We only went once this time, and liked most of what we tried, but we didn't swoon, especially over the sorbetti. The owner is quite involved in the national gelato scene, so we'll definitely try again. Checco er Carettiere in Trastevere is well-known for their restaurant, but less so for their bar-pasticceria and gelato. We loved the latter the past two trips for their limone, strawberry and nut-based gelati. It does seem that some gelato makers do well with milk-based but not fruit-based gelato, and some vice-versa; here and at Pasqualetti, we liked both.

WINE BARS

When I walk into a wine bar, I like to see a list of wines by the glass on a chalkboard. The chalkboard implies a larger selection by the bottle, but with a sampling by the glass that changes. I want the producer listed, and I want the year. I want those pouring to like wine (not just, "I only drink red," and I want them to like it a lot), and I want them to know their selection. Really great food is necessary as well.

In Italy, I want them to know about varietals and producers I'm unfamiliar with, usually avoiding the international varietals (unless they're blended creatively into a local grape). I have access to a lot of wines in the U.S., and am searching for something different in the time I'm there. If I were thorough, I'd list the places we searched out (especially in Naples, our first time there) that did not fit this rubric. The wine bar whose window advertised jello shots, or the one that listed "Merlot, Cabernet, Pinot Grigio" and when asked about producers, didn't know. A good eGulleter would have saved those names and addresses, but I didn't. What I can recommend, however, is:

Il Gocetto in Rome is still my go-to place for great selection, great food and an intelligent staff. Run by Sergio Ceccarelli and his wife, they offer around 20 wines by the glass, with a large assortment of cheese, salumi, stuffed peppers and artichokes. Over the years I've found so many great wines through him that I can't begin to recount my favorites. You can also buy bottles to go.

Il Gocetto:

Al Vino Al Vino was one I'd go back to after only visiting once this trip. A smaller selection of wines by the glass, the woman by the counter was full of information about the whites, but didn't drink reds. The snacks were fine but not stellar, I think only cheeses and salumi.

Cul de Sac and Bar Ferrara are both good choices, discussed in restaurants above. Bar Ferrara is a separate bar space away from the restaurant, whereas Cul de Sac is more of a restaurant where you can order as much or as little as you'd like.

Two other wine bars looked promising. One was Enoteca Cavour , and the Art Nouveau Enoteca Constantini on the Piazza Cavour.

BAR-PASTICCERIE

Pasticceria Linari in Testaccio remains my favorite breakfast destination, if only because it's a small neighborhood populated entirely by local families and their children. I've never seen a tourist there, though they must exist. Their pastries are excellent, from their breakfast crostate to their arrogoste (which are filled with a brandy-spiked cream). Their coffee is good (these don't always go hand in hand), and I love coming here and eavesdropping on the local women gossiping in the morning. This is also near the local market, a haven for fresh produce and seafood.

Gran Caffe Borgo is a nice place to go if you're staying near the Vatican. Their coffee is good, not great, and some of their pastries are very good. It's a nice place to start the day if you'd like to sit down at breakfast.

Pasticceria Valzani in Trastevere specializes in chocolates, though they offer some pastries. This is not a bar to eat at, and they don't serve coffee. In fact, the service is almost always a bit abrupt, but their chocolates and cream-filled meringues really good.

PIZZA/PANIFICI-PANETTERIE

Here I'm referring to pizza by the slice, which I love. You can't go wrong with the pizzas at Panificio Arnese in Trastevere. Many, many visits confirm that their pizzas are divine, especially if you ask them to heat them up and eat them immediately. The artichoke with mozzarella is a personal favorite. Just don't forget to take a number. They use margarine in their cookies, and I've never liked them.

Antinco Forno Roscioli is owned by the same family as the restaurant, and they're just steps away from each other. Their pizza is great as well, and their sweets are also excellent.

Bonus pic. We happened upon a festival celebrating Roman artichokes. Lots of interesting information about different varieties, and carciofi alla guida and romana for sale. It was sponsored in part by Slow Food. Guess what the snail's made of:

Naples report to follow.

Antico Forno Roscioli

Via Dei Chiavari, 34

Rome

Pasticceria Valzani

Via del Moro, 37

Trastevere, Rome

http://www.valzani.it/

Cul de Sac

Piazza Pasquino, 73

Rome

Ferarra Ristorante

Via del Moro, 4

Trastevere, Rome

Pasticceria Linari

Via Nicola Zabaglia, 9

Testaccio, Rome

Antico Forno Roscioli

Via dei Chiavari, 34

Roma

Gelateria Pasqualetti

Piazza della Maddelena, 3/A

Rome (locations also in Orvieto and Ciconia)

Obika

Via dei Prefetti, 26

Rome

Ditirambo

Piazza Cancellaria, 74

Rome

Panificio Arnese

Via Del Politeama, 27

(on the Piazza Navona)

Rome

Al Vino Al Vino

Enoteca/Bar

Via De' Serpentini

Rome

Al Bric

Via Del Pellegrino, 51

Rome

Roscioli

Restaurant/Wine Bar/Salumeria

Via dei Giubbonari, 21-3

Rome

Checco er Carettiere

Via Benedetta, 7

Trastevere, Rome

(Bar-Pasticceria/Gelateria/Hosteria/Ristorante)

Gran Caffe Borgo

Via Borgo Pio, 170-3

Rome, near the Vatican

Enoteca Cavour

Via Cavour, 313

Rome

Enoteca Il Gocetto

Via dei Banchi Vecchi, 14

Rome

Volpetti

http://www.fooditaly.com/

Rome

La Fraschetta

Via A. Volta, 36

Testaccio, Rome

Alberto Pica

Via Seggiola, 12 (of Via Arenula near the river)

Rome

[hathor]

Wow. Great write up. consider the debt repaid in spades!!! Excellent beta!!

[Forest]

Wow - lots of great info Michael M! I'll be anxiously awaiting the Naples report...I'm heading there in a few months and been reading through the eGullet posts, but looking for the most current info. Thanks for sharing!

[weinoo]

On our trip to Rome in February we hit a number of the same places, and seeing this made me want to go back just that much more!

Il Gocetto is and always has been our favorite wine bar as well!!

[John Talbott]

Michael, my kudos too. Sounds like you ate even better than I.

Can't wait for Naples report: we probably should have a pinned thread on that great city too. Maybe yours could kick it off.

[docsconz]

Great report, Michael. It will be a must read for any eGullet Society member heading to the Eternal City.

[Michael M]

Thanks for the compliments!

Our visit to Naples was different for us, because we'd never been there before, so part of the time was spent figuring out our bearings. I must say that this was a little easier than in other larger European cities like Rome, Milan, Paris, etc. whose streets twist and meet up four or five at a time. There are a few major roads that you can follow if you're directionally challenged (ahem...), and not too many of those intersections of 7 streets like in Milan. Our goal here was to sample seafood, pizza and sfogliatelle, while searching out interesting places for wine. We also planned to hike up the mountain on Ischia, but it rained that day; justification for another trip.

CHOCOLATE

Gay-Odin received glowing reviews in many non-food-oriented guides to Naples, and I just don't get it. Their filled chocolates are dumped into a bin together at the store we visited (there are at least 3 in Naples). This had the effect of marring the surfaces. Then, the chocolate by itself wasn't even good. There were a few non-filled chocolate only pieces, and they weren't even worth finishing. I can't imagine this being on off day. We missed our usual choco haunt in Rome this year (La Bottega di Cioccolato , Via Leonina, 82). Darn.

COFFEE

Wow, did we love the coffee at Caffe Mexico! I have not done enough research to find out how this Neopolitan institution came by this name (there are at least 2 in Naples), but their coffee was great, both the espresso and cappuccino. Very unassuming little place on the Piazza Dante, its straight caffe was smooth and full, with just a touch of bitter. We hustled over there each morning after discovering it, though didn't bother with any of the few pastries offered (you'll understand when you see them). Its drink rivals San Eustachio and Taza d'Oro in Rome, easily. I assume this is unrelated to the Caffe Mexico in Milan by the train station, since I recall it being more of a pasticceria, with an emphasis on the Sicilian, but I'm not sure.

PIZZA/FRIED FOODS, TAKE AWAY

Walking along the Via Tribunali with its narrow, cobbled streets, produce vendors and small shops, I was reminded of Bolonga: stacks of artichokes at every other stall, trays of fresh fish (including the one with live octopus in a bowl of oxygenated water), vendors selling food. This street gets every cruise ship tour visiting mid-afternoon, I think, though this is hardly a tourist-choked city, due in part to its reputation as dangerous and/or dirty. But most of this time this little strip is a gem. Pizzeria di Matteo had a superb pizza to go (much touted here).

The outdoor market on Via Pignanesca also felt Bolognese. At the end near the funicular is Friggitoria Rosticceria , and for 1 Euro will fill a bag with various fried goodies, sprinkle some salt on them, and you're good to go until your next stop. There were fried balls of bread dough, fried polenta, fried something-cheesey (?) and fried eggplant. The polenta was better than popcorn, really.

PIZZA

eGullet already has lists of favored pizza joints, and we couldn't possibly visit them all. Our first dinner was at Umberto's . It's a larger restaurant, filled with travelling businessmen, families, other locals and a few tourists (though I imagine there would have been more earlier in the evening; it's well-advertised in the English-speaking travel world). What I liked about them was their service: I explained that we were here to sample their food and get their advice on a few dishes, as well as their wine recommendations. The servers were very accommodating, and we liked everything. The seafood pastas were very good, but the pizza was our favorite of the trip.

The pizza at Umberto:

We tried this same approach at Ciro , with different results. We were seated downstairs and had a very friendly, older waiter who was obviously happy to have us. It occurred to us later that most people were going upstairs, where there was a better view, and more people. Note: ask to sit upstairs. We approached him the same way in terms of asking for a certain number of dishes of a certain type, etc. We ended up getting 2 appetizers and a pizza simultaneously (not what we'd asked for) and the pizza was a bit cooler than freshly cooked. It was ok, but might have been better 5 minutes previous. The food was good, though I like Umberto's better, and I couldn't shake the off feeling I got from not getting what I'd asked for.

We stumbled upon Gorizia for lunch after visiting the tranquil Villa Floridiana, not knowing it had been mentioned here already. Top notch service. After looking at the wine list and seeing some older, less fresh bottles of Italian whites, yet seeing different ones offered on the shelf near me, I asked about this. The waiter left and came back with a number of more appropriate bottles from the back, none of which were mentioned on the list. We liked our pizza here a lot, though our seafood risotto wasn't great - rather bland. But their grilled vegetable aperitivi were fantastic - lightly grilled, still crunchy, doused in good oil and lemon; I could have eaten the entire case.

RESTAURANT

I was pretty glum the evening before we were supposed to go hiking on Ischia because the gathering clouds (and the hotel's internet) were revealing a 100% chance of rain the following day. We ended up leaving a day early after some last minute calls to our hotel back in Rome, so we decided to check out a nicer restaurant we'd heard recommended. What a fantastic choice, and I don't understand why it's not on everyone's list, because it's right near the water. It was filled entirely with Italians; not a tourist in site. The bar is at street level, and the restaurant is on the second floor, which may have something to do with it.

Terrazza Calabritto is owned and run by two younger men (I think they're brothers), and the space is contemporary and stylish, with a wall of windows overlooking the water. Our amuse bouche was shrimp coated in almonds then fried (it even sounds good, but the sweetness of the two ingredients was an even better symbiosisin the mouth). A nice room-temp selection of cooked fish and shrimp with different sauces was delicious; I especially liked a combination of artichoke and shrimp, the former making the latter taste even sweeter. A nice risotto with shrimp and blueberries - well-cooked risotto, nice shrimp, didn't get much from the fruit except color. A superb paccheri (dried pasta) with shrimp and prawns in a light tomato sauce (our favorite pasta of the trip). A nice wine list, and a place I'd definitely return to. Four dishes, two desserts and a bottle of wine ran 110 Euros. It would be especially easy to get to if you were staying near the water in any of those giant hotels.

SFOGLIATELLE

Sfogliatelle/Sfogliate: there are other pastries in Naples, but since I love these so much anyway (especially the crunchy kind), I sought these out whenever I could find them. The combination of crisp, buttery outsides and the mildy sweet, fragrant ricotta inside has been my favorite sweet Italian creation since I tried them my first visit to Italy (ok, one of my favorites). Pasticceria Scaturchio had ones good enough to return to two or three times. There's a version called "Santa Ana" that seemed to just be sfogliatelle + lemon cream on top (not particularly interesting lemon cream, though). Their morning cappucino never lived up to their pastries. They also have gelato there, though we never tried it.

The warm ones at Sfogliatelle Mary was our favorites, I think. Most places have little warmers to keep them in, but here you could see them pull them right out of the oven and into the waiting hands of the people in line. We also liked the ones at Bar-Pasticceria Augustus . We weren't overwhelmed with those at Pasticceria Pinatauro , though we tried them later in the day.

WINE BARS

We didn't come up with any great ones here, and the one with the most promise (one whose name I didn't write down, but it's at Via Scarlatti, 30, in the Vomero neighborhood) we never made it to. We did visit The Vinarium whose offerings were only on a menu, and were only so-so. The salumi/cheese was ok, but everything just felt off. The owner couldn't get the sound system to work, and ignored everyone for a while in this attempt. I'd try it again, maybe, not not right away. The Belladonna wine bar (Vico Belladonna, 18) was the one that listed "Merlot" but didn't know the producer. And the one at Via S. Sebastiano, 62 was the one advertising 5 shots for 10 Euro in its window. We did not go to either.

GELATO

Gelateria Scimmia we'd seen mentioned in a number of places, but their gelato produced in us nothing but a couple of shrugs. Nothing special there, and between us we had 4 flavors. The one that impressed us was Gelateria Otranto in the Vomero neighborhood. The nut and milk ones were great, and the fruit ones like biting into frozen produce. I with we'd gotten a picture of the chestnut gelato - it was translucent like a candied chestnut would be, and perfectly flavored. A nice find.

I also included the address of the contemporary art museum in Naples. I was impressed with it, and it doesn't get much press.

Well, I hope someone prints this out and marks their vacation map as I've done many others' posts. A book I'd recommend besides the usual ones (Fred Plotkin's, et al.) would be the The Food and Wine Guide to Campania by Mary Capalbo. It's had great information for us on our last two trips.

Buon appetito!

Wine Bar (name?)

Via Scarlatti, 30

Naples

Gelateria Scimmia

Piazza Carita, 4

Naples

Pasticceria Pinatauro

Via Roma, 275

Naples

Gay-Odin Chocolates

multiple locations

Naples

Caffe Mexico

Piazza Dante, 86

Naples

Sfogliatelle Mary

The Via Toledo entrance to the Galleria Umberto

Bar-Pasticceria Augustus

Via Toledo, 147

Naples

Pizzeria di Matteo

Via Tribulali, 94

Naples

Friggitoria Rosticceria Fiorenzano

Piazza Montestanto, 6

Naples

Market

Via Pignaseca, from Via Toledo to Piazza Montesanto

Naples

Ristorante Pizzeria Umberto

Via Alabarieri, 30/1

Naples

Ciro

Via S. Brigida, 71/3

Naples

La Barrique

Piazetta Ascensione, 9

Naples

Vinarium

Vico S. Maria A Cappella Vecchia, 7

Naples

Pasticceria Scaturchio

Via Portamedina alla Pignasecca, 24

Naples

Pizzeria Ristorante Gorizia

Via Bernini, 29-31

Naples

MADRE

http://www.museomadre.it/

Naples

Terrazza Calabritto

Piazza Vittoria, 1

www.terrazzacalabritto.it

Otranto Gelateria

Via Scarlatti, 28

Vomero, Naples

Edited April 14, 2007 by Michael M (log)

[docsconz]

Thanks for another outstanding report! The Capalbo book is relatively new, I think. If it is as good as her book on Tuscany it will be a very welcome addition to the library.

I loved Naples with all its vibrancy. You did a great job of capturing some of its essence. I look forward to more reports from you!

[Pizza Napoletana]

Great review.

However you seam to have visited only "posh" pizzerias (Ciro, Umberto and Gorizia) which are also overpriced. Also, with exeption of Gorizia, they only do average pizza.

Bar Mexico (It is a mini chain which is related to "Passalacqua" brand of coffe beans, one of the most popular beans in Naples with Kimbo) is also my favourite.

Otranto is still good but was better 15 years ago. Bilancione in Via Posillipo is the one to try next time. Their hezelnut flavor is heaven.

I second Capalbo book, very, very interesting.

I know you had a take away at Di Matteo, but next time I would suggest in Order of preference Pizzeria Salvo (www.pizzeriasalvo.it), Da Michele (www.damichele.net), Gino Sorbillo (http://www.sorbillo.it/)

[Michael M]

Great review.

However you seam to have visited only "posh" pizzerias (Ciro, Umberto and Gorizia) which are also overpriced. Also, with exeption of Gorizia, they only do average pizza.

Bar Mexico (It is a mini chain which is related to "Passalacqua" brand of coffe beans, one of the most popular beans in Naples with Kimbo) is also my favourite.

Otranto is still good but was better 15 years ago. Bilancione in Via Posillipo is the one to try next time. Their hezelnut flavor is heaven.

I know you had a take away at Di Matteo, but next time I would suggest in Order of preference Pizzeria Salvo (www.pizzeriasalvo.it), Da Michele (www.damichele.net), Gino Sorbillo (http://www.sorbillo.it/)

←

I actually printed out a post of yours to take with me about pizza, and those were on the list, I believe. Must visit Bilancione, and of course the other pizzerias!

[Pizza Napoletana]

Gorizia would have been the only one on my list among the ones you have visited.

Bilancione is a must!!!! I took an American friend of mine 2 years ago there, and he is so obsessed that went back to Naples few months ago and wanted to taste that Ice cream again....

Ciao

Great review.

However you seam to have visited only "posh" pizzerias (Ciro, Umberto and Gorizia) which are also overpriced. Also, with exeption of Gorizia, they only do average pizza.

Bar Mexico (It is a mini chain which is related to "Passalacqua" brand of coffe beans, one of the most popular beans in Naples with Kimbo) is also my favourite.

Otranto is still good but was better 15 years ago. Bilancione in Via Posillipo is the one to try next time. Their hezelnut flavor is heaven.

I know you had a take away at Di Matteo, but next time I would suggest in Order of preference Pizzeria Salvo (www.pizzeriasalvo.it), Da Michele (www.damichele.net), Gino Sorbillo (http://www.sorbillo.it/)

←

I actually printed out a post of yours to take with me about pizza, and those were on the list, I believe. Must visit Bilancione, and of course the other pizzerias!

←