The Eternal City is famous for its ancient ruins, stunning architecture, and depending on who you ask — its starring role in the Lizzie McGuire Movie.
But for me, the main attraction of Italy’s capital is the food. From pasta, pizza, and gelato, to deep fried artichokes, cornetto pastries, cream-filled maritozzi and coffee, coffee, coffee, there’s something to suit all tastes.
As tourist traps are abundant, finding great places to eat can take a little bit of work, but it isn’t too tricky if you’re willing to do a bit of research. I spent a while pouring over recommendations from local food writers, Instagram posts, and restaurant reviews, before selecting places to visit during a recent holiday there.
My husband and I spent three days eating our way around Rome and we tried potentially the best pasta we’ve ever had in our lives (I’m not kidding), and some delicious pizza topped with potatoes and pork from La Boccaccia, a tiny pizzeria tucked away down a side street.
But the standout thing we ate wasn’t any of these, it was actually a side dish that I ordered on a whim to accompany my main.
You’ll likely scoff when you hear that it was crema di patate all’olio d’oliva (olive oil potato cream) that came up trumps during the trip, but I’m not ashamed to admit I loved it.
For those who don’t know what this is, it’s essentially fancy mashed potato, and we had it at Cielo, a dreamy rooftop restaurant at Hotel de la Ville, which is located right by the Spanish Steps and boasts sweeping views over the entire city. You can see just about everything from here — St Peter’s Basillica, Castel Sant’Angelo, and the Monument to Victor Emmanuel II which is often said to look like a wedding cake.
Cielo is a top notch spot to book a table at if you’re heading to Rome, but be warned that eating here doesn’t come cheap. Pasta dishes range from €30 to €55, with the Secondi Piatti (main course) costing as much as €58 a pop. And the coveted olive oil potato cream is priced at a whopping €14 — but I can honestly say it’s worth every cent.
As a Brit, I’ve always been a big fan of potatoes however they come — roasted, fried, boiled, or baked, I’ll take the carby goodness in any form. But there’s always been something innately comforting about mashed potato. It’s nostalgic, it’s fluffy, it’s warm, it’s a hug in food form. I thought we were doing a pretty good job of making it here in the UK, but it turns out I thought wrong.
Our humble mashed potato has nothing and I mean NOTHING on the crema di patate all’olio d’oliva. Who knew that adding olive oil to mash was the key to take it from a top tier to a god level side dish?! Not me, that’s for sure.
But now that I’ve tried it, I honestly think it’s ruined the regular stuff for me for life. I don’t want lumpy bog standard mash anymore. I’ll never be able to order it at Nando’s with Peri Peri chicken again.
I had one mouthful and my eyes practically rolled back into my head. Even my husband, who isn’t a mashed potato fan, was spooning it onto his plate as if he couldn’t get enough.
The aromatic bitterness that exists in olive oil pairs incredibly well with the earthiness of the potato, it’s savoury, rich, but with a hint of sweetness. The combination added a depth of flavour to the dish that I never expected.
I had to find out exactly how the chefs had made it, so that I could recreate it for myself at home. Our waitress was a little amused by my excitement about the potato, but agreed it was very good.
She explained fresh potatoes are peeled and then boiled, before being broken up (or mashed, as we would say). But instead of going in hard with your masher, you have to take a little more care.
Once the potatoes are broken up, you add a little bit of butter and lots of ‘good quality organic olive oil’. Then you want to cream it with a wooden spoon for a long time until it’s perfectly smooth and well, creamy. (Probably best to add the olive oil in stages as you go to avoid splashing when mixing, and to allow for it to be evenly absorbed.)
I topped my potato cream with some pepper, but adding this is up to you. Serve on the side of a meal, or eat it straight from the bowl… no judgement here!
However, if you’re looking for something a little more traditional to eat in Rome then you’ll want to head to the Trastevere neighbourhood and find Da Vittorio a Trastevere.
This is a small, but authentic Roman restaurant with all the classics on the menu, including carbonara. Here I recommend ordering Tonnarelli all’Amatriciana, a pasta dish made with tomatoes, guanciale (cured pork cheek), pecorino romano cheese, black pepper, extra virgin olive oil, dry white wine, and salt.
This meal was everything I’d hoped for and more when it came to eating pasta in Rome. The tonnarelli was perfectly al dente, with a nice bit of bite to it. The tomato sauce is simple, but delicious with a fresh and slightly sweet flavour that beautifully compliments the salty guanciale.
If you manage to grab a table here early, you’ll also be able to try another roman speciality, Carciofi alla Giudia (Jewish-Style fried artichokes). They’d finished serving these for the day when we arrived, so we made do with Carciofi alla Romana (pan-fried artichokes) which were tasty, but you just know everything is better when it’s been deep fried.
Other must-try dishes in Rome include Trapizzini, which is a fast-food staple in the city that’s somewhere between pizza and a sandwich. It’s a pocket or cone of soft dough, stuffed with your choice of fillings.
Before heading to St Peter’s Basillica, we stopped at Il Sorpasso on via Properzio where this lunchtime treat comes in 11 different options and costs just €5.
I tried the Parmigiana Trapizzini, filled with aubergine, parmesan cheese, mozzarella and basil and it really hit the spot after walking around the Vatican Museum all morning. Other fillings include Polpette al Sugo (beef meatballs with spices cooked in tomato sauce), and Pollo alla Cacciatora (dark chicken meat with garlic, extra virgin olive oil, rosemary, white wine, and vinegar).
And if it’s an aperitif you’re after, then I’ve got a wonderful hidden gem of a spot for you. Swing by the Monti neighbourhood near the Colosseum, as a short walk from the historic landmark you’ll find a brand new five star hotel called Casa Monti.
The hotel opened at the end of May meaning it’s still one of Rome’s best kept secrets. The interior design by Laura Gonzalez is jaw-droppingly stunning. You’ll want to move in and never leave, but if you can manage to draw your eyes away from the incredible decor, and make it up to the roof, you’ll find a little oasis.
Casa Monti’s rooftop bar only has a few tables but it packs a punch thanks to the gorgeous views it offers across the city. You won’t spot the Trevi Fountain or Pantheon up here, but you’ll definitely get an eyeful of classic roman architecture. And what’s even better is that the cocktail menu is fun and creative, just like the venue.
Try the La Nonna, made with Hendrick’s gin, marmellata d’albiocca, latte di mandorla Adriatico, Stillabunt, limone, and soda — a refreshing citrus drink that is inspired by an Italian grandmother.
Or if you prefer something a little more hardy, there’s the L’artigiano containing rum, Barolo chinato Mulassano, bitter Fusetti, and amaro Amacardo red.
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