As someone who is lucky enough to say they frequent Rome, Italy (I know, I hate me too), I am no stranger to international travel. I generally get to the airport just a few hours before (instead of five like some people I may know…), take my passport/ticket, instagram-story picture like the millennial I am, board the flight without consequence, and pass out until I land 8 hours later. Most of the time, things go off without a hitch.
Except for when they don’t.
I decided to fly to Rome this year on my birthday (mistake #1). When I got to the airport at 3:30pm and indulged in my airport priced, celebratory glass of wine, my 5:30pm flight was still on time and life was good. How quickly things change. It started with an hour delay. Respectable. Then, it stretched another hour. It happens. Then, another. My fellow passengers began murmuring; apparently this flight had been delayed for hours and then canceled the day before. The hours crept on, the restlessness set in, a few passengers began yelling at the airport staff in frustration and panic, but 5 hours later, at 11:30pm, we began boarding.
At 12:30am the plane took off and everyone let out a breath of relief. Surely, SURELY now there was no way the flight would be canceled. We’d all be eating pizza and sweating in the 100 degree heat of the Colosseum in no time.
THINK AGAIN.
At 2 in the morning, the captain came on the intercom to announce there was a problem with the plane and we were TURNING AROUND. As in, back to Boston. Disbelief overtook the faces of the passengers. Surely, this was a joke? It was April 1st, not June 30th, right? RIGHT??
A teenager started crying in frustration. An old woman trying (for the second day in a row) to make a cruise started berating her husband as though he was the captain. And the flight attendants were….praying?! Was this plane ok??
As we neared Boston, the captain came on the intercom again, saying that there would be fire trucks when we land, but everythingistotallynormalandokay. Ummmmmm. Obviously, I stayed super chill and calm and didn’t freak out AT ALL.
Our plane somehow landed in one piece in the wee hours of the morning, we disembarked, and Delta shared that we would have a new flight at 4pm the next day. Apparently, the plane we had been put on had many maintenance issues and would never fly again. I Ubered home in disbelief, passed out for a few hours, cried into an acai bowl the next morning, and made my way back to the airport.
Only to find that no one was at the help desk to inspire confidence that this flight was going off at 4pm. Two o’clock turned into three o’clock, and still nothing. At 3:15pm an attendant began walking our way! Here she is! Our hero! But, no. She wasn’t here to board our plane or provide answers, but to set up boxes of APOLOGY PIZZA FROM DELTA. You can’t make this stuff up.
Finally, at 3:45pm, as my compatriots and I ate our room temp apology pizza trying to ignore the irony that everyone should be in Italy eating pizza, the desk crew showed up and began boarding our flight.
Needless to say, I didn’t stop holding my breath until we landed at Fiumicino airport. BUT, we made it at long last, over 24 hours later, to my favorite place on the planet.
Rome, Italy.
Few cities boast as much historical relevance, cultural stimulation, religious reverence, and sought after cuisine.
A foodie’s delight. A foodie’s nightmare.
Because for every incredible restaurant, bar, or gelateria filled with traditional, modern, and innovative Italian cuisine, there is also a tourist trap. When you think about it, it makes sense—with millions of tourists visiting the caput mundi a year, some restaurants have traded quality for quantity and priced to the audience, rather than to the locals.
As a wannabe Roman, who has spent many summers melting in the heat of the eternal city, I’ve discovered my fair share of amazing, affordable spots all over the city. You’ll find very few of my favorites in the centro storico city center, but take this as an opportunity to explore the many wonderful neighborhoods!
When it comes to talking about Rome, I struggle to self-edit, so we’re splitting this baby into a three-part series! Pizza (1), Roman Food (2), and Drinks & Gelato (3).
1. Where to Eat Pizza in Rome:
When I was young, and asked a question with an obvious “yes” answer, my dad always liked to respond, “does a bear shit in the woods??”. If I’m ever a parent, perhaps my (slightly more appropriate) equivalent response will be “do you eat pizza in Italy??” because to me, Italian pizza is SUCH a treat. Of course, the pasta is amazing too, but I’ve always found that Italian pizza is the one thing that can rarely be replicated to my liking in the States. SHOCKINGLY, it’s even better than the pizza Delta provided at Boston Logan International Airport!
In Rome, you’ll typically find two types of pizza: pizza al taglio and pizza tondo. Pizza al taglio, or pizza by the cut, is a staple in Rome. Often more casual, grab and go spots, the centerpiece in these pizzerias is a large glass counter filled with a variety of long, rectangular pizzas. You’ll choose a few options, designate how much you want of each, and the pizzaiolo will cut that amount and weigh your pieces. Pizza tondo, on the other hand, is the more traditional, thin crust, round pizza. While slightly different from Neapolitan style pizza (travel one hour south to my namesake in Naples, Pizzeria da Michele, for that!), pizza tondo is similar in concept and each person is meant to order their own pizza to be eaten with a knife and fork (it is often too thin to lift up). Both are fantastic in their own right, though I’ve always preferred pizza al taglio as a lunch option and pizza tondo at dinner. Here are my favorites for both!
For pizza al taglio: Antico Forno Roscioli
Location: Via dei Chiavari 34, Centro Storico, Sant’Eustachio neighborhood
(pizza left to right: pesto, eggplant & tomato, mortadella with pistachio pesto and burrata cream)
Loved by locals and tourists alike, Antico Forno Roscioli is the bakery storefront of Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina, a pricier restaurant that I have not been to (because you know, pricier), but that I have heard phenomenal things about. The bakery, however, is super well priced and their pizza al taglio is unbelievable. The bakery is small, so you’ll often see a line out the door during the lunch rush. Wait in line and use the time to decide which of the many, many pizza options you want cuts of. Once you choose, the staff will heat it up for you and weigh it. You’ll pay for it at the cashier, along with any other drinks, pastries, or souvenirs your heart may desire. There are no seats inside Roscioli, but there are few outside if you’re lucky enough to snag them. If not, just take your treasure to a nearby piazza. If they have it, my absolute favorite pizza is one with mortadella, pistachio pesto, and a burrata cream. I still dream about it. Most nights. Don’t walk, run. (Actually, don’t run because rushing is a telltale sign you’re a tourist in Italy, but you get what I mean.)
For pizza tondo: Pizzeria Remo
Location: Piazza di Santa Maria Liberatrice 44, Testaccio neighborhood
(pizza left to right: capricciosa, margherita con mozzarella di bufala)
If you want authentic Roman food, go to Testaccio. A less visited neighborhood south of the city center, Testaccio is full of amazing restaurants that locals frequent. Pizzeria Remo is one of these treasures. BUT be warned that if you’re looking for a hole-in-the-wall local spot where a sweet Italian grandma kisses your cheeks and takes you by the hand and creates a special meal for you, this is NOT that place (and you probably won’t find that in the very metropolitan city of Rome). Pizzeria Remo is known for their pizza, not their bedside manner. They are busy and slightly grumpy and will yell at you in Italian if you sit at the wrong table (one man sometimes uses a whistle, which is iconic). I personally am thrilled by this authentic, no-nonsense experience and have returned with friends so many times. It is the kind of place that is packed to the brim with locals in a way that you know it’s an institution. Attempt to find the man in charge of reservations with a small pad of paper and give them your name. Their wood-fired pizzas, fritti (fried foods that are always appetizers at pizza places), and house wine are all fantastic and ridiculously cheap. I highly recommend any pizza with mozzarella di bufala (buffalo mozzarella).
Also for pizza tondo: Alle Carrette
Location: Via della Madonna dei Monti, 95, Monti neighborhood
(pictured: fried artichoke hearts)
(pictured: margherita con mozzarella di bufala)
Good pizza near the Colosseum! And they said it couldn’t be done! Alle Carrette is another great, casual spot with fantastic pizza (again, I recommend one with mozzarella di bufala), fritti (love the fried artichoke hearts), and house wine. They have a large alleyway patio out back where you’ll find many Italian families with dogs and groups of 20-somethings alike, enjoying the lively, über authentic atmosphere. The first time I came here it was 10:30pm, I was dying of hunger, and I almost cried of joy. Alle Carrette is located in Monti, which is one of my favorite neighborhoods in Rome to just walk through the cobblestoned streets and pretend you live there. It would be a great spot to wander to after a day of sightseeing. Don’t miss it!
Other honorable mentions: Pizzeria da Simone (pizza al taglio, Gianicolo neighborhood–quite out of the way and unassuming, but WOW is their pizza good. Once I dropped a piece on the street and still ate it without hesitation if that gives you an idea of how good), Il Peperoncino Dispettoso, (pizza tondo, Prati/Trionfale neighborhood–extremely solid pizza harkening back to my study abroad days!).
Want more pizza suggestions? Elizabeth Minchilli and her daughter Sophie, have always been my go-tos when searching for spots in Rome! I also find Giada De Laurentiis, Food Network’s resident Italian-American, to be a trusted source!
Stay tuned for part 2 and Happy November! May the start of the holiday travel season treat you better than birthday travel treated me!